A Vertical and Horizontal Comparison of Sustainable Development Status in Western China from the Perspective of Ecological Footprint

On the basis of ecological footprint theory, the ecological footprint and ecological carrying capacity of western China and 12 provinces and cities in 2009 are calculated. From the perspective of ecological footprint, the sustainable development status of west China and 12 provinces and cities in 2009 and 1999 are compared vertically and horizontally. Results assume that no matter weighting by using local or national ecological carrying capacity, the west area laid in the unsustainable development state in 2009; in 1999, the west area was on the unsustainable development stage taking the local and national level as the reference and it was at the sustainable stage at the global level. In 2009, most provinces in western China laid on the unsustainable stage at the local, national and global level. Compared with mat in 2009, few provinces in western China were on the unsustainable stage at different levels. In general, the sustainable developmental momentum of western China in 2009 was weaker man that in ten years ago and many provinces and cities decreased to unsustainable state.