Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 2026, 16(5), 2025-224
Assessing the Ecological-Economic Balance: Evidence from Analytic Hierarchy Modeling
Associate Professor, School of Business, Chengdu College of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610000, China, E-mail: peyton.zhang@hotmail.com
Project Management
Received October 13, 2025; revised December 9, 2025; accepted January 6, 2026
Available online June 17, 2026
Abstract: Sichuan Province faces a delicate balance between economic growth and ecological sustainability, challenging resource management and environmental protection. This study quantitatively assesses how ecological occupation affects the regional economy and proposes strategies to improve this relationship for long-term stability. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a decision-making framework that considers multiple criteria, this study evaluates key risk factors, including resource consumption, pollution, and ecological degradation. The land use from 2000 to 2020 shows increasing ecological occupation, rising from 905,918.06 hm² to 890,191.13 hm², with the rate surpassing ecological carrying capacity by 114.29% in 2018. Although energy efficiency has improved, reducing unit Gross Domestic Product (GDP) energy consumption from 10 to 8 tons per 10,000 Renminbi (RMB), further efforts are needed to ensure sustainable development. The findings highlight the importance of Sichuan’s prioritizing ecological protection alongside economic growth to prevent long-term environmental degradation and promote sustainable regional development.
Keywords: Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), ecological balance, economic growth, regional economy, sustainable development.
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Citation: Zhang, B. (2026). Assessing the Ecological-Economic Balance: Evidence from Analytic Hierarchy Modeling. Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 16(5), 2025-224.
