Search Results (6)

To achieve a dynamic balance between economic development and ecological protection, it is necessary to analyze the enabling mechanism of new quality productive (NQP) on the green and low-carbon transformation of the construction industry. Based on the panel data of 107 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YERB) from 2011 to 2023, this study analyzes the spatiotemporal characteristics of carbon emissions in the construction industry (CECI), and explores the impact, mechanism, regional heterogeneity and spatial spillover effect of NQP on carbon emission intensity in the construction industry (CEICI). From 2011 to 2023, CECI increased in low amplitude but weakened the spatial concentration. The overall level of NQP in the YREB region shows a trend of first a slight decline and then a steady increase, and the development disparities among different regions have continued to widen. The NQP is significantly negatively correlated with the CEICI. The impact effect shows a gradient distribution pattern of “upstream > downstream > midstream”, and there is also a spatial spillover effect. Moreover, the mechanism analysis shows that the NQP can influence CEICI by the green technological innovation (GTI) and industrial structure upgrading (ISU). Moreover, the mediating effect of GTI (−0.4019) is greater than ISU (−0.1049). These results can help to formulate policies on NQP for reducing building emissions. Full article

The process of urbanization, which leads to increased population density, changes in land use patterns, and heightened demand for industrial and domestic water use, exacerbates the contradiction between the supply and demand of water resources. This study examines the discrepancies between the supply and demand of water resources amidst urbanization, utilizing data from 110 cities within the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) spanning from 2012 to 2021. The research employs the projection pursuit clustering model and the Dagum Gini coefficient method to evaluate the developmental status of water resources. While the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region maintains a leading position with a water resources development score of 9.827 in 2023, there is a 2.2% increase in intra-regional disparity. The water resources development score for the City Cluster in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River (CCRYR) has experienced a decline, from 8.263 in 2012 to 8.016 in 2021; however, a reduction in intra-regional disparities has been observed since the implementation of the 2016 Outline of the Yangtze River Economic Belt Development Plan (YREBP), which suggests the policy’s efficacy. The Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone (CCEZ), despite its initially lower level of development, has demonstrated significant growth, with scores rising from 7.036 in 2012 to 7.347 in 2021. Collectively, the water resources development in the YREB exhibits an upward trend, yet the development remains uneven. The CCRYR shows a catching-up effect because of the YREBP, and the differences in other regions are widening. The research results provide decision-making support for water resources planning and management, and are of great significance in promoting the sustainable use of water resources. Full article

For sustainable development of the world, it is crucial to solve the problems related to water environment pollution, water shortage, and the inefficient utilization of water resources during the process of urbanization in developing countries. At present, scholars mainly focus on the measurement of new urbanization (NU) and the water ecological civilization (WEC) level and the coordination relationship between NU and ecological civilization. However, there have been few studies on the coordination relationship between NU and WEC and its driving factors. We take the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) in China as a case study, construct the indicator system of NU and WEC, analyze the current situation of NU and WEC in the YREB, and study the coordination state of NU and WEC in the YREB from 2011 to 2020 by using a state coordination function. We further examine the factors driving the coordination of NU and WEC by employing a two-way fixed-effects model. The results show the following: (1) The growth rate of NU and WEC in the YREB shows a fluctuating upward trend, where there is significant heterogeneity between the upper reaches, the middle reaches, and the lower reaches of the YREB. (2) The static coordination degree of NU and WEC in the YREB shows a trend of fluctuating upwards and then falling, and the dynamic coordination degree deviated from the coordinated development trajectory from 2018 to 2020. The classification of the static coordination degree of various regions in the YREB gradually becomes obvious with significant spatial aggregation characteristics, and the dynamic coordination degree of various regions has significant heterogeneity. (3) The opening-up degree, foreign direct investment, population growth, and urban–rural income gap are not advantageous to the coordination degree, while the marketization level, industrial structure, and human capital are advantageous to the coordination degree, but the regression coefficients of the latter two are not significant. The regional regression results show that the impacts of driving factors on the coordination degree have obvious heterogeneity. The research results provide a new idea and method that can be used by developing countries similar to the YERB to control water pollution, improve the ecological environment, alleviate water shortages, and improve the level of WEC in the process of NU. Full article

Studying the presence of aerosols in different atmospheric layers helps researchers understand their impacts on climate change, air quality, and human health. Therefore, in the present study, the optical and physical properties of aerosol layers over the Yellow River Basin (YERB) were investigated using the CALIPSO Level 2 aerosol layer products from January 2007 to December 2014. The Yellow River Basin was divided into three sub-regions i.e., YERB₁ (the plain region downstream of the YERB), YERB₂ (the Loess Plateau region in the middle reaches of the YERB), and YERB₃ (the mountainous terrain in the upper reaches of the YERB). The results showed that the amount (number) of aerosol layers (N) was relatively large (>2 layers) in the lower part of the YERB (YERB₁), which was mainly caused by atmospheric convection. The height of the highest aerosol layer top (HT_H) and the height of the lowest aerosol layers base (HB₁) varied significantly with respect to the topography of the YERB. High and low values of aerosol optical depth (AOD) were observed over the YERB₁ (plain area) and YERB₃ (elevated area) regions, respectively. Population, economy, and agricultural activities might be the possible reasons for spatial variations in AOD. AOD values for the lowest aerosol layer were high—between 0.7 and 1.0 throughout the year—indicating that aerosols were mainly concentrated at the bottom layer of the atmosphere. In addition, the integrated volume depolarization ratio (0.15–0.2) and the integrated attenuated total color ratio (~0.1) were large during spring for the lowest aerosol layer due to the presence of dust aerosols. The thicknesses of the lowest aerosol layers (TL₁) did not vary with respect to the topographic features of the YERB. Over the sub-regions of the YERB, a significant positive correlation between the AOD of the lowest aerosol layer (AOD₁) and the thickness of the lowest aerosol layer (TL₁) was found, which indicates that TL₁ increases with the increase of AOD₁. In the whole YERB, a positive linear correlation between the N and HT_H was observed, whereas a negative correlation between N and the portion of AOD for the lowest aerosol layer (PAOD₁) was found, which revealed that the large value of N leads to the small value of PAOD₁. The results from the present study will be helpful to further investigate the aerosol behavior and their impacts on climate change, air quality, and human health over the YERB. Full article

In this study, Aqua-Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Collection (C6) and C6.1 Dark Target aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals at 3 km (DT3K) and 10 km (DT10K), Deep Blue AOD retrievals at 10 km (DB10K), and combined DT and DB (DTB) AOD retrievals at 10 km resolutions were validated from 2002 to 2014 against ground-based sunphotometer AOD measurements obtained from the Chinese aerosol remote sensing network (CARSNET). The CARSNET AOD data were obtained for sites at Mt. Waliguan (MW), Lanzhou (LZ), Ulate (UL), and Zhengzhou (ZZ) located in the Yellow River basin (YERB) region, China. Errors and agreement between satellite and ground data were reported using Pearson’s correlation (R) and relative mean bias (RMB). Results showed that the DT3K C6.1 highest quality flag (QF = 3) AOD retrievals were well correlated with the sunphotometer AOD data, with an R of 0.82 and an RMB of 1.01. Overestimation and underestimation in DT AOD retrievals were observed for AOD > 1.1 and AOD < 1.1, respectively. A significant underestimation of 37% in DB10K AOD retrievals was observed across all the sites except ZZ, which was indicated by a low-value RMB (0.63). Spatial distribution maps showed high AOD values (>0.8) over the lower part of the YERB and low AOD values (<0.4) across the upstream part of the YERB. This might be due to a large number of aerosol emissions over the lower developed areas and a scarcity of aerosols over the upstream mountain areas. Overall, this study supports the use of DT10K C6.1 AOD retrievals over the western semi-arid and arid regions of the YERB and DTB10K AOD retrievals over the north-central water system and eastern plain regions of the YERB. Full article

In the light of the shortcomings of the analytic hierarchy process and other common regional sustainable development evaluation methods, this paper proposes the use of a combination of subjective and objective weights to generate input/output indicators using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. Using this methodology, we construct a comprehensive evaluation index which is useful in expanding the application of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in the comprehensive evaluation of sustainable development. Moreover, this paper addresses the shortfalls of the traditional DEA evaluation model and uses the Super-Slack Based Measure (SBM)-Undesirable and DEA-Malmquist evaluation models, which are based on traditional DEA model optimization, to analyze the spatio-temporal characteristics of sustainable development on regional scales. Using China’s Yangzte River Economic Belt as an example, an empirical analysis is carried out. We show that analysis results are virtually identical to the extant situation and can objectively reflect the status and abilities of sustainable development in each subregion. Additionally, from the angles of input, output and technological progress, this paper uses the DEA evaluation method to analyze the reasons behind the slow development in several provinces and municipalities along the Yangzte River Economic Belt (YERB). The regional characteristics of each province and city within our study are combined to explore the optimal mechanisms for sustainable development. Full article