The Accounting of Ecological Deficits in China and the Corresponding Analysis

Ecological deficit appears since the biologically productive area demanded by consumption exceeds the ecological footprints supplied by a country within its ecological capacity.This paper,through accounting and analysis of China's ecological deficits from 1991 to 2003,concludes the following:(1)the ecological deficit per capita is 0.5076 to 0.7246 hectare,which exerts enormous pressure upon resources and environment;(2)about 65.08% to 86.42% of the deficit is balanced by exhaustion of resources,especially energy;(3)11.06% to 31.62% are for environmental pollution;(4)only 1.15% to 5.73% is from import and export;(5)since 1996,the net input of footprints in the trade of primary products and energy products had been turning from deficit to surplus,which benefits the conservation of domestic natural resource.