A triangle model for evaluating the sustainability status and trends of economic development

In conjunction with ecological performance, a definition to sustainable economic development was proposed, and a novel triangle method was designed to evaluate economic development sustainability, based on the interrelationships among economic development, resource-energy consumption, and environment pollution. As a case study, the triangle method was applied to assess the sustainability status and long-term trends of China's economic development. The results show that economic development in 2000 represents a relatively weak state of sustainability, and that most of the 31 political regions in Mainland China reflect sustainability positions ranging from weakly unsustainable to weakly sustainable. The China's economic development between 1980 and 1991 reveals a rather weak sustainability trend, while that from 1991 to 2000 demonstrates a relatively strong sustainable trend. China's unremitting efforts in environmental protection over the last two decades would be responsible for these status and trends. The triangle method, as an intuitive platform for illustrating sustainability status and trends in economic development, seems to hold promise as an analytical management tool given its simplicity, ease of use, and flexibility.