Multidimensional assessment of regional inequality toward sustainable development

Considering various challenges and complexity in sustainable development, there is a need to enhance our understanding of the multidimensionality of spatial inequality (SI). This study proposed a multidimensional equality development index and empirically examined this using a case study of China. The dominant mode of SI has gradually changed from coastal-inland inequality to core-marginal inequality. The five dimensions of SI-economic vitality, innovation capacity, green growth capacity, social amenities, and inclusion and natural amenity-are correlated, and inequality in innovation capacity and economic vitality are major contributors to overall SI in China. A catching-up effect in development exists across cities. The multidimensional inequalities are rooted in a geographical context and related to size, leading to differentiated evolutionary paths and trends. The proposed multidimensional assessment framework can be applied to other countries to reveal the complexity of inequality and enable the identification and management of barriers.