Quantifying the sustainability of human and natural systems: A novel perspective on conjugate mechanisms

Abstract

Quantifying the sustainability of human and natural systems is essential for advancing sustainable development. In light of the traditional perspective's limitations on coupling mechanisms, this paper presents a novel and comprehensive theoretical model, alongside a technical process, for assessing the sustainability of these systems through the innovative framework of conjugate mechanisms. Compared to widely recognized cutting-edge scientific frameworks, they align in their vision of achieving harmony between humanity and nature, yet the conjugate mechanisms provide uniquely subtle contributions in evaluation principles, methodological processes, and local adaptability. Utilizing the urban agglomeration on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains (UANSTM) as a case study, our findings demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of sustainability quantification via this conjugate mechanism. The quantitative results indicate an improvement in sustainability, although stability remains insufficient, thereby providing valuable decision-making support for local governments in evaluating their sustainable development management performance. This study aims to effectively apply conjugate mechanisms to the examination of interactions between human and natural systems, addressing existing knowledge gaps and offering a new perspective for more informed regional sustainable development management. Advancing the refinement of indicator datasets, integrating with other sustainability frameworks, and exploring conjugate governance models are future research directions.