Spatial differences of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among counties (cities) on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains

The county (city) located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains is the primary area to solidify and extend the success of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China in poverty alleviation. Its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are intertwined with the concerted economic and social development of Xinjiang and the objective of achieving shared prosperity within the region. This study established a sustainable development evaluation framework by selecting 15 SDGs and 20 secondary indicators from the United Nations’ SDGs. The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the progress of SDGs at the county (city) level on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains. The results indicate that there are substantial variations in the scores of SDGs among the nine counties and one city located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains. Notable high scores of SDGs are observed in the central and eastern regions, whereas lower scores are prevalent in the western areas. The scores of SDGs, in descending order, are as follows: 62.22 for Minfeng County, 54.22 for Hotan City, 50.21 for Qiemo County, 42.54 for Moyu County, 41.56 for Ruoqiang County, 41.39 for Qira County, 39.86 for Lop County, 38.25 for Yutian County, 38.10 for Pishan County, and 36.87 for Hotan County. The performances of SDGs reveal that Hotan City, Lop County, Minfeng County, and Ruoqiang County have significant sustainable development capacity because they have three or more SDGs ranked as green color. However, Hotan County, Moyu County, Qira County, and Yutian County show the poorest performance, as they lack SDGs with green color. It is important to establish and enhance mechanisms that can ensure sustained income growth among poverty alleviation beneficiaries, sustained improvement in the capacity of rural governance, and the gradual improvement of social security system. These measures will facilitate the effective implementation of SDGs. Finally, this study offers a valuable support for governmental authorities and relevant departments in their decision-making processes. In addition, these results hold significant reference value for assessing SDGs at the county (city) level, particularly in areas characterized by low levels of economic development.