The cost of rural environmental degradation in China: An integrated evaluation framework and city-level case study

The comprehensive assessment of the impact and cost of environmental degradation in rural areas has been infrequently undertaken. This study establishes a systematic evaluation framework integrating the perspectives of Three Rural Issues and rural environmental elements. The evaluation framework encompasses five subsystems related to the rural atmospheric environment, water environment, soil environment, waste treatment, and CO₂ emissions, enabling a quantitative and holistic assessment of environmental degradation costs in rural settings. The evaluation method advances classical frameworks by incorporating an environmental resource-pressure-wellbeing perspective and integrating rural-specific indicators alongside well-established estimation modules. A case study revealed that the environmental degradation cost in rural China amounted to 840.89 billion China Yuan in 2022, representing 7.71 % of the primary industry value added and reflecting a 24.93 % decrease from 2015. Additionally, the city-level evaluation highlights disparities in environmental development and explores the influence of socioeconomic factors on rural environmental degradation. This study provides valuable valuation methods and decision-making references to support environmental improvement and sustainable development within the agriculture-rural sector.