ABSTRACT
Resource-based cities mean the cities relying on the development of resources
which has made tremendous contributions to the cause of China's socialist
modernization. Many cities in China are belonged to resource-based cities, most of
them are facing the problems of depletion of natural resources, rising costs of mining,
and lack of alternative and continuous industries which are seriously restricting the
sustainable development of resource-based cities. It is became hotspot for both
government and scholars. By the restriction of the linear mode of development, an
effective approach to achieve sustainable development has not been found yet.
The Circular economy as a scientific concept and advanced economic model, the
kernel of which is to fully enhance the use efficiency of resources and energy, minimize
the waste disposal, protect the ecological environment. It can be said that the
development of circular economy is the fundamental way to ease the resource
constraints and the environmental contradictions, is the inevitable choice for
resource-based cities to achieve sustainable development and an important
manifestation to implement the scientific development concept.
The dissertation includes five chapters. Chapter 1 is an overview of China's
resource-based cities, pointed out the problems they faced and the objective of this
dissertation. Chapter 2 highlights the theory of circular economy and the analysis
method to develop it, which is the theoretical foundation of the whole article. On this
basis, chapter 3 pointed out that developing circular economy is a inevitable choice for
resource-based cities to achieve sustainable development by using the theory of
sustainable development. Focus on the theoretical exploration of the industrial and
economic policies for the resource-based cites to develop circular economy. Then sum
up the experiences of Germany's Ruhr District which is a typical resource-based city.
Chapter 4 is a empirical study under the guidance of the theory of circular economy.
Based on a systematic analysis and summary of the economic situation, the advantages
and disadvantages for Tongling–a typical resource-based city to achieve sustainable
development and the foundation to develop circular economy, by using the
Environmental Kuznets Curve and Ecological Footprint analysis tools, the
dissertation bring forward proposals for Tongling to develop Recycling Industry,
Circular Agriculture and Recycling Tertiary Industry, along with security measures as
a whole strategy to achieve sustainable development. Finally, by summarizing the