Assessing Sustainable Development through Multidimensional Framework of Synergies and Trade-offs

Abstract

Since the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were proposed, China has adopted diverse strategies to accelerate their realization. However, most studies on SDGs focus predominantly on national or provincial levels, overlooking the dynamic changes and unique challenges at the local level. Given the substantial disparities in regional development, policy gaps vary markedly across regions. This underscores the need for tailored, multidimensional evaluation systems that account for regional characteristics and analyze interactions among dimensions to pinpoint priorities for effective policy interventions. This study developed a multidimensional evaluation framework comprising 4 primary dimensions—Green Economy, Social Progress, Ecological Environment, and Innovative Technology, further divided into 16 secondary dimensions and 80 specific indicators. Using this framework, we conducted a detailed evaluation of Huzhou’s sustainable development from 2003 to 2022 and found notable improvements in all the dimensions since 2003, with the greatest progress in Innovative Technology. While synergies outweighed trade-offs in most secondary dimensions, marked trade-offs were identified between air quality and green space construction. This study provides a practical framework for evaluating the delivery of SDGs and identifying priority aspects to accelerate sustainable development at a city level.