A city-level evaluation of the development of a Beautiful China

Abstract

China has proposed the long-term goal and strategy of developing a Beautiful China, positioning its evaluation as a policy tool of the nation's comprehensive environmental strategy. This study develops a methodological methodology, including an indicator framework, goal-setting, city-level assessment, and in-depth analysis, to assess the development of Beautiful China. Findings reveal a 14.57% improvement in the average Beautiful China level across Chinese cities from 2015 to 2022. A significant north-south differentiation and outstanding performers in developing a Beautiful China have also been identified. The study further examines the heterogeneities and coordination between the subsystems of Beautiful China, namely environmental quality, ecology, green development, environmental infrastructure, and action and demonstration. The dynamic, multi-dimensional, and complex associations between eco-environmental quality, environmental activities, and socioeconomic development have also been discussed. This study establishes a systematic framework for evaluating the progress and characteristics of a comprehensive environmental strategy, whereby the methods and findings can provide informative support for designing evaluation frameworks applicable to other integrated systems and complex nexuses.