Measurement, Spatial-Temporal Evolution, and Optimization Path of the Level of Coordinated Development of Ecological Civilisation: The Case of China
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsEcological civilization is an interesting idea discussed in this paper in wide context with many variables. The research objectives well stated and answered.
But some changes are neccesairly.
As the authors write in lines 98/99: ecological civilization is a new concept derived from the concept of sustainable development. On the other hand in the line 234 we can read that the purpose of ecological civilization is to achieve sustainable development. There is a contradiction between these two sentences. If ecological civilization was derived from sustainable development idea, sustainable development cannot be at the same time the goal of ecological civilization. Furthermore, if achieving sustainable development is the goal of ecological civilization, why it was not presented in figure 1 and in the discussion?
In lines 57/58 we can read that the idea of ecological civilization was put forward in the report of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party Of China (CPC) in 2007.
Ecological civilization is Chinese own idea in answer to sustainable development idea. It is interesting, while most countries in the world are trying to introduce sustainable development, China ha sits own vision.
However the connection between sustainable development and ecological must be shown. How ecological civilization fits into sustainable development framework? Well, it fits quite well, but it must be shown. This can be done in a theorethical section, without changing the basic research.
Sustainable development was introduced in UN report Our Common Future in 1987 as development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the abilities of future generations to meet their own needs. There are 3 pillars of such development: environmental, social and economic (the authors are adding fourth pillar: energy, which is understandable in case China due to huge energy demand especially for industry). In 2015 Un introduced 17 Sustainable development goals.
The paper is covering time 2005-2020. There is a problem with this. The year 2020 was the first year of COVID-19 global pandemic will full lock downs all around the world. COVID-19 pandemic has obvious influence on ecological civilization and sustainable development especially with China with very rigoristic ZERO-COVID policy. Adding at least some comments on the influence of pandemic seem to be neccesairly.
Conclusions are very long, however they include also optimization paths. It can stay as it is.
The paper ends with… Discussion which is only half page long. Discussion after conclusions is the most unusual way to end the paper. However, as we read these section, it is not really discussion but rather limitations of the study or possibilities of future research. This section should be renamed.
In case of possibilities of future research COVID-19 context should be added. The research ends in 2020, the pandemic, according to WHO, ended in September 2023. The influence of the pandemic on introduction of the ecological civilisation in China is a very interesting topic.
Author Response
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Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis is an interesting study.
However, the structure of the article is confusing and some parts are not brief enough. It seems to be a case study in one (large, but still only one country) without international context emphasised enough. The hard wok, that has been done, should translate into an engaging article, and this is not the case here.
The main issue is the article structure and dilation, I may change my decision into 'Minor'.
Main remarks:
- The the author(s) use inaproriate type of quoting in whole article;
- The Introduction should refer to 'sustainable development goals' in the end of first paragraph;
- Part 1.3. contributes nothing to the article and should be omitted;
- Part 2. is too long, might as well have been part of Research Design
- The article should be supplemented with the separate 'Discussion' part before 'Conclusions and Optimisation'; The existing part 'Discussion' describes limitations of this study and further research plans than compares results with those from other studies or ohter countries; There is an essential question - how this method could be applied in other circumstances? Should variables change?
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe writing of this paper is very standardized and of high quality. Its research framework design is reasonable, the analysis results are clear, and the conclusions are prominent. So, I recommend it to be published in Sustainability.
Author Response
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to review the manuscript entitled Measurement, Spatial-temporal Evolution and Optimization Path of the Level of Coordinated Development of Ecological Civilisation: The Case of China (Submission ID: sustainability-2885086) . Thank you for your recognition of our research work and the article! Thank you again! I wish you a happy mood every day!
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear author(s), thank you for the improvements in your article. I have only 1 minor remark, that you should aplly references to the 5.1 part, espacially including lines 619 - 627, where you mention 'some studies'.
I also suggest using template from the journal website in your future submissions.
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
