Carbon-Focused Land Use Strategies: Pathways to Climate Resilience

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1270

Special Issue Editors

1. State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building and Urban Science, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
2. Department of Architecture, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117566, Singapore
Interests: green building; green campus; carbon-neutral building; healthy building; urban heat mitigation and adaptation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building and Urban Science, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Interests: urban design; city planning and development management; theory and ways of urban development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Land use plays a pivotal role in both mitigating and adapting to climate change. Effective carbon-focused land use strategies can enhance climate resilience, promote sustainable development, and help achieve global climate targets. This Special Issue, "Carbon-Focused Land Use Strategies: Pathways to Climate Resilience", seeks to explore innovative approaches to land use that prioritize carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen ecosystem services in the context of a rapidly changing climate. We invite contributions that address the intersection of carbon management, land use, and climate resilience, with a focus on interdisciplinary strategies. Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to, the following: carbon farming, forest management, agroforestry, soil carbon sequestration, land-based climate mitigation practices, and the roles of policy and governance in promoting carbon-focused land use strategies. Through a collection of research articles, case studies, and policy analyses, this Special Issue aims to provide actionable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working to implement carbon-focused land use strategies for climate resilience.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  1. Carbon Sequestration and Land Use

Strategies for enhancing carbon sequestration through land management practices.

Case studies on the effectiveness of land-based carbon mitigation practices (e.g., reforestation, afforestation, and soil carbon sequestration).

  1. Agroforestry and Carbon Management

Integrating trees into agricultural landscapes for climate resilience.

The potential of agroforestry in sequestering carbon and improving land productivity.

  1. Soil Carbon and Sustainable Land Management

Best practices for soil carbon sequestration in various ecosystems.

The role of soil management in achieving carbon-neutral or carbon-negative land systems.

  1. Forest Management for Climate Resilience

Forest restoration and management strategies for enhancing carbon storage and biodiversity.

The impact of forest management practices on carbon emissions and land resilience.

  1. Policy and Governance for Carbon-Focused Land Use

Policy frameworks to incentivize carbon-focused land use strategies.

International cooperation and national-level policies to promote carbon management practices.

  1. Carbon-Intensive Land Use Practices and Trade-Offs

Examining trade-offs between land use for carbon sequestration and other socio-economic objectives, such as food production and biodiversity conservation.

Identifying synergies and conflicts between carbon-focused land use and other land use priorities.

  1. Technological Innovations in Carbon Monitoring and Land Use

Applications in remote sensing, GIS, and big data for monitoring carbon stocks and land use changes.

Emerging technologies for tracking and enhancing carbon sequestration on land.

  1. Carbon Markets and Land-Based Climate Solutions

The role of carbon markets in incentivizing carbon sequestration efforts.

Linking land use strategies with carbon offset projects and climate finance mechanisms.

  1. Community-Based Carbon Strategies and Land Resilience

The role of local communities in implementing carbon-focused land use strategies.

Engaging stakeholders and community-driven solutions for enhancing carbon sequestration and land resilience.

  1. Decarbonization of the Built Environment

Sustainable community development integrating land use strategies.

Sustainable urban–rural planning and design.

  1. Global and Regional Case Studies

Comparative studies on carbon-focused land use strategies across different regions.

Success stories and lessons learned from land-based carbon mitigation projects and programs.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Xiao Liu
Prof. Dr. Shifu Wang
Dr. Jinda Qi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon sequestration
  • land-based climate mitigation
  • agroforestry
  • soil carbon management
  • forest restoration
  • carbon markets
  • sustainable land management
  • land use strategies
  • sustainable community
  • policy and governance
  • technological innovations
  • climate resilience

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

30 pages, 4373 KB  
Article
Village-Scale Carbon Budgets and Compensation Zoning: An Empirical Analysis of Carbon Market Mechanisms in Rural Areas of North China
by Na Yao, Chenxuan Fan, Zhuohan Liu, Yongsheng Wang, Shigang Shen and Hongjie Wang
Land 2026, 15(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15010015 - 21 Dec 2025
Viewed by 351
Abstract
Rural development significantly contributes to global carbon emissions. While China’s dual-carbon goals are critical for global climate mitigation, surging rural emissions and regional disparities challenge their realization. Implementing village-scale horizontal carbon compensation zoning offers a strategic solution, though empirical evidence at this granularity [...] Read more.
Rural development significantly contributes to global carbon emissions. While China’s dual-carbon goals are critical for global climate mitigation, surging rural emissions and regional disparities challenge their realization. Implementing village-scale horizontal carbon compensation zoning offers a strategic solution, though empirical evidence at this granularity remains scarce. Addressing this gap, this study conducts an empirical analysis of Laiyuan County in North China, integrating field data with village-scale carbon budget accounting. A multi-dimensional evaluation system was developed to classify and refine compensation zones. The results showed that (1) Laiyuan County exhibits a distinct “core–periphery” carbon budget pattern, with overall emissions exceeding carbon sinks. 46.6% of villages and 61.1% of townships are net carbon sources. Human respiration and domestic waste dominate the emission structure, while forests, grasslands, and shrublands provide the overwhelming majority of carbon sinks. Farmland contributes only limited sequestration, indicating an urgent need to enhance its sink capacity. (2) The multidimensional framework that incorporates Economic Contribution Coefficient (ECC), Carbon Emission Intensity (CEI), Ecological Support Coefficient (ESC), and Territorial Development Intensity (TDI) effectively guides compensation zoning, revealing positive CEI-TDI/ESC-ECC and U-shaped CEI-ECC/CEI-ESC relationships. These patterns underscore the necessity of integrated ecological–economic planning. (3) Villages can be systematically categorized into Payment Zones, Recipient Zones, and Equilibrium Zones. Integration with territorial planning further delineates 11 functional subregions, highlighting critical conflicts in subregions of Payment Zone-Permanent Basic Farmland and Payment Zone-Ecological Conservation Redline. This study advances methodologies for village-scale carbon management and provides actionable insights for achieving dual-carbon goals in rural areas of North China and beyond. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Focused Land Use Strategies: Pathways to Climate Resilience)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 9466 KB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Patterns of NPP and Hydrothermal Sensitivity Under Land-Use Change: A Case Study of Guangxi, China
by Changbin Sun, Xiaolong Wang, Junting Guo, Qiulin Dong and Fei Yang
Land 2025, 14(12), 2361; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122361 - 3 Dec 2025
Viewed by 392
Abstract
Amidst the intensifying challenges of global climate change and the increasing demand for regional sustainable development, accurately assessing the contributions and dynamic characteristics of different land-use types to regional carbon sink patterns is essential for understanding ecosystem carbon cycling mechanisms and optimizing carbon [...] Read more.
Amidst the intensifying challenges of global climate change and the increasing demand for regional sustainable development, accurately assessing the contributions and dynamic characteristics of different land-use types to regional carbon sink patterns is essential for understanding ecosystem carbon cycling mechanisms and optimizing carbon management strategies. Based on land-use and Net Primary Productivity (NPP) remote sensing data from 2018 to 2022, this study employs a land-use change coding method and a hydrothermal (temperature and precipitation) sensitivity coefficient approach to analyze the spatiotemporal variation in NPP in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and its differential responses to hydrothermal conditions. On this basis, sensitivity coefficients were calculated to assess the spatial patterns of NPP sensitivity to temperature and precipitation, revealing spatial sensitivity characteristics and potential ecological risks. The results indicate significant differences in NPP variations among different land-use types, with broadleaf forests, mixed forests, savannas, and croplands identified as the primary contributors to NPP flows. Additionally, the response of NPP to hydrothermal factors exhibits clear spatial heterogeneity: precipitation sensitivity hotspots are mainly concentrated in the northern and southern ecosystems, while temperature sensitivity hotspots are predominantly located in the northern region. Further analysis reveals that the ecosystems in the central and northern regions are more sensitive to temperature changes, whereas coastal areas exhibit higher stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Focused Land Use Strategies: Pathways to Climate Resilience)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop