Evaluating Regional Circular Economy based on Emergy Theory: A Case Study in Liaoning Province
基于能值分析的区域循环经济研究——以辽宁省为例

Scientific evaluation of the development of circular economy is the decision-making foundation to further promote circular economy. In this paper, Liaoning Province was selected as study area to draft the judgment model of regional circular economy. Using emergy analysis, the development of circular economy in Liaoning was evaluated from such five aspects as energy flux, resource input and output, resource consumption, environmental pressure and comprehensive index. The paper analyzed the development of circular economy in Liaoning from 1990 to 2005 in order to conduct background analysis and probe into the method and theory of circular economy. Results showed that: 1) The total energy input of nonrenewable resource in Liaoning province increased 2.38 times during the period of 1990 to 2005, occupying 74% of the total energy used. Obviously, the current rapid economic growth in Liaoning province was derived at the cost of vast nonrenewable resource consumption. At the same time, the increase rate of total wasted energy was lower than that of total energy, which implying the significant improvement of resource use efficiency and considerable achievements in circular economy; 2) The ratio of self-supplying energy decreased from 98.5% to 89.5%, which indicating that economic growth in Liaoning province primarily depended on local resource with a relatively strong resource foundation and a higher energy safety. Both the ratio of output per unit resource and the ratio of output per unit energy presented a decreased tendency, which implying that economic growth in Liaoning province consumed a great of nonrenewable resources; 3) The consumption of energy, electricity and water resources per ten-thousand-Yuan GDP also showed significant decreasing tendency, which implying the obvious progress made in cleaner production, construction of ecological industry chain and energy and resources recycling; 4) The index of Energy sustainability in Liaoning province decreased significantly, which indicating the rapid economic growth caused the great consumption of nonrenewable resource and continuous decrease of sustainable development capacity. Energy index of circular economy in Liaoning was lower than index of energy sustainability, which implying a gradual improvement in resource utilization and pollution reduction.