EVALUATION OF NATURAL CAPITAL UTILIZATION WITH ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT ON THE QINGHAI-TIBET PLATEAU
青藏高原自然资产利用的生态空间占用评价

Ecological footprint is a useful indicator for measuring the pressure imposed by human on natural capital and offering real bio capacity within a given region or country. This method tracks the natural resources consumption of a region or a nation and translates them into biologically productive area, which is required to produce natural resources and to assimilate the wastes human output. It is also a powerful indicator for regional sustainability. Employing the concept of ecological footprint, the current situation of natural resources utilization in Qinghai province is examined, and the impact imposed by human activities on natural resources in Qinghai Tibet plateau is analyzed. The results show that the ecological footprint demanded per capita in Qinghai is 1 8hm 2, which equals 4 5hm 2 in term of biological productive space. And this means that the ecological surplus in Qinghai is 2 7hm 2. Since the majority of industry and population are distributed in Qinghai province, the average ecological footprint for Qinghai Tibet plateau is no more than 1 8hm 2. With respect of biological productive space in Qinghai Tibet plateau, which is 8hm 2, the ecological surplus exits. Thus, how to incorporate ecological sustainability into economic development in undeveloped regions will be the room for our further study.