The Necessity and Practical Challenges of Territorial Space Use Efficiency Evaluation

This chapter examines the necessity and practical challenges of evaluating territorial space use efficiency (TSUE) in the context of globalization, new-type urbanization, and ecological civilization construction. It clarifies the strategic value of efficiency evaluation under spatial resource constraints and amid the reform of the national territorial spatial planning system. Drawing on core theories (including geospatial effects, input-output analysis, and production frontier theory), the chapter further defines the connotations of TSUE and of production-living-ecological space (PLES). The chapter then dissects research dilemmas from theoretical, methodological, and application perspectives and specifies the research objectives, core contents, spatiotemporal boundaries, and technical roadmap. Finally, it summarizes the study’s innovations in methodology, model system, and practical application, thereby establishing a solid theoretical foundation and logical framework for the subsequent model construction and empirical research.