In　the　face　of　environmental　degradation,　sustainable　development　has　become　a　common　goal　across　the　globe.　Making　a　scientifically　based　investment　scheme　is　of　great　significance　to　promote　the　sustainable　development　of　China＇s　economy.　However,　there　is　scarce　research　related　to　such　an　investment　scheme　of　sustainable　development.　This　paper　proposes　a　new　inverse　data　envelopment　analysis　method　with　undesirable　outputs　to　make　several　scientifically　based　investment　schemes　from　different　perspectives,　namely,　the　natural,　regulation,　and　optimal　perspectives.　By　this　method,　decision　makers　can　scientifically　forecast　the　specific　amount　of　investment　based　on　their　actual　sustainable　development　objectives,　which　is　conducive　for　reducing　the　blindness　of　investment　in　the　future.　In　addition,　a　new　ideal　perspective　is　defined　to　guide　a　definite　direction　for　improving　the　level　of　sustainable　development.　Combined　with　the　gray　forecasting　model　GM(1,1),　the　methods　proposed　by　this　paper　were　then　applied　to　analyze　the　investment　problem　for　China＇s　sustainable　development　during　the　2015-2024　period.　The　results　show　that:　the　unbalanced　distribution　of　labor　investment　and　the　excessive　investment　in　capital　and　energy　are　serious　barriers　to　China＇s　sustainable　development　in　the　short　term;　and　in　the　long　term,　the　demand　for　investment　in　labor　and　capital　will　continue　to　increase　along　with　a　lower　demand　for　energy　investment,　and　that　appropriately　strengthening　environmental　regulations　will　not　affect　the　overall　demand　for　investment.　Meanwhile,　improvement　directions　for　improving　China＇s　sustainable　development　are　discussed,　and　the　results　show　that　most　of　developing　and　undeveloped　regions　in　China　have　great　potential　for　improvement.　Finally,　some　suggestions　are　proposed　in　order　to　create　better　conditions　for　China＇s　sustainable　development.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.