Search Results (230)

Amid China’s national strategic prioritization of the Chengdu–Chongqing Economic Circle and accelerated territorial spatial planning, this study deciphered the synergistic evolution of Land Use Intensity (LUI) and Balance Degree of Land Use Structure (BDLUS) during rapid urbanization. Leveraging 1 km grid units and integrating emerging spatiotemporal hotspot analysis, BFAST, and geographic detectors, we systematically analyzed spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of LUI, BDLUS, and their Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) from 2000 to 2022. Key findings: (1) LUI strongly correlated with economic growth, with core areas reaching high-intensity development (average > 2.96) versus ecologically constrained marginal zones (<2.42), marked by abrupt changes during 2011–2014; (2) BDLUS improvements covered 82.22% of the study area, driven by the Yangtze River Economic Belt strategy (21.96% hotspot concentration), yet structural imbalance persisted in transitional zones (18.81% cold spots); (3) CCD exhibited center-edge dichotomy, contrasting high-value cores (CCD > 0.68) with ecologically sensitive edges (9.80% cold spots), peaking in regulatory shifts around 2010; (4) terrain constraints and intensified human activities (the interaction effect between nighttime lighting and population density increased by 219.49% after 2020) jointly governed coupling mechanisms, with urbanization and industrial transition becoming dominant drivers. This research advances an “intensity–structure–coordination” framework and elucidates “dual-core resonance” dynamics, offering theoretical foundations for spatial optimization and ecological civilization. Full article

The energy quota trading policy is a pivotal market-oriented environmental regulation policy that propels the reform of the energy structure. Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces in China covering the period from 2012 to 2022, this study employed a difference-in-differences model to systematically examine the influence of the energy quota trading policy on the decarbonization of energy consumption, and further explores two transmission mechanisms of green technology innovation and energy consumption intensity through mechanism tests. The study reveals several key findings: (1) The energy quota trading policy significantly enhances the decarbonization of energy consumption. (2) This policy encourages the adoption of clean energy by fostering green technological innovation and decreasing overall energy consumption. As a result, it makes a considerable contribution to the decarbonization process in energy usage. (3) The heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that in areas with low levels of industrialization and plentiful resources, as well as within the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the central and western regions, the effects of the policy are significantly more pronounced. Conversely, in regions characterized by high industrialization and limited resources, particularly in the eastern region, the effectiveness of the policy is comparatively diminished. Furthermore, this study not only offers empirical evidence supporting the optimization and enhancement of the energy quota trading policy but also presents recommendations for improving the trading market, regional policies, and fostering green technological innovation. Full article

In response to the escalating global energy demands, the optimization of energy efficiency has emerged as a linchpin for sustainable development. This study considers the potential of energy conservation and emission reduction in one of the most economically vibrant and resource-intensive regions in China, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, encompassing 11 provinces and cities. The SBM-Undesirable model is used to measure the energy efficiency and analyze the temporal-spatial distribution. Moran’s I is employed to analyze the overall spatial pattern and local regional differences in energy efficiency. The systematic analysis shows that the temporal fluctuation exists in the development of energy efficiency, and the average of the Yangtze River Economic Belt exhibits a development pattern of “downstream > midstream > upstream” from the spatial perspective. The upstream region would require way more effort than others to decarbonize and improve efficiency. At the municipal level, the overall energy efficiency of 11 provinces and cities fails to reach an efficient state, and potential for improvement exists. Moreover, the potential model of energy conservation and emission reduction is constructed. We further explore the pathways of energy efficiency improvement for each region in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, including pathways of “High-Efficiency Type”, “High Emission Reduction Potential”, and “Extensive Development Type”. Full article

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing technologies, the penetration of industrial robots into Chinese markets has profoundly reshaped the structure of the labor market. However, existing studies have largely concentrated on the employment substitution effect and the diffusion path of these technologies, while systematic analyses of how industrial robots affect labor resource allocation efficiency across different regional and industrial contexts in China remain scarce. In particular, research on the mechanisms and heterogeneity of these effects is still underdeveloped, calling for deeper investigation into their transmission channels and policy implications. Drawing on panel data from 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2023, this paper employs a Bartik-style instrumental variable approach to measure the level of industrial robot penetration and constructs a two-way fixed effects model to assess its impact on urban labor misallocation. Furthermore, the analysis introduces two mediating variables, industrial upgrading and urban innovation capacity, and applies a mediation effect model combined with Bootstrap methods to empirically test the underlying transmission mechanisms. The results reveal that a higher level of industrial robot adoption is significantly associated with a lower degree of labor misallocation, indicating a notable improvement in labor resource allocation efficiency. Heterogeneity analysis shows that this effect is more pronounced in cities outside the Yangtze River Economic Belt, in those experiencing severe population aging, and in areas with a relatively weak manufacturing base. Mechanism tests further indicate that industrial robots indirectly promote labor allocation efficiency by facilitating industrial upgrades and enhancing innovation capacity. However, in the short term, improvements in innovation capacity may temporarily intensify labor mismatch due to structural frictions. Overall, industrial robots not only exert a direct positive impact on the efficiency of urban labor allocation but also indirectly contribute to resource optimization through structural transformation and innovation system development. These findings underscore the need to account for regional disparities and demographic structures when advancing intelligent manufacturing strategies. Policymakers should coordinate the development of vocational training systems and innovation ecosystems to strengthen the dynamic alignment between technological adoption and labor market restructuring, thereby fostering more inclusive and high-quality economic growth. Full article

Green technology innovation (GTI) is pivotal for driving energy transition and low-carbon development in manufacturing. This study evaluates the spatiotemporal efficiency and predicts trends of GTI in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB, 2010–2022) using a combined “input-desirable output-undesirable output” framework. Combining the SBM and super-efficiency SBM models, we evaluate regional GTI efficiency (2010–2022) and reveal its spatiotemporal patterns. An improved GM(1,N|λ,γ) model with a new information adjustment parameter (λ) and nonlinear parameter (γ) is applied for prediction. Key findings include: (1) The GTI efficiency remains generally low during the study period (provincial average: 0.7049–1.4526), showing an “east-high, west-low” spatial heterogeneity. Temporally, provincial efficiency peaked in 2016, with intensified fluctuations around 2020 due to policy iterations and external shocks. (2) Regional efficiency displays a stepwise decline pattern from downstream to middle-upstream areas. Middle-upstream regions face efficiency constraints from insufficient inputs and undesirable output redundancy, yet exhibit significant optimization potential. (3) Parameter analysis highlights that downstream provinces (γ ≈ 1) exhibit mature green adoption, while mid-upstream regions (e.g., Hubei) face severe technological lock-in and reliance on traditional energy. Additionally, middle and downstream provinces (e.g., Sichuan, Anhui) with low λ values show rapid policy responsiveness, but face efficiency volatility from frequent shifts. (4) The improved GM(1,N|λ,γ) model shows markedly enhanced prediction accuracy compared to traditional grey models, effectively addressing the “poor-information, grey-characteristic” data trend extraction challenges in GTI research. Based on these findings, targeted policy recommendations are proposed to advance GTI development. Full article

The evolutionary patterns and influencing factors of the coupling coordination among multiple functions of cultivated land serve as an important basis for emphasizing the value of cultivated land utilization and promoting coordinated regional development. The entropy weight TOPSIS model, coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and Geodetector were employed in this study along with panel data from 125 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) for 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2022. Three key aspects in the region were investigated: the spatiotemporal evolution of cultivated land functions, characteristics of coupling coordination, and their underlying influencing factors. The results show the following: (1) The functions of cultivated land for food production, social support, and ecological maintenance are within the ranges of [0.023, 0.460], [0.071, 0.451], and [0.134, 0.836], respectively. The grain production function (GPF) shows a continuous increase, the social carrying function (SCF) first decreases and then increases, and the ecological maintenance function (EMF) first increases and then decreases. Spatially, these functions exhibit non-equilibrium characteristics: the grain production function is higher in the central and eastern regions and lower in the western region; the social support function is higher in the eastern and western regions and lower in the central region; and the ecological maintenance function is higher in the central and eastern regions and lower in the western region. (2) The coupling coordination degree of multiple functions of cultivated land is within the range of [0.158, 0.907], forming a spatial pattern where the eastern region takes the lead, the central region is rising, and the western region is catching up. (3) Moran’s I index increased from 0.376 in 2010 to 0.437 in 2022, indicating that the spatial agglomeration of the cultivated land multifunctionality coupling coordination degree has been continuously strengthening over time. (4) The spatial evolution of the coupling coordination of cultivated land multifunctionality is mainly influenced by the average elevation and average slope. However, the explanatory power of socioeconomic factors is continuously increasing. Interaction detection reveals characteristics of nonlinear enhancement or double-factor enhancement. The research results enrich the study of cultivated land multifunctionality and provide a decision-making basis for implementing the differentiated management of cultivated land resources and promoting mutual enhancement among different functions of cultivated land. Full article

The Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB), serving as a pivotal transportation corridor connecting eastern and western China and a national strategic development hub, plays a central role in driving high-quality economic development (HQAED) across the country. Based on the new development paradigm with emphasis on green transformation and transportation integration, this study proposes a comprehensive evaluation framework for an HQAED index (HQAED) across five core dimensions. Employing the entropy-weighted CRITIC method to quantify provincial HQAED values, combined with Dagum–Gini coefficient analysis to examine regional inequality patterns and determinants, and complemented by kernel density estimation (KDE) for temporal dynamics analysis, this research reveals four key findings: (1) There are significant disparities in HQEDI levels across the YEB, with a clear east–west gradient: the lower reaches > middle reaches > upper reaches. (2) While the dimensions of green development and shared development have shown steady growth despite initial disadvantages, the openness dimension faces structural challenges that require particular attention. (3) The overall Gini coefficient fluctuates between 0.068 and 0.094, indicating moderate regional disparities with relatively limited inequality. (4) The rightward shift in the HQEDI kernel density curves confirms overall progress, but also highlights widening disparities in the upstream regions and growth stagnation in the midstream areas. Practically, the entropy–CRITIC fusion methodology offers a transferable framework for emerging economies measuring sustainability-transition progress, while the quantified “green transportation empowerment” effects provide actionable levers for policymakers to optimize ecological compensation mechanisms and cross-regional infrastructure investments. Full article

As the world’s third-longest river supporting 40% of China’s population, the Yangtze River Basin exemplifies the critical challenges of balancing riparian development and ecological resilience for major fluvial systems globally. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution, proximity dynamics to the Yangtze River, and driving mechanisms of the “three types of spaces” (urban, agricultural, and ecological) in 130 counties along the Yangtze River mainstem from 2000 to 2020, utilizing an integrated approach incorporating land use transfer matrices, centroid-based distance metrics and GeoDetector models. Key findings reveal: (1) Urban space exhibited significant irreversible expansion while agricultural space continued to shrink, with ecological space maintaining overall stability but showing high-frequency bidirectional conversion with agricultural areas in localized zones. (2) Spatial proximity analysis demonstrated contrasting patterns—eastern riparian counties showed urban spatial agglomeration towards the river, whereas most mid-western regions experienced urban expansion away from the watercourse, with marked regional disparities in agricultural and ecological spatial changes. (3) Driving mechanism analysis identified topography as the dominant natural factor influencing ecological space evolution, while socioeconomic factors exerted stronger impacts on proximity variations of agricultural and urban spaces, with natural–socioeconomic interactive effects showing the most significant explanatory power. These spatial dynamics reflect universal trade-offs between economic development and ecosystem conservation in large river basins worldwide. We advocate differentiated spatial governance strategies, including rigorous riparian ecological redlines, eco-agricultural models in agricultural retreat zones, and proximity-based real-time monitoring for ecological early warning. The integrated methodology and spatial governance framework offer transferable solutions for sustainable management of major fluvial systems under rapid urbanization pressure. These findings provide scientific evidence and implementable pathways for coordinating socioeconomic development with ecosystem resilience in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Full article

With climate warming, the global precipitation patterns have undergone significant changes, which will profoundly impact flood–drought disaster regimes and socioeconomic development in key regions of human activity worldwide. The convergence zone of the Indian Ocean monsoon and Pacific monsoon in China covers most of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR), which is located in the transitional area of the second and third steps of China’s terrain. Changes in precipitation patterns in this region will significantly impact flood and drought control in the MLRYR, as well as the socioeconomic development of the MLRYR Economic Belt. In this study, Huaihua area in China was selected as the study area to study the characteristics of regional precipitation change, and to analyze the evolution in the trends in annual precipitation, extreme precipitation events, and their spatiotemporal distribution, so as to provide a reference for the study of precipitation change patterns in the intersection zone. This study utilizes precipitation data from meteorological stations and the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD) reanalysis data for the period 1979–2023 in Huaihua region. The spatiotemporal variation in precipitation in the study area was analyzed by using linear regression, the Mann–Kendall trend test, the moving average method, the Mann–Kendall–Sneyers test, wavelet analysis, and R/S analysis. The results demonstrate the following: (1) The annual precipitation in the study area is on the rise as a whole, the climate tendency rate is 9 mm/10 a, and the precipitation fluctuates greatly, showing an alternating change of “dry–wet–dry–wet”. (2) Wavelet analysis reveals that there are 28-year, 9-year, and 4-year main cycles in annual precipitation, and the precipitation patterns at different timescales are different. (3) The results of R/S analysis show that the future precipitation trend will continue to increase, with a strong long-term memory. (4) Extreme precipitation events generally show an upward trend, indicating that their intensity and frequency have increased. (5) Spatial distribution analysis shows that the precipitation in the study area is mainly concentrated in the northeast and south of Jingzhou and Tongdao, and the precipitation level in the west is lower. The comprehensive analysis shows that the annual precipitation in the study area is on the rise and has a certain periodic precipitation law. The spatial distribution is greatly affected by other factors and the distribution is uneven. Extreme precipitation events show an increasing trend, which may lead to increased flood risk in the region and downstream areas. In the future, it is necessary to strengthen countermeasures to reduce the impact of changes in precipitation patterns on local and downstream economic and social activities. Full article

The global tourism industry is currently experiencing a significant boom, leading to increasing prosperity in the tourism economy. However, litigation disputes and conflicts between tourism consumers and operators have become more frequent, severely disrupting the smooth functioning of tourism markets. Therefore, clarifying the spatiotemporal attributes and distributional characteristics of tourism disputes in destinations holds substantial significance for destination market governance and the sustainable development of tourism systems. Taking China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt as a case study, this research employs the geographic concentration index, the gravity center model, and the Dagum Gini coefficient to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of different types of tourism disputes and their watershed-specific variations from 2013 to 2024. The results demonstrated that tourism disputes exhibited an increase–decrease–increase inter-annual trend. The downstream basin had the most disputes, followed by the upstream and midstream ones. Areas with a high and low incidence of disputes were interspersed, with low spatial agglomeration. The gravity center was in Hubei Province. Basin differences changed in a fluctuating manner. Basin differences were large at the beginning of the study period, and thereafter the basin differences decreased in a fluctuating manner. The inter-basin differences were more significant for travel agency disputes and catering disputes. Overall, this study effectively presented the temporal distribution characteristics, spatial evolution characteristics, and basin differences in tourism disputes using mathematical statistics, geospatial analysis, and other methods. Full article

Air pollution not only affects urban production and residents’ lives but also threatens human health, and the construction of the subway is considered an important measure to improve urban traffic congestion and air quality. To test whether the construction and opening of subways with high operating costs can effectively improve urban air quality, this paper takes the opening of subways as a quasi-natural experiment. Based on panel data from 282 cities in China from 2014 to 2021, the difference-in-differences method is used to estimate the impact of subway openings on urban air pollution. It is found that (1) the subway opening significantly reduces urban air pollution, and this conclusion remains valid after a series of robustness tests. (2) Mechanism analysis indicates that subway openings mostly mitigate urban air pollution through the traffic substitution effect, which is generated through the substitution of private car travel. (3) Heterogeneity analyses show that the abatement effect of subway openings on air pollution is more significant when the city is a non-Yangtze River Economic Belt city, or when the city’s economic level is lower, or when the city is a non-resource-based city. Therefore, this paper puts forward targeted policy recommendations, such as optimising the subway layout, promoting the transit-oriented development mode based on the subway system, and implementing differentiated development strategies, with a view to providing certain references for promoting sustainable urban development. Full article

As a pivotal ecological–economic nexus in China, the Yangtze River Basin (YRB)’s spatiotemporal evolution of habitat quality (HQ) profoundly influences regional sustainable development. This study establishes a tripartite analytical framework integrating remote sensing big data, socioeconomic datasets, and ecological modeling. By coupling the InVEST and PLUS models with Theil–Sen median trend analysis and Mann–Kendall tests, we systematically assessed HQ spatial heterogeneity across the basin during 2000–2020 and projected trends under 2030 scenarios (natural development (S1), cropland protection (S2), and ecological conservation (S3)). Key findings reveal that basin-wide HQ remained stable (0.599–0.606) but exhibited marked spatial disparities, demonstrating a “high-middle reach (0.636–0.649), low upper/lower reach” pattern. Urbanized downstream areas recorded the minimum HQ (0.478–0.515), primarily due to landscape fragmentation from peri-urban expansion and transportation infrastructure. Trend analysis showed that coefficient of variation (CV) values ranged from 0.350 to 2.72 (mean = 0.768), indicating relative stability but significant spatial variability. While 76.98% of areas showed no significant HQ changes, 15.83% experienced declines (3.56% with significant degradation, p < 0.05) concentrated in urban agglomerations (e.g., the Wuhan Metropolitan Area, the Yangtze River Delta). Only 7.18% exhibited an HQ improvement, predominantly in snowmelt-affected Qinghai–Tibet Plateau regions, with merely 0.95% showing a significant enhancement. Multi-scenario projections align with Theil–Sen trends, predicting HQ declines across all scenarios. S3 curbs decline to 0.33% (HQ = 0.597), outperforming S1 (1.07%) and S2 (1.15%). Nevertheless, downstream areas remain high-risk (S3 HQ = 0.476). This study elucidated compound drivers of urbanization, agricultural encroachment, and climate change, proposing a synergistic “zoning regulation–corridor restoration–cross-regional compensation” pathway. These findings provide scientific support for balancing ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yangtze Economic Belt, while offering systematic solutions for the sustainable governance of global mega-basins. Full article

Improving the efficiency of green development is a crucial step towards achieving the “dual carbon” goal and promoting regional sustainable development. Currently, China has made a decision to foster new quality productive forces, aiming at upgrading traditional productive forces by digitization, which brings new opportunities for urban green transformation. Drawing upon a perspective from new quality productive forces, this paper constructs a framework of impact mechanism about “production factors–productivity–production relations” and uses 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt to investigate the impact effects, mechanisms, and disparities of the digital economy on urban green development. The research findings indicate the following: (1) The digital economy has a nonlinear influence on green development, with a critical value of 0.149. The conclusion still valid after “Utest” and robustness checks. (2) With the new strategy, digital economy indirectly influences urban green process through nonlinear mediating effects of green technology and green finance, as well as linear mediating effects of resource allocation and industrial structure. (3) There are notable effects heterogeneity across urban agglomerations and individual cities, as well as between resource-based and non-resource-based cities. (4) Furthermore, the policy intensity exerts a stage enhancing effect on the influence. With the promotion of digital policies such as Broadband China, the influence shows a phased increasing trend. The research provides valuable insights for harnessing new quality productive forces to power the digital economy and regional green transformation. Full article

The Yangtze River Economic Belt, a key growth driver in China, faces energy-carbon challenges. Analyzing the impact of industrial restructuring on energy transition and emission reduction is crucial for its low-carbon transformation. This study first analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of carbon emissions, energy intensity, and energy structure decarbonization across YREB provinces from 2005 to 2021, then quantified the impacts of industrial upgrading on these dimensions by using a spatial Durbin model with panel data, revealing spatial heterogeneity and mechanisms. Results show that: (1) a U-shaped relationship exists between industrial upgrading and both energy intensity and energy structure decarbonization, while it significantly lowers regional emissions; (2) heterogeneity analysis indicates the emission reduction effects of industrial upgrading intensify toward downstream regions, with energy transition being pivotal for mid-upstream mitigation. Accordingly, region-specific strategies are proposed: upstream areas should prioritize high-carbon energy substitution, ecological compensation, and technological support; midstream regions should adopt targeted policies for green industrial relocation and energy efficiency enhancements to accelerate upgrading; downstream areas should leverage innovation incentives and service-driven industrial restructuring. This study provides theoretical foundations for tailored regional strategies and actionable insights for achieving the YREB’s low-carbon development goals. Full article

This study investigates the institutional innovation pathways for integrating comprehensive transportation networks into China’s territorial spatial planning system, with a focus on resolving the conflicts between ecological conservation and infrastructure development. By proposing a ‘constraint-coupling-innovation’ framework, this research addresses the gaps in existing spatial governance mechanisms, particularly the insufficient alignment between transportation planning and the ‘three zones and three lines’ (ecological conservation, agricultural production, and urban development zones with binding redline) system. The study employs mixed-method approaches, including geospatial conflict analysis (GIS), AI-driven policy coordination tools, and case studies from the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It demonstrates that rigid ecological constraints (e.g., ecological sensitivity veto power) can reduce planning conflicts effectively, while adaptive governance models enhance land use efficiency and stakeholder collaboration. Key findings reveal a significant negative correlation (R² = 0.75) between ecological protection redline (EPR) coverage and transportation network density, underscoring the necessity for differentiated governance strategies in high-conflict regions. A comparative analysis with the EU’s Natura 2000 sites and TEN-T networks further highlights China’s unique hierarchical governance model, which integrates top-down ecological mandates with localized technological innovations, such as digital twins and polycentric decision making. This study contributes to global debates on sustainable spatial planning by offering actionable pathways for balancing infrastructure expansion with ecological resilience, while also proposing institutional reforms, such as a National Transportation Spatial Governance Index (NTSGI), to standardize ecological compliance. These insights provide both theoretical advancements in spatial institutionalism and practical tools for policymakers navigating the dual challenges of urbanization and climate resilience. Full article