It is the popular measure to analyze sustainable development state by the way of ecological footprint and ecological capacity. Then, it could be used to assess ecological deficit or ecological surplus of region, province and country, which is the base of ecological modernization. The key to improving overall levels of ecological modernization is improving the regional ecological environment carrying capacity of a system′s key components. The use of an eco-environmental quality index and ecological modernization index (EMI) on the fragile ecological environment of western China′s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was used to assess an ecological footprint and analyze environmental pressure changes under the condition of ecological deficit in the world, which could give some materials about ecological reconstruction, ecological restoration and environment improvement. Results showed that in 2004, the region′s ecological modernization index stood 27th in the national rankings, signifying a steep lag behind the average index exhibited by other regional ecological reforms. Since 1980, when the “25a” comprehensive modernization roadmap for Xinjiang was introduced, ecological modernization in the region has lagged far behind not only high-income countries, but also behind the world average posted by only moderately developed countries. Between 1998 and 2007, Xinjiang′s per capita ecological footprint stood at 25957hm2 and 40551hm2, and its per capita ecological carrying capacity was reduced from 3.1270hm2 to 2.8266 hm2. This indicates a clear trend toward a jeopardized environmental quality in the region. The rates at which the resource conversion and ecological protection indexes altered further support such an interpretation of this trend. A significant reference point here notes the lack of change in environmental governance indexes. In one such index, the years between 1996 and 2003 were all qualified as “N” type situation changes, with no significant regional ecological vulnerability reversed. During the period between 1995 and 2006 the levels indicated by Xinjiang′s regional environmental indexes also declined. Any such plan of action for Xinjiang should incorporate should: harness geographical and regional resource advantages; utilize efficient, low cost and low high-density materials; incorporate high-standard, low-emission, and non-toxic practices; foster environmental justice and ecological ethics; and design an approach that develops an artificial ecological restoration design. Establishing an ecological compensation system will necessitate a system that incentivizes environmental responsibility and requires environmental risk assessments, and should specifically focus on innovating an environmental protection and development model tailored to Central Asian regional cooperation. Such a model would be fully capable of launching Xinjiang by 2015 into China′s environmental performance standards for regions of middle-level resources, and by 2020 into mid-level standards of ecological modernization for its Western Region standards.