檢視一地區發展的基礎狀態以及具有減損或增益此基礎的外力大小，為探討永續發展的重要課題。本文採用「國土綜合開發計畫」所揭櫫的三項目標：建設生產環境、改善生活品質、及維護生態環境，做為檢視面向，並且延續先前研究建議之都市永續發展指標項目，從中採用合適本研究界定的檢視面向、時間尺度、以及地理空間基本單元，再配合「壓力－狀態－反應」指標架構，展現指標與永續發展觀念間之關聯性，俾益提供檢視一都市有關永續發展的基礎以及具有減損或增益此基礎的外力。接著，本研究將歸屬於生產、生活、及生態三生面向的單項指標群，以線性方式，組合成複合指數，檢視臺灣地區23縣市在民國70、75、80、及85年四個時間點上，有關三生面向複合指數值的變動情形。此外，本研究以民國85年23縣市三生面向的複合指數值為依據，進行群落分析，展現23縣市在永續發展基礎上的相對差異性，並以分類結果為架構，研提加強三生基礎之策略。

To examine the base of development for an economy and to measure the force which can undermine or strengthen the base are important on the subject of sustainable development. This paper examines the 23 cities of Taiwan from the perspective of economic, living, and ecological status, which are the objectives proposed in the document of National Comprehensive Landuse Development Plan. The status of these three aspects was measured by 19 indicators from previous studies for sustainable cities, in accordance with the "pressure-state-response" indicator framework, at the time of 1981, 1986, 1991, and 1996. These indicators were then aggregated into three composite indexes, which were then used to indicate the change in the status of the three aspects during the 15 years and compare the differences among the 23 cities. In addition, this research used cluster analysis to classify the potential of sustainable development for the 23 cities according to their economic, living, and ecological status in 1996. The result was then used as a framework to propose strategies for implementing sustainability for these cities.