Ecological Optimum Population Size And Long-term Development Of The Total Population Strategy

In this article, the concept of eco-footprint is used to analysis the optimal population size of China. 'Eco-footprint' is a model brought out by Canadian ecological economists, playing important role in calculating the human impact on eco-system. The influence to the environment from the production and consumption could be converted into standardized global hectare through eco-footprint model, which provide the possibility of analysis of the demand and supply of nature resources, and the comparison from spatial or time series point of view as well. There are compound, component and input-output method in calculating Ecofootprint, and the concept of 'carbon footprint' and 'water footprint' were developed in certain circumstance which well supplement the analysis of different element. The carbon footprint plays important role in climate change issue while the water footprint tries to help represent serious water shortage in most districts. Using eco-footprint per capita and gross ecological capacity to calculate the ecologically optimal population size is one of the appliances of the model. Through reference review and model, this article will try to summarize the development of eco-footprint, carbon-footprint and water footprint, to summarize the application of eco-footprint model in China, to summarize the discussion of optimal population size in China and to calculate the ecologically optimal population size. Then the future population development strategy of China is discussed, and other related factors that have impact on the result, like the trade, technology, system and culture are brought out with the analysis of their impact on optimal population size and their important role in sustainability. As a whole, the ecological pressure is high in China which requires a comparatively restrict population strategy.