The ecologically efficient transformation of natural resources into economic output is a critical pathway to achieve urban and industrial sustainability. Eco-efficiency approach offers an effective tool to uncover both the status and trends of such a transformation. This paper applied a modified eco-efficiency approach in combination with data envelopment analysis, to analyze the sustainability transition of Ulsan metropolis, Korea, under a fifteen years’ promotion (2000–2015) of eco-industrial development (EID). In the design for analysis, eco-efficiency change – both at industrial park level and the regional level – was investigated to analyze whether eco-efficiency improvements at the park level coincide with those at the regional level. Our main findings were highlighted as: At the regional level, from 2000 to 2015, eco-efficiency of industrial waste generation and energy use has improved by 35.0% and 21.4%, respectively, driven by a significant reduction in waste and energy intensities attributable to technological improvements (EID promotion and urban-industrial symbiosis). At the industrial park/complex level, two national eco-industrial parks (EIPs) in Ulsan showed highest eco-efficiency (pure technical efficiency was 1.0) in analytical years, compared with nine regional industrial complexes. At both levels of analysis, EIPs stood out as eco-efficient and their contribution to urban sustainability transition was overwhelming. Moreover, EIP implementation and urban-industrial symbiosis in Ulsan were identified as the major drivers of regional EID policy. Based on our critical findings, EID was highlighted as a preventative and regenerative approach to improve eco-efficiency at the regional and industrial park level, enlightening other regional and local initiatives towards urban sustainability.

自然资源在生态上的高效转化为经济产出是实现城市和工业可持续发展的关键途径。生态效率方法为揭示这种转变的现状和趋势提供了有效的工具。本文采用改进的生态效率方法，结合数据包络分析，在生态工业发展（EID）的十五年（2000-2015年）推动下，分析了韩国蔚山大都市的可持续发展转型。在分析设计中，研究了工业园区和区域一级的生态效率变化，以分析园区一级的生态效率改善与地区一级的生态效率改善是否一致。我们的主要发现如下：在2000年至2015年的区域范围内，工业废物产生和能源使用的生态效率分别提高了35.0％和21.4％，这归因于技术进步（促进EID和城市与工业共生）带来的废物和能源强度的显着降低。在工业园区/综合体层面，与分析的九个区域工业园区相比，蔚山的两个国家级生态工业园区（EIP）在分析年度中表现出最高的生态效率（纯技术效率为1.0）。在两个分析级别上，EIP都具有很高的生态效率，并且对城市可持续性转型的贡献是巨大的。此外，蔚山市实施EIP和城市工业共生被确定为区域EID政策的主要驱动力。根据我们的重要发现，