ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Analysis of the Dynamic Change
of the Environmental Carrying Capacity
and Influencing Factors of Mature Coal Cities
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College of Economy and Management, Anhui University of Science and Technology,
No. 168, Taifeng Street, Huainan, Anhui province, 232001, China
Submission date: 2022-08-31
Final revision date: 2022-11-30
Acceptance date: 2023-01-03
Online publication date: 2023-02-14
Publication date: 2023-04-14
Corresponding author
Gang He
College of Economy and Management, Anhui University of Science and Technology, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2023;32(3):2015-2028
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ABSTRACT
The evaluation of environmental status and the analysis of the influencing factors are significant to
the transformation and high-quality development of mature coal cities. Choosing five typical mature
coal cities in China as the case study, this study constructed the comprehensive evaluation system of
ECC (environmental carrying capacity). It assessed the temporal variation of ECC from 2010 to 2019
with normal cloud mode. Then the main influencing factors were identified by analyzing the interaction
mechanism between factors via BP-DEMATEL mode. The results indicated that: (1) The ECC level
of most cities improved significantly. (2) The ECC levels of resource-environment subsystem were
higher than that of society-economy subsystem. (3) Proportion of environmental protection spending,
comprehensive utilization rate of industrial solid and atmospheric pollutants emission intensity were
the main driving influencing factors, while the proportion of subsidence area and urbanization rate
were the main characteristic influencing factors of most cities. Meanwhile, each city has some main
influencing factors which are different from each other. This study compares the changing trend of ECC
in different mature coal cities and analyzes the reasons, which provides scientific basis and decisionmaking
reference for the formulation of relevant policies.