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Advances in Urban—Regional Planning for Sustainable Development

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2027 | Viewed by 2735

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Editors

Prof. Dr. Weihua Zeng

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Guest Editor

School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Interests: watershed water environment process simulation; optimization and integrated management; environmental impact assessment; environmental planning and management

Dr. Yihui Chen

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Guest Editor

Yunnan Research Academy of Eco-Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, China
Interests: environmental planning and policy research; low-carbon development and climate change response; water environment governance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban and rural regional planning serves as a core carrier for advancing sustainable development, aiming to coordinate the complex interactions among urban expansion, regional ecological conservation, resource utilization efficiency, and socio-economic equity. Against the backdrop of accelerated urbanization and increasingly stringent environmental constraints, traditional planning models have struggled to effectively address prominent issues such as fragmented spatial development, heightened ecosystem vulnerability, and imbalanced resource allocation. In this context, establishing a sound urban sustainable water metabolism system and enhancing watershed ecosystem services have become critical pathways for urban and rural regional planning to break through water resource bottlenecks and integrate ecological conservation with high-quality development. This Special Issue, themed “Sustainable Urban and Rural Development,” focuses on research into urban sustainable water metabolism and ecosystem services. It endeavors to tackle challenges including the imbalance between water supply and demand and the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, driving the paradigm shift of planning toward quality improvement, promoting the sustainable succession of regional ecosystems, and providing a collaborative “resource–ecology–economy” solution for sustainable development.

Prof. Dr. Weihua Zeng
Dr. Yihui Chen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

urban–regional planning
sustainable development
ecosystem service
water metabolism
high-quality development

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 12422 KB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Space Attributes, User Satisfaction and Sustainable Public Space Performance: Comparing Heritage-Oriented and Contemporary Commercial Spaces in Malaysia

by Maheran Hamzah, Gobi Krishna Sinniah, Noradila Rusli, Maizura Mazlan, Noor Aimran Samsudin, Sayed Muhamad Aiman Sayed Abul Khair and Ahmad Umar Mohammad Yusof

Sustainability 2026, 18(13), 6523; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136523 - 26 Jun 2026

Viewed by 453

Abstract

Urban public spaces contribute to sustainable urban development by supporting social interaction, cultural identity, pedestrian experience, environmental comfort and commercial vitality. However, limited comparative evidence explains how user satisfaction differs between public spaces shaped by contrasting spatial identities. This study compares Melaka Jonker Street (MJS), a heritage-oriented commercial public space, and Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur (BBKL), a contemporary commercial public space, to examine how selected urban space attributes shape user satisfaction and sustainability interpretation. A quantitative comparative survey involving 542 respondents was analysed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, the Mann–Whitney U test, the Relative Importance Index (RII), comparative gap analysis, the User Satisfaction Balance Score (USBS) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The findings show that, within the shared attributes examined, MJS recorded stronger satisfaction patterns than BBKL, with the largest satisfaction gaps observed in accessibility, light sculpture, waterscape lighting and green elements. Satisfaction in MJS was mainly shaped by heritage identity, historical buildings, street art walls, water elements and accessibility, reflecting a cultural–environmental sustainability pattern. In contrast, satisfaction in BBKL was more closely associated with activity intensity, media architecture and contemporary visual experience, reflecting a socio-economic-commercial sustainability pattern. These results provide context-specific evidence that sustainable public space performance is shaped by the relationship between urban space attributes, spatial identity and everyday user experience. The findings contribute to urban design and public space research by integrating user satisfaction with sustainability interpretation and by providing context-sensitive planning and design implications for heritage-oriented and contemporary commercial public spaces in Malaysia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Urban—Regional Planning for Sustainable Development)

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13 pages, 771 KB

Open AccessArticle

Commuting and the Widening Regional Gap: Evidence from Innovation-Driven Growth

by Ran Ben Malka

Sustainability 2026, 18(11), 5360; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18115360 - 26 May 2026

Viewed by 457

Abstract

Context and Objectives: This longitudinal study examined the shifting dynamics of innovation concentration, regional inequality, and internal migration in Israel from 2000 to 2020, analyzing how centralized technological growth correlates with peripheral labor mobility. Methods: Utilizing a purely observational and correlational approach, the empirical framework tracks Central Bureau of Statistics time series data regarding commuting patterns, net internal migration, and composite socioeconomic living standard indices. Main Findings: The analysis revealed a significantly increasing tendency for peripheral residents to commute to central hubs, alongside stagnant permanent internal migration and a relative decline in peripheral living standards, underscoring an increasing structural dependence on the core. Limitations: Key limitations include the reliance on aggregated national-level data up to 2020 and the absence of occupational disaggregation, which prevents isolating specific labor segments or establishing direct causal mechanisms. Policy Implications: The study suggests that market-driven integration alone is insufficient to bridge spatial gaps. Carefully tailored interventions fostering local innovation capacity and alleviating the commuter burden are required to promote sustainable and balanced regional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Urban—Regional Planning for Sustainable Development)

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18 pages, 2761 KB

Open AccessArticle

Ecosystem Service Valuation in Plateau Lake Basins: A Multidimensional Accounting Framework with Empirical Verification

by Jianjun Sheng, Shoujuan Li, Qin Zhang, Xiaoyu Zhang and Jinxia Wu

Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 4793; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18104793 - 11 May 2026

Viewed by 685

Abstract

As a critical decision–support tool for sustainable development in alpine lake watersheds, ecosystem service valuation requires scientifically robust accounting systems to inform environmental management. This study addresses the significant interference caused by multi-source heterogeneity in indicator selection, methodology application, and parameter determination within current valuation systems. We innovatively developed a multi-dimensional accounting framework. Through establishing standardized systems for indicators, methods, and parameters, taking Xingyun Lake as the research area, we systematically elucidated the differential impact mechanisms of accounting elements on valuation outcomes. Empirical results demonstrate that structural differences in indicator systems induce 11.61% of valuation fluctuations. Methodological choices lead to 13.86% of deviations. Insufficient parameter localization generates errors up to 18.48%. The refined framework improved valuation accuracy by 16.22%. This study quantitatively evaluates the influencing factors of ecosystem services and confirms a cascading amplification effect of element sensitivity (parameters > methods > indicators) on valuation outcomes, establishing methodological foundations for alpine lake watershed ecological accounting benchmarks. It has important decision-making reference value for applying ecosystem service function evaluation to sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Urban—Regional Planning for Sustainable Development)

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32 pages, 2437 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Regional Disparities, Dynamic Evolution, and Convergence of Environmental Facilities and Infrastructure Development Levels in China

by Hongyan Li, Dan Chen and Pengwei Li

Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4457; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094457 - 1 May 2026

Viewed by 616

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of urbanization in China, the issue of imbalanced regional distribution of EFI has become increasingly prominent, given its role as a core component of ecological civilization construction. To scientifically identify spatial disparities in environmental facility development across China’s urban agglomerations, this study examines 138 cities within China’s ten major urban agglomerations. By constructing a multidimensional comprehensive evaluation index system, and employing entropy weighting, the Dagum Gini coefficient, kernel density estimation, and the spatial β-convergence model, this study systematically analyzes regional differences in China’s EFI development levels from 2014 to 2024. This study found that the overall level of EFI in China exhibits a gradient pattern, characterized by “higher in the east and lower in the west, stronger in the south and weaker in the north.” The Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions consistently rank in the top tier, while the Central Plains and Guanzhong regions lag significantly behind. Regional disparities follow an inverted U-shaped trend, widening initially and then narrowing, with the gaps primarily stemming from interregional interactions. Spatial agglomeration is evident among urban agglomerations, and late-developing regions such as Chengdu–Chongqing and the Middle Yangtze River region are converging at a relatively rapid pace. Based on these findings, it is recommended to strengthen cross-regional coordination mechanisms, implement differentiated development strategies, and accelerate the transition to smart infrastructure to promote the balanced and coordinated development of EFI, thereby supporting high-quality, green, and low-carbon regional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Urban—Regional Planning for Sustainable Development)

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