Assessment of the sustainable development status of districts and counties in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration

Assessing the sustainable development status at the subnational level is essential for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the second half of the 2030 Agenda. However, there are significant gaps in SDG assessment at the county scale and in comparative studies between different counties. In this study, the sustainable development status of counties at the administrative scale in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) was evaluated on the basis of localized SDG data. Our results revealed that from 2015 to 2021, the sustainable development status of districts and counties in the YRDUA gradually increased. Nevertheless, the distribution of the development status was uneven across these districts and counties. The sustainable development status of districts and counties in the eastern coastal region was greater than that in the western region. These differences were mainly due to a combination of interregional and intraregional variations. Compared with those in county-level cities and municipal districts, there were greater synergies among indicators in ordinary counties. This finding is related to the relatively balanced distribution of resources, relatively harmonized policy implementation and more consistent socioeconomic development needs in ordinary counties. However, the trade-offs among indicators in county-level cities were relatively noticable, suggesting a need for comprehensive and systematic assessments when formulating policies. The governments of county-level cities should optimize resource allocation, enhance environmental regulation, and promote multi-goal coordination. Our scenario simulation results revealed that promoting sustainable development in ordinary counties, especially those in Anhui Province, could facilitate balanced achievement of the SDGs in the YRDUA. Therefore, support should focus more notably on ordinary counties in Anhui Province by increasing infrastructure construction, such as transportation, energy, and communications, and promoting the equalization of public service resources to effectively enhance their sustainable development.