Evaluation of Ecological Competitiveness in Jiangsu Province

In light of such current characteristics of Jiangsu province as rapidly-developing economy and society, increasingly prominent constraints on resources and environment, as well as grave damage to ecology, this paper builds up an index system for evaluation of ecological competitiveness (EC) in this province. The index system comprises four dimensions: economic development, social harmony, ecological health, and environmental friendliness. Another contribution is a revised version of technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The modified TOPSIS is used in combination with the entropy method to assess the comprehensive evolution of 2004-2013 EC levels in Jiangsu province. The research result shows: social harmony and ecological health, both steadily operating, are in the similar track of development. Their vertical projection distances witness an overall tendency of gradual decrease. As a comparison, the vertical projection distances for economic growth and environmental friendliness fluctuate apparently and similarly. This phenomenon indicates that economic expansion is directly related to the evolution of EC levels as a major cause to EC upheaval. The trend of steadily narrowed vertical projection distance of comprehensive EC from 2004 to 2013 is a reflection of a steady rise in EC levels and a gradually enhanced capacity of sustainable development for Jiangsu province under long-term governance against the increasingly prominent constraints on resources and environment.