Tracking urban sustainability transition: An eco efficiency analysis on eco industrial development in Ulsan, Korea
Abstract The ecologically efficient transformation of natural resources into economic output is a critical pathway to achieve urban and industrial sustainability. Eco efficiency approach offers an effective tool to uncover both the status and trends of such a transformation. This paper applied a modified eco efficiency approach in combination with data envelopment analysis, to analyze the sustainability transition of Ulsan metropolis, Korea, under a fifteen years' promotion (2000 2015) of eco industrial development (EID) In the design for analysis, eco efficiency change both at industrial park level and the regional level was investigated to analyze whether eco efficiency improvements at the park level coincide with those at the regional level. Our main findings were highlighted as: At the regional level, from 2000 to 2015, eco efficiency of industrial waste generation and energy use has improved by 35.0% and 21.4% respectively, driven by a significant reduction in waste and energy intensities attributable to technological improvements (EID promotion and urban industrial symbiosis) At the industrial park/complex level, two national eco industrial parks (EIPs) in Ulsan showed highest eco efficiency (pure technical efficiency was 1.0) in analytical years, compared with nine regional industrial complexes. At both levels of analysis, EIPs stood out as eco efficient and their contribution to urban sustainability transition was overwhelming. Moreover, EIP implementation and urban industrial symbiosis in Ulsan were identified as the major drivers of regional EID policy. Based on our critical findings, EID was highlighted as a preventative and regenerative approach to improve eco efficiency at the regional and industrial park level, enlightening other regional and local initiatives towards urban sustainability.