生态足迹模型是一种有效的可持续发展测度方法。国际上关于生态足迹的研究缘起于20世纪70年代诸多生态经济学背景的研究者们的研究成果。目前国外学者对生态足迹模型存在的指标选择偏向性、足迹测度静态性、计算项目偏颇性、政策启示伪真性等缺陷进行了修正,并在不同食物消费模式、不同家庭收入与消费支出、国际贸易与生态不平等交换、国际债务、循环经济、能源消耗、国民经济发展、交通运输以及特定产业与行业等9个前沿领域展开了广泛深入的生态足迹实证分析。根据对国外生态足迹模型修正与前沿研究进展的综述,文章从生态足迹研究的时间尺度、空间尺度、研究内容与研究方法等4个方面,提出了生态足迹研究的展望,以期推动我国生态足迹模型的应用研究与可持续发展研究。
Ecological footprint model is an important and effective way to measure sustainability, which based on the results of many ecological-economic studies in the 1970s. However, due to its inherent weakness, such as partial to ecological index, static state of ecological footprint calculation, partial to items of calculation, and failure to provide a cohesive analytical tool for sustainability management, many foreign scholars modified ecological footprint model according to its shortcomings. Today, overseas study on the ecological footprint model focus on nine research fields, namely, ecological footprints relating to different food consumption patterns, ecological footprints associated with different household income and spending, ecological footprints of international trade, ecological footprints exchange relief international debts, ecologically unequal exchange in trade activities, ecological footprints of circular economy, ecological footprints of energy supplies, ecological footprints by national economy progress, ecological footprints of passenger and commodities transportation systems, ecological footprints of special industries. Base on the review of the latest achievements and frontiers of overseas study, this paper suggests that the further research of ecological footprint model should be strengthened in four aspects : 1 ) calculation of time series ecological footprint and exploration of the relation between the ecological footprint and sustainable development; 2) comparison of different dimensions of ecological footprint among regions; 3) expansion of the application of ecological footprint in environmental, social and economic fields;4) modification and improvement of the ecological footprint model in China.