Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 32078

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Qian Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Economics School, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
Interests: land economics and policy; energy economics and policy; urban and regional economics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shihu Zhong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

1. Department of Applied Economics, Shanghai National Accounting Institute, Shanghai 201702, China
2. Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
Interests: urban and regional economics; digital economy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, the proportion of human beings that live in cities has exceeded 56 percent, and this number is increasing every year. By 2050, 70 percent of the world’s population will live in cities. While cities provide many opportunities for the development of human beings, they also pose development bottlenecks and crises. Hence, we are organizing this Special Issue, titled “Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects”, in the peer reviewed journal Sustainability.

We are pleased to announce that this Special Issue is open to submissions, and the deadline for submissions is the end of April 2025. This Special Issue aims to publish high-quality, rigorously peer reviewed, cutting-edge original research applying a multi-disciplinary academic approach to study how to improve the advancement of sustainable cities and urban regions. We welcome submissions on a broad range of topics, as follows: scientific and technical information on urban development; knowledge around sustainable development of cities and regions; empirical works on the sociocultural, political, economic, and health impacts of policies; assessments on distributional characteristics, equality, and justice in cities and regions; and theoretic or evidence-based explorations on the effectiveness, people’s inclusion, and improvement directions of the governance of sustainable cities and regions. This multidisciplinary open access Special Issue will help to disseminate and communicate scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries of how to advance sustainable cities and regions to researchers, academics, and the general public globally.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. All papers will be subject to the standard peer review process. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Advances in and reviews on the relationship between health and the urban environment;
Analysis on planning actions that focus on promoting sustainable cities and regions;
Impact assessments on issues such as green areas, mobility, sports, and social cohesion, arguably associated with sustainable development;
Cases on how scientific findings can be translated into prevention strategies and sustainable policies;
Theoretic explorations or case studies on the governance of urban sustainable facilities and services;
Theoretic or empirical analysis of people’s inclusion, equality, and justice in the governance of urban issues.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Qian Zhou
Dr. Shihu Zhong
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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

regional economics
sustainable development
resilient city
technological innovation
spatiotemporal evolutionary

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 (13 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

23 pages, 11758 KB

Open AccessArticle

Land Use Change Dynamics in Metropolitan Areas: A Cross-Regional Comparison Across China, Japan, and the United States

by Jia Liao, Bin Quan and Di Zhan

Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010214 - 24 Dec 2025

Abstract

Metropolitan areas are key carriers of economic growth and regional sustainable development. Comparing land use and land cover changes (LUCC) across multiple metropolitan areas can provide pathway references for the sustainable development of emerging metropolitan areas. However, current approaches are limited by two major shortcomings: (1) the lack of methods capable of providing a comprehensive comparison of LUCC processes across multiple metropolitan areas and (2) the difficulty in effectively visualizing the results of comprehensive and complex LUCC analyses. Here, we introduce a novel comparative intensity analysis (CIA) model to comprehensively compare LUCC processes across metropolitan areas. The challenge of visualization is addressed by the newly proposed Intensity Deviation Maps. Three metropolitan areas were selected as research objects: the Chang-Zhu-Tan Metropolitan Area (CZT) in China, the Chukyo Metropolitan Area (CMA) in Japan, and the Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) Metropolitan Area in the United States. Findings reveal a metropolitan evolution characterizing three stages and mechanisms underlying cross-regional differences: (1) The first stage is rapid, unorganized expansion, which requires enhanced regulation to achieve sustainable land resource utilization; (2) the second stage shifts from external expansion to internal renewal, with a focus on urban resilience and the well-being of residents; and (3) the third stage seeks external breakthroughs to expand its influence. We uncover context-shaped heterogeneous LUCC: policy-driven rapid CZT construction land expansion, population-driven high intensity in the DFW, and low CMA intensity amid stagnation. This study deepens understanding of global metropolitan LUCC and informs sustainable land use planning. The CIA model provides methodological support for cross-regional LUCC research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 2151 KB

Open AccessArticle

Where Is the Best Place to Live in the European Union? A Synthetic Assessment of External Residential Environmental Quality from a Sustainability Perspective by Degree of Urbanisation

by Agnieszka Kozera and Joanna Stanisławska

Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010088 (registering DOI) - 21 Dec 2025

Viewed by 185

Abstract

The contemporary approach to assessing the housing conditions of households requires taking into account not only the physical characteristics of dwellings but also the quality of their surroundings. From a sustainability perspective, the quality of the external residential environment constitutes a key dimension of sustainable living conditions, closely linked to environmental well-being, spatial equity, and the objectives of sustainable urban and territorial development in the European Union (EU). Despite the growing awareness of the importance of the living environment for residents’ well-being, this issue remains insufficiently represented in analyses addressing the territorial variations in household housing conditions in the EU countries. The scientific literature reveals a lack of comprehensive comparative studies that would link subjective assessments of external residential environmental quality with the level of urbanisation, enabling a more complete evaluation of the living environment and its spatial variability. The aim of the study was therefore to assess the perceived external residential environmental quality of households in EU countries, taking into account the level of urbanisation—differences between urban, town, and rural areas. The study aimed to test the hypothesis that “The external residential environmental quality in EU countries significantly varies depending on the level of urbanisation and regional affiliation, with the highest quality observed in rural areas, particularly in Western European countries.” The study was conducted based on data from the Eurostat database, which were processed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and taxonomic methods. The results of the study confirmed that the external residential environmental quality of households in EU countries significantly differs depending on the level of urbanisation and regional affiliation. The highest level of residential environment quality for households is observed in rural areas of Northern and Eastern European countries. The greatest challenges occur in large cities, particularly in Western Europe, indicating the need to intensify efforts to improve the quality of the living environment in these areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 45177 KB

Open AccessArticle

Coordination and Adaptation: An Analysis of the Spatial Compatibility Between Primary Schools and Adjacent Facilities in China’s Central Cities

by Jianxin Zhang, Qiongze Chen, Pingping Luo, Yang Zhao and Madhab Rijal

Sustainability 2025, 17(22), 10263; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210263 - 17 Nov 2025

Viewed by 518

Abstract

A significant transition is taking place in China’s urban development, which is moving away from rapid expansion and towards improved quality and efficiency. The distribution of primary education resources is thus experiencing a substantial change: transitioning from a traditional emphasis on merely providing school placements to becoming a systematic effort intricately linked with the functional attributes of adjacent urban environments. Nonetheless, current research has not comprehensively examined the relational dynamics between primary schools and adjacent facilities, nor the discrepancies in these dynamics across various cities. This study analyzes nine major Chinese cities as case studies to investigate the compatibility between elementary schools and adjacent infrastructure. It develops a compatibility model through data gathering, feature selection, and model validation. Significant findings indicate the following: (1) The models trained using several machine learning methods to assess the suitability of primary schools in nine cities for their surrounding facilities all obtained accuracy rates surpassing 72%, with Random Forest displaying the most consistent performance across several cities. (2) Developed cities prioritize spatial coordination among schools, with the SHAP feature representing 20.37% of its significance; conversely, less developed cities exhibit a stronger inclination towards coordinated placement with educational and training facilities, where the SHAP feature constitutes 20.52% of its significance. (3) The compatibility of primary schools with surrounding facilities suggests that Guangzhou, Zhengzhou, and Chongqing possess considerable prospective need for education, whereas the existing distribution in Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin is rather well-structured. This study provides a novel, data-driven framework for optimizing educational resource allocation, offering critical insights for achieving sustainable urban development and quality education in China’s cities as they evolve. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 11874 KB

Open AccessArticle

Is the Concept of a 15-Minute City Feasible in a Medium-Sized City? Spatial Analysis of the Accessibility of Municipal Services in Koszalin (Poland) Using Gis Modelling

by Maciej Szkoda, Maciej Michnej, Beata Baziak, Marek Bodziony, Alicja Hrehorowicz-Nowak, Hanna Hrehorowicz-Gaber, Marcin Wołek, Aleksander Jagiełło, Sandra Żukowska and Renata Szott

Sustainability 2025, 17(22), 10157; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210157 - 13 Nov 2025

Viewed by 665

Abstract

Currently, an active debate is underway among the academic community, urban planners, and policymakers regarding optimal models of urban development, given that the majority of the population now resides in cities. One concept under discussion is the 15 min city, which posits that all urban residents should be able to reach key, frequently used services within a 15 min walk or cycle. Although the literature suggests numerous potential benefits, debate persists about whether such cities would be optimal from the standpoint of sustainable development objectives and residents’ quality of life. The ongoing discussion also concerns the extent to which existing cities are capable of aligning with this concept. This is directly linked to the actual spatial distribution of individual services within the city. The literature indicates a research gap arising from a shortage of robust case studies that would enable a credible assessment of the practical implementation of this idea across diverse cities, countries, and regions. This issue pertains to Poland as well as to other countries. A desirable future scenario would involve comprehensive mapping of all cities, with respect to both the spatial distribution of specific services and related domains such as the quality and coherence of linear infrastructure. This article presents an analysis of the spatial accessibility of basic urban services in the context of implementing the 15 min city concept, using the city of Koszalin (Poland) as a case study. This city was selected due to its representative character as a medium-sized urban centre, both in terms of population and area, as well as its subregional functions within Poland’s settlement structure. Koszalin also exhibits a typical spatial and functional layout characteristic of many Polish cities. In light of growing challenges related to urbanisation, climate change, and the need to promote sustainable mobility, this study focuses on evaluating access to services such as education, healthcare, retail, public transport, and green spaces. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) tools enabled the identification of spatial variations in service accessibility across the city. The results indicate that only 11% of Koszalin’s area fully meets the assumptions of the 15 min city concept, providing pedestrians with convenient access to all key services. At the same time, 92% of the city’s area offers access to at least one essential service within a 15 min walk. Excluding forested areas not intended for development increases these values to 14% and 100%, respectively. This highlights the extent to which methodological choices in assessing pedestrian accessibility can shape analytical outcomes and the interpretations drawn from them. Moreover, given this article’s objective and the adopted analytical procedure, the assumed pedestrian walking speed is the key parameter. Accordingly, a sensitivity analysis was conducted, comparing the reference scenario (4 km/h) with alternative variants (3 and 5 km/h). This approach demonstrates the extent to which a change in a single parameter affects estimates of urban-area coverage by access to individual services reachable on foot within 15 min. The analysis reveals limited integration of urban functions at the local scale, highlighting areas in need of planning intervention. This article proposes directions for action to improve pedestrian accessibility within the city. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 1981 KB

Open AccessArticle

Technology Spillovers, Collaborative Innovation and High-Quality Development—A Comparative Analysis Based on the Yangtze River Delta and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei City Clusters

by Yan Qi and Yiwei Liu

Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5587; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125587 - 17 Jun 2025

Viewed by 997

Abstract

Exploring the mechanism of science and technology innovation spillover effect and collaborative innovation on the high-quality development of urban agglomerations is of great practical significance for implementing the innovation-driven development strategy. Based on the panel data of prefecture-level cities from 2012 to 2020, this study uses web crawler technology to obtain cooperative invention patent data, combines the social network analysis method to construct collaborative innovation networks, constructs a high-quality development indicator system from six dimensions such as the degree of marketization and the industrial system, and adopts the spatial Durbin model to reveal the regional innovation spillover effect. The comparative study based on the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) urban agglomerations found the following: (1) There is significant spatial heterogeneity in science and technology innovation, with the YRD showing a positive spillover trend and BTH showing a significant negative spillover trend; (2) The collaborative innovation network shows differentiated characteristics, with the YRD having a higher density of the network and forming a multi-centered structure, and BTH maintaining the pattern of single-core radiation; (3) There is a horse-tracing effect in high-quality development, with the average score of YRD The average score of YRD is significantly higher than that of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and the indicators of several dimensions are better. Based on these conclusions, city clusters should further strengthen the construction of collaborative innovation networks among cities and enhance the capacity of neighboring cities to undertake innovation, to give full play to the spillover effect and driving effect of innovation on high-quality development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 2003 KB

Open AccessArticle

Navigating Research Frontiers in China’s Rural Planning: A Bibliometric Analysis of Sustainable Development

by Song Xu and Huichen Gao

Sustainability 2025, 17(1), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010340 - 5 Jan 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2897

Abstract

Since the onset of global industrialization, rural planning has evolved significantly in developed countries, establishing a comprehensive framework for sustainable development. However, China’s rural areas, rooted in longstanding agrarian traditions, face distinct challenges amid rapid urbanization and globalization, including land degradation, ecological degradation, and rural depopulation. This study examines the progression of rural planning in China, with a focus on Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11): “Sustainable Cities and Communities”. Employing a bibliometric approach, we analyzed the literature from the Web of Science database, concentrating on influential publications, collaborative patterns among research institutions, and emerging research themes. Findings reveal that Chinese rural planning research has expanded rapidly since 2004, characterized by interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations. High-impact studies emphasize the transformation of rural settlements, land utilization, and urban–rural dynamics, reflecting an ongoing shift toward sustainable rural revitalization. Co-citation analysis identifies emerging themes such as resilience in rural development, land consolidation, and rural governance under environmental constraints. This study offers theoretical and empirical insights critical to advancing rural planning practices in China, proposing a framework for integrating sustainability into policy and guiding future research to optimize spatial layouts, preserve ecological resources, and support rural transformation aligned with China’s socioeconomic objectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 593 KB

Open AccessArticle

Air Pollution and Corporate Innovation: Does Top Management Quality Mediate and Government Talent Policy Moderate?

by Rui Zhu, Kaili Ma, Xiyu Chen and Jingjing Zhao

Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7615; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177615 - 2 Sep 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1897

Abstract

Air pollution not only poses significant threats to the physical and mental well-being of individuals, but it also has the potential to trigger a regional brain drain, thus inhibiting corporate innovation performance. This study explores the impact of air pollution on corporate innovation from the perspective of top management quality. We find that lower air quality significantly reduces the quality of corporate top management, thereby reducing their innovation output. However, local government talent attention alleviates the negative impact of air pollution on corporate innovation. Further analysis reveals that the local government’s environmental attention aggravates the negative effects of air pollution on corporate innovation. Finally, executive compensation alleviates the negative impact of air pollution on corporate innovation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 302 KB

Open AccessArticle

How Does Government Intervention Affect Community Residents’ Satisfaction with Public Services—Evidence from CSS (2021) in China

by Yapeng Li, Zihao Wang and Yuanyuan Zhu

Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7326; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177326 - 26 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3339

Abstract

The traditional model of community public service in China is experiencing a nuanced transformation, which has been spurred by increased government involvement and the growing openness of communities in the realm of public governance. Recent scholarly inquiries have revealed a strong association between the level of government intervention and the satisfaction of residents with public services. This means that communities with higher levels of government intervention typically enjoy more comprehensive public facilities and services, thereby increasing residents’ satisfaction with community public services. This article analyzes 2021 social security system data and finds that government intervention often has a beneficial impact on improving residents’ satisfaction with public services, although it may also have negative effects in certain specific areas. In addition, the impact of government participation and community openness on residents’ satisfaction is moderated by various factors such as residents’ own economic statuses and education levels. To achieve this goal, government officials and community leaders should focus on improving the nature and degree of government intervention and community openness in order to more fully meet the needs of residents and increase their satisfaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

34 pages, 3072 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Evaluation of City–Industry Integration in Industrial Parks

by Mingqiang Xu, Yaoyao Luo and Dingyao Li

Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 6906; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166906 - 12 Aug 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3083

Abstract

The original meaning of city–industry integration should be understood as the coordination, balance, reasonable layout, and mutual support between urban production functional areas and service functional areas, which both have urban populations as their core element. The evaluation of city–industry integration in industrial parks can be carried out from two aspects: land–industry integration and residence–industry integration. The secondary indexes of the former mainly include industrial land efficiency and service sector land efficiency, while the secondary indicators of the latter mainly include supporting rail transit and the matching degree between residence and environment. The output value, land use structure, enterprise profile, employment rates, investments, air quality, rail transit system and other data points regarding sample industrial parks were collected by means of geofencing as well as through the creation of an enterprise credit information database and development area yearbook. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) combined with expert scoring was used to determine the index weights and implement the evaluation of city–industry integration. This study found that city–industry integration in Beijing and the Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zones is at the forefront of sample industrial parks, and the entropy weight evaluation method verified this evaluation result. The analysis of the benchmark development zone of city–industry integration shows that the Chengdu model and the Beijing model are worthy of reference for growing and mature industrial parks when promoting city–industry integration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 713 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study on the Agglomeration Degree and Influencing Factors of the Urban Creative Class in the Central Area of the Yangtze River Delta

by Yijie Li, Hanyu Zhu, Qianzhu Chen and Yi Su

Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5501; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135501 - 27 Jun 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1681

Abstract

The creative class has become an important force in promoting sustainable urban development. Existing research has explored many factors for the agglomeration of the creative class, but there is still a lack of comparative studies from a heterogeneity perspective and on the design of cross-cultural adaptability factors, especially comparative studies across different regions in Chinese cities. This paper focuses on 27 central district cities in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, based on panel data from 2012 to 2019, and uses the location entropy method to measure the agglomeration degree of the creative class in different cities. Considering the cultural background of China, a model of influencing factors including five dimensions: economic foundation, living environment, cultural and educational environment, innovation environment, and ecological environment is constructed. The study finds: (1) The agglomeration degree of the creative class in the central urban cluster of the Yangtze River Delta is significantly higher than the peripheral level, forming an agglomeration distribution pattern led by Shanghai, with Nanjing, Hefei, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Ningbo, and other important node cities. The agglomeration degree of the creative class generally shows an upward trend. (2) The economic foundation, living environment, cultural and educational environment, innovation environment, and ecological environment all have a significant positive impact on the agglomeration of the creative class, among which the impact of the living environment, cultural and educational environment, and innovation environment is larger, while the economic foundation and ecological environment are relatively smaller. (3) There are differences in the influencing factors of the creative class agglomeration at the provincial levels of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui in the Yangtze River Delta. Compared with the more core provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the cultural and educational environment and ecological environment have a more significant impact, while the relatively peripheral Anhui province is more dependent on the city’s openness and innovation environment factors. This study reveals the spatial distribution rules and influencing factors of the creative class in the central cities of the Yangtze River Delta, providing insights for coordinated and sustainable regional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 1647 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Urbanization on Industrial Transformation and Upgrading: Evidence from Early 20th Century China

by Jiale Wan, Qimeng Wang and Shuangyou Miao

Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4720; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114720 - 1 Jun 2024

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6441

Abstract

Urbanization is key to advancing national modernization and regional socioeconomic sustainable development. This paper empirically investigates the impact of urbanization on industrial transformation and upgrading in early 20th-century China, based on historical data from the initial stages of China’s economic development. We utilized industrial and commercial data from China spanning 1910 to 1927 to construct a fixed-effect model, incorporating instrumental variables to ascertain the causal relationship between urbanization and industrial transformation and upgrading. Additionally, this study tested the hypotheses concerning the effects of human capital and transportation scale, which are identified as the primary channels influencing this relationship. Our findings reveal that (1) the development of urbanization in modern China has significantly promoted industrial transformation and upgrading, and this conclusion remains valid under various robustness tests and the examination of instrumental variables. (2) The improvement in urbanization levels has a more obvious promoting effect on secondary industry, commercial enterprises, and small and medium-sized enterprises, and the positive effect of urbanization on industrial transformation and upgrading is most prominent in the eastern region. (3) Modern Chinese urbanization promoted industrial transformation and upgrading by improving the level of human capital and expanding the scale of transportation. This paper provides historical empirical evidence to study the current social urbanization and industrial policy formulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 1879 KB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Sustainable Planning Strategies for Carbon Emission Reduction in Beijing’s Transportation Sector: A Multi-Scenario Carbon Peak Analysis Using the Extended STIRPAT Model

by Yuhao Yang, Ruixi Dong, Xiaoyan Ren and Mengze Fu

Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4670; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114670 - 30 May 2024

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2647

Abstract

The transportation sector plays a pivotal role in China’s efforts to achieve CO₂ reduction targets. As the capital of China, Beijing has the responsibility to lead the era’s demand for low-carbon development and provide replicable and scalable low-carbon transportation development experience and knowledge for other cities in China. This study calculates the CO₂ emissions of the transportation sector in Beijing from 1999 to 2019, constructs an extended STIRPAT model (population, affluence, technology, and efficiency), employs ridge regression to mitigate the effects of multicollinearity among the eight indicators, reveals the extent and direction of influence exerted by different indicators on CO₂ emissions, and predicts the development trends, peak times, and quantities of transportation CO₂ emissions in nine scenarios for Beijing from 2021 to 2035. Finally, adaptive low-carbon planning strategies are proposed for Beijing pertaining to population size and structure, industrial layout optimization, urban functional reorganization and adjustment, transportation infrastructure allocation, technological research and promotion, energy transition planning, and regional collaborative development. The results are as follows: (1) The total amount of CO₂ emissions from Beijing’s transportation sector exhibits a trend of gradually stabilizing in terms of growth, with a corresponding gradual deceleration in the rate of increase. Kerosene, gasoline, and diesel are the main sources of transportation CO₂ emissions in Beijing, with an annual average proportion of 95.78%. (2) The degree of influence of the indicators on transportation CO₂ emissions, in descending order, is energy intensity, per capita GDP, population size, GDP by transportation sector, total transportation turnover, public transportation efficiency, possession of private vehicles, and clean energy structure. Among them, the proportion of clean energy structure and public transportation efficiency are negatively correlated with transportation CO₂ emissions, while the remaining indicators are positively correlated. (3) In the nine predicted scenarios, all scenarios, except scenario 2 and scenario 4, can achieve CO₂ emission peaks by 2030, while scenarios 7 and 9 can reach the peak as early as 2025. (4) The significant advancement and application of green carbon reduction technologies have profound implications, as they can effectively offset the impacts of population, economy, and efficiency indicators under extensive development. Effective population control, sustainable economic development, and transportation efficiency improvement are viable means to help achieve carbon peaking and peak value in the transportation sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1510 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Green Mergers and Acquisitions on Corporate Environmental Performance: Evidence from China’s Heavy-Polluting Industries

by Yingying Xu, Wen Wang, Honggui Gao and Huaxiong Zhu

Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3796; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093796 - 30 Apr 2024

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5752

Abstract

This study examined the impact of green mergers and acquisitions (green M&As) on corporate environmental performance. Applying the Differences-in-Differences (DID) model to a sample of Chinese heavy-polluting-industry companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2010 to 2022, our study results show that the adoption of green M&As by the listed Chinese heavy polluters can lower corporate environmental capital expenditure and significantly improve corporate environmental performance. Meanwhile, the positive effects of green M&As on environmental performance are also found to be stronger for state-owned enterprises, young enterprises, and enterprises located in areas with low financial investments in energy efficiency and environmental protection, according to a heterogeneity study conducted for this paper. The analysis of mediating effects shows that the green M&A of heavily polluting firms will have a catalytic effect on the improvement of firms’ environmental performance by promoting their green technological innovation and, in turn, their environmental performance. Furthermore, the moderating effect analysis demonstrates that the quality of the firm’s internal controls and the CEO’s prior environmental experience are both factors that can support the beneficial impact of green M&A on the enhancement of the firm’s environmental performance. This paper enriches the theoretical research system of green M&A and green investment driving mechanisms, and at the same time provides empirical support and strategic reference for the green strategy decision of heavy-polluting enterprises. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (13 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI