Search Results (1,417)

This study examines the evolving relationship between the Port of Motril and the adjacent fishing community of El Varadero. The reduction in fishing quotas and the port’s transformation into a maritime transport hub have not only reshaped the connection between the area and the port but have also contributed to the gradual decline of the local community. Through a community survey conducted among residents of the fishing neighborhood and the urban center (n = 65), we assessed community assets, psychological sense of community, and collective self-efficacy in this coastal area in southern Granada. The survey findings were supplemented with interviews with key informants from the local fishing sector (n = 5). The results indicate that residents of the fishing neighborhood perceive a higher prevalence of social problems and report a diminished sense of belonging. The community’s historical ties to the port have progressively weakened, exposing residents to ongoing socio-economic decline. This study explores the potential of fishing cultural heritage as a resource for local development and highlights the need for integrated governance between the fishing sector and the local authorities. Full article

Quantifying the regional source of long-lived ozone precursors (especially GHGs) transported to Hong Kong is hampered by sparse observational data and computational limitations. This study introduces an observation-driven analytical framework that integrates a tracer ratio (ethylbenzene/m,p-xylene), wind–source–distance correlations to constrain transport corridors, and inventory mapping to determine the province- and sector-specific contributions, operationalized by identifying transport periods from observations, classifying sources with diagnostic ratios into five emission categories, deriving seasonal weighting factors via frequency normalization, mapping high-resolution inventory classes to these categories to restructure sectoral inventories, and combining normalized provincial spatial weights with the restructured inventories to quantify cross-boundary CO₂ and CH₄ emissions by sector and region. High-resolution measurements were conducted at the Cape D’Aguilar Supersite (CDSS), which showed dominant wintertime regional transport with mean concentrations of 435.29 ± 7.64 ppm (CO₂) and 2083.45 ± 56.50 ppb (CH₄). Thirteen transport periods were quantitatively analyzed, and province–sector contributions were estimated. The dominant provincial contributors were Guangdong (20.66%), followed by Jiangxi (18.36%) and Zhejiang (11.15%). Motor vehicles (70%), fuel combustion (15%), and solvent use (10%) were the primary contributing sectors. The framework enables province- and sector-specific attribution under stated assumptions and provides a tool for measuring cross-boundary mitigation and developing air quality and climate strategies in monsoon-affected coastal cities. Full article

Heatwaves are intensifying across Mediterranean cities, where the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect amplifies thermal stress. This study updates the spatial characterization of the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) in Tarragona using multi-sensor remote sensing data within a Local Climate Zone (LCZ) framework. Land surface temperature, albedo, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were analyzed during heatwaves from 2015–2025 to assess spatial patterns and drivers of urban heating. Results reveal a daytime urban cool island associated with low albedo and scarce vegetation, and a nocturnal SUHI caused by heat retention in dense built-up areas. High-resolution mapping identifies industrial and commercial zones as hotspots, while vegetated and water-covered areas act as cooling sites. These findings clarify the spatial dynamics and key biophysical controls of SUHI and provide an actionable basis for prioritizing locally tailored adaptation strategies in Mediterranean coastal cities. Full article

Global coastal reclamation areas face significant land subsidence, threatening infrastructure and sustainable development. China’s large-scale projects show particularly severe subsidence. For example, Tianjin’s Binhai New Area contains 413.6 km² of reclaimed land, and subsidence is driven by soft soil consolidation, industrial loads, and dynamic land use changes. This study addresses the unique geology of coastal reclamation zones: thick, soft clay layers; high porosity; and low soil strength. We employed optimized Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) technology using 48 Sentinel-1A radar images (2019–2022), which generated high-resolution annual deformation rate maps revealing a north-high, south-low subsidence gradient. Crucially, validation against leveling data confirmed reliability. The systematically quantified results demonstrate built areas and the bare ground intensifies subsidence through structural loads and soil compression. Land use transitions also exacerbate differential settlement. For coastal cities and reclamation zones, key strategies emerge, including regulating structural loads in high-subsidence areas, managing soft soil consolidation, and implementing dynamic monitoring. Aligning development intensity with geological capacity is essential, and adopting adaptive spatial planning can mitigate subsidence hazards. This approach offers a scientific framework for enhancing global coastal resilience. Full article

The Late Holocene flood history of the Cauvery River floodplain in the Poompuhar region was reconstructed using a multiproxy sedimentological approach applied to three trench cores. Lithostratigraphy, loss on ignition (LOI), magnetic susceptibility (MS), sand–silt–clay textural analysis, granulometric statistics (Folk and Ward), Passega CM diagrams, and grain angularity provide complementary evidence to differentiate high-energy flood deposits from background slackwater sediments. Grain-size processing and statistical analyses were carried out in R using the G2Sd package, ensuring reproducible quantification of mean size, sorting, skewness, kurtosis, and transport signatures. We identified 10 discrete high-energy event beds. These layers are characterised by >80% sand content, low LOI (<3.5%), and low frequency-dependent MS (χfd% < 2%), confirming rapid, mineral-dominated deposition. A tentative chronology, projected from the regional aggradation rate, suggests two major flood clusters: a maximum-magnitude event at ~3.2 ka and a synchronous cluster at ~1.6–1.8 ka. These events chronologically align with the documented phases of channel avulsion in the adjacent Palar River Basin, supporting the existence of a synchronised Late Holocene climato-tectonic regime across coastal Tamil Nadu. This hydrological evidence supports the hypothesis that recurrent high-magnitude flooding triggered catastrophic channel avulsion of the Cauvery distributary, leading to the fluvial abandonment and decline of the ancient port city of Poompuhar. Securing an absolute chronology requires advanced K-feldspar post-IR IRSL dating to overcome quartz saturation issues in fluvial deposits. Full article

Coastal regions in Mexico face significant exposure to hydrometeorological hazards, often resulting in severe flooding and socioeconomic disruption. This study assesses the hydrometeorological resilience of the Veracruz–Boca del Río Conurbation (VBC), a region comprising two coastal municipalities with shared hazard exposure despite distinct governance structures. The hydrometeorological resilience evaluation employs the City Resilience Index (CRI), developed by Bahena which integrates the Technical Resilience Index (TRI) and the Technical Profile of Resilience (TPR) across nine hierarchical indicators. Results reveal moderate resilience levels—59.83% for Veracruz and 58.32% for Boca del Río—with Disaster Risk Reduction Plans and Vital Services indicators as the strongest contributors, while Risk Assessments and Budget Allocation for Emergency Response indicators scored lowest due to limited municipal data. These findings highlight the need for enhanced data transparency, institutional coordination, and resource allocation in disaster management. Beyond its local significance, this study advances the global understanding of resilience assessment frameworks in data-scarce contexts, offering insights applicable to similar regions worldwide. As the first hydrometeorological resilience assessment for the VBC, this research provides a methodological and empirical foundation for future studies and informs targeted resilience strategies for Mexico’s coastal urban areas. Full article

Flooding increasingly threatens lives and property under climate change and rapid urbanization. Mobile pumping stations offer a practical and cost-effective solution for flood protection in low-lying, densely populated coastal areas. However, previous studies typically used simplified methods to represent pump stations, and few have integrated pump operations into high-resolution simulations of multi-source urban flooding. This study develops a High-Performance Integrated Hydrodynamic Modeling System–Pumping System Model–Flood Impact Assessment Model (i.e., HiPIMS-PSM-FIM) framework to evaluate object-level exposure and quantify the benefits of pumping. In this framework, the PSM is two-way coupled with HiPIMS using a Source Coupling Method to simulate spatiotemporal flood dynamics. The results are then integrated with exposure data through FIM to identify risks and support mitigation strategies. The framework is applied to a multi-source flood in Yuhuan City, Zhejiang Province, China, at 3 m resolution, and shows strong agreement with field surveys. Vulnerability analysis shows Children > Sedans > Adults > SUVs, with educational facilities facing highest risks. Sensitivity results to pumping rates demonstrate that mobile pumping can reduce the affected population by 82% and decrease impacts on key facilities and roads, demonstrating the framework’s robustness and practical value for enhancing urban flood resilience. Full article

Improving the credit system within a market economy is key to advancing sustainable economic development in China. Using panel data from 280 cities between 2009 and 2022, this study combines a quasi-natural experiment of China’s social credit system (SCS) reform pilot program and applies a difference-in-differences (DID) model to analyze the impact of SCS on green economic development. The results indicate the following: First, the SCS significantly contributes to China’s green economic development, and this conclusion remains valid under a variety of robustness tests. Second, the positive impact of the SCS is more pronounced in non-coastal, resource-based, and low-environmental-regulation regions. Third, the SCS drives the development of China’s green economy through three pathways: reducing transaction costs, optimizing the market competition environment, and stimulating green innovation. Accordingly, it is imperative to strengthen the foundational infrastructure of the SCS, implement differentiated governance frameworks, and thereby enhance the sustainable development of China’s green economy. Full article

The Island of Unguja in Zanzibar (Tanzania) has experienced an accelerated urban development growth since the 1990s due to a rapidly increasing population. These rapid land demands put additional stress on the country’s ability to plan urban centers, cities, and the management of natural resources. The study aimed to determine the impact of urbanization on groundwater availability in the catchment area of the Masingini–Mwanyanya forest reserves from 1992 to 2022. The study used a detection approach to determine the Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes for three decades, starting from 1992 to 2022. Landsat remote sensed images of 1992, 2002, 2012, and 2022 were used. Additionally, a paired t-test was conducted to determine the significant changes in mean population growth, urbanization, and humidity. The aquifer recharge evolution analysis was conducted using the QGIS software (3.34.8 released version). Obtained results revealed that for these three decades, the forest areas decreased by 14.5% (i.e., from 8.3 km² in 1992 to 7.1 km² in 2022), while built-up area increased from 0 km² in 1992 to 1.7 km² in 2022. Moreover, the evolution of undesirable Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes, particularly the persistent conversion of forested areas into built-up zones, has been detected. This trend poses a significant threat to the sustainable management of water resources and catchment forest reserves. The study also indicated a decline in the recharge of the coastal aquifer supplying Zanzibar City, which decreased from 15.5 Mm³ to 11.1 Mm³. These findings highlight that the Masingini Forest Reserve is increasingly encroached by rapid urbanization, which is a phenomenon that may jeopardize the availability and sustainability of groundwater resources in the catchment without proper urban planning. Based on these results, the study recommends further research and upscaling of the existing findings, as well as collaboration with relevant authorities to redefine the Masingini–Mwanyanya forest catchment area to ensure the sustainable use of groundwater resources. Full article

This study examines the evolution of the Yellow River Basin’s urban corporate network from 2003 to 2023, aiming to understand how intercity connectivity and decision-making authority have developed. Using headquarters–subsidiary linkages of listed firms, we measure connectivity and control of cities within the urban system and employ spatial error models to identify their main determinants. The results show that the network has become denser and more geographically inclusive, especially in the middle and lower reaches. However, a clear hierarchy remains, and upstream integration stays limited. Community structures are anchored by capitals, and multi-core patterns strengthen over time. Coastal hubs in Shandong handle the most significant volumes of ties, while interior capitals such as Zhengzhou, Lanzhou, Xi’an, and Taiyuan concentrate authority—a contrast that has intensified since 2013. Connectivity and control often diverge, and disparities in both have increased. Administrative rank remains the strongest predictor of a city’s position, although its influence has decreased as factors such as openness, development, producer services, and innovation have gained importance. Transportation accessibility and human capital consistently support both connectivity and control, while government intervention initially restricts network roles but becomes less influential over time. These findings suggest that intercity corporate linkages have expanded, yet decision-making authority has not dispersed and remains concentrated in a small set of capitals. Governance that coordinates across provinces is necessary to ensure that increasing linkages translate into shared economic opportunities while protecting the basin’s fragile ecological environment. Full article

This study addresses the critical challenge of balancing coastal wetland conservation with urban sustainable development, a pivotal issue for ecological civilization in rapidly developing regions. Through an in-depth analysis of Qingdao and Weihai—exemplary cases in Shandong Province—this research systematically investigates mechanisms for achieving synergistic win–win outcomes. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including systems analysis to deconstruct governance frameworks, comparative case study to identify transferable strategies, and policy deduction to formulate actionable pathways, the study reveals how integrated approaches yield tangible results. Qingdao’s “Five Ocean Usages” concept and Weihai’s segmented coastal zoning have significantly improved key ecological metrics. By contrast, Qinhuangdao faces pronounced challenges, including degraded wetlands, spatial conflict between ports and core habitats, and underdeveloped synergistic governance. To address these, the study proposes a targeted strategy for Qinhuangdao, emphasizing a data-informed “wetland+” multi-format integration plan, the establishment of wetland mitigation banking and green finance instruments, digitally enabled public participation, and deeper policy alignment with national strategies such as Maritime Power. This research provides both a replicable analytical framework and practical guidance for coastal cities seeking to realize “development within protection and protection within development”. Full article

The factors influencing urban pluvial flooding in cities with complex topography, such as hill–basin systems, are highly nonlinear and spatially heterogeneous due to the interplay between rugged terrain and intensive human activities. However, previous research has predominantly focused on plain, mountainous, and coastal cities. As a result, the waterlogging mechanisms in hill–basin areas remain notably understudied. In this study, we developed a geographically explainable artificial intelligence (GeoXAI) framework integrating Geographical Machine Learning Regression (GeoMLR) and Geographical Shapley (GeoShapley) values to analyze nonlinear impacts of flooding factors in Changsha, a typical hill–basin city. The XGBoost model was employed to predict flooding risk (validation AUC = 0.8597, R² = 0.8973), while the GeoMLR model verified stable nonlinear driving relationships between factors and flooding susceptibility (test set R² = 0.7546)—both supporting the proposal of targeted zonal regulation strategies. Results indicated that impervious surface density (ISD), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and slope are the dominant drivers of flooding, with each exhibiting distinct nonlinear threshold effects (ISD > 0.35, NDVI < 0.70, Slope < 5°) that differ significantly from those identified in plain, mountainous, or coastal regions. Spatial analysis further revealed that topography regulates flooding by controlling convergence pathways and flow velocity, while vegetation mitigates flooding through enhanced interception and infiltration, showing complementary effects across zones. Based on these findings, we proposed tailored zonal management strategies. This study not only advances the mechanistic understanding of urban waterlogging in hill–basin regions but also provides a transferable GeoXAI framework offering a robust methodological foundation for flood resilience planning in topographically complex cities. Full article

The rapid development of new-generation information technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain, is profoundly reshaping production and lifestyles, with regional development patterns. This study employs text analysis to extract the policy adoption timeline of cloud computing from official documents and constructs a quasi-natural experiment framework. First, spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis reveal significant spatial dependence in the urban green total factor productivity (GTFP). Accordingly, using panel data of 284 Chinese cities from 2000 to 2023, we apply a spatial difference-in-differences (SDID) model to empirically examine the impact of cloud computing on the urban GTFP. The results show that, first, the adoption of cloud computing significantly enhances the local GTFP, but simultaneously suppresses neighboring cities’ GTFP through the siphon effect, thereby generating negative spatial spillover effects. These findings remain robust across parallel trend tests, placebo tests, and multiple robustness tests. Second, mechanism analysis indicates that improved resource allocation efficiency and strengthened green innovation are the two core channels through which cloud computing promotes GTFP. Third, heterogeneity analysis reveals that cloud computing exhibits stronger siphon effects in smaller cities, generates significant positive spatial spillover effects in coastal regions, and effectively fosters GTFP growth within urban agglomerations, while exerting limited influence on non-agglomerated areas. Moreover, industrial agglomeration further amplifies the positive impact of cloud computing on GTFP. Additionally, from the perspective of regional policies, this study finds that promoting the integrated development of urban agglomerations, reducing administrative monopoly, facilitating free factor mobility, and advancing urban international economic activities are effective pathways to mitigate the siphon effect of cloud computing on the urban GTFP. Based on these findings, this study offers targeted policy recommendations to leverage cloud computing for advancing green and high-quality urban development. Full article

Research on coastal recreational activities has grown substantially, yet studies focusing on user perceptions of these spaces—critical for optimizing tourism experiences and management—remain fragmented and underdeveloped. This study addresses this gap by examining tourist sentiment in Xiamen, a renowned coastal city in China, using social media data. Text mining tools were utilized to process the Weibo contents through text segmentation, frequency analysis and cluster analysis. The Two-way Neural Network Fusion Model Based on the BERT (TNNFMB) deep learning approach was employed using transfer learning for sentiment analysis, while the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model was used to uncover latent thematic patterns. Sentiment polarity analysis revealed that positive comments constituted 56.47%, negative comments only 16.3%, and neutral comments 27.2%, confirming a generally positive perception of visitors’ coastal experiences. Tourists’ social media posts primarily revolve around five core themes in coastal areas: coastal waters, waterfronts, adjacent environments, culture and creativity, and reputation and expectation. The spatial and temporal changes in sentiment scores were discovered. Areas emphasizing sea–land landscapes, cultural theme reinforcement, and open public activities generally achieved high and stable sentiment scores. Natural and natural–artificial mixed coastlines experienced significant seasonal variations in sentiment. The recommendations of this study, generated from a sentiment perspective, include shaping a harmonious coastal environment by improving coastal management and support services to enhance the comfort of the tourist experience. This study advances understanding of user-centric coastal tourism dynamics, providing evidence-based tools for managers to enhance tourist experiences and spatial quality. Full article

This article examines the expansion of short-term rentals in Valparaíso, Chile, through the Airbnb platform. The study addresses the broader context of digital platforms transforming housing markets, with a focus on Latin American cities, where the implications of short-term rental growth remain understudied. The main objective is to understand how Airbnb is reshaping the spatial, economic, and social dimensions of rental housing in Valparaíso. Methodologically, the article employs quantitative methods, combining spatial analysis techniques (using ArcGIS) and descriptive statistical analysis. The results reveal that entire homes cluster in heritage-tourism hills (Concepción and Alegre) and coastal zones with panoramic views, where nightly rates can exceed the citywide average threefold, while shared rooms are dispersed in lower-income hills. Likewise, the study identifies a heterogeneous host profile; half of the hosts are owners who have another residence to live in, while the other half offers rooms within their own homes, indicating that platform usage is a complementary income strategy. These dynamics reflect asset-based welfare logics, repositioning housing as a hybrid asset for income generation rather than solely a domestic space. Even in the absence of large-scale corporate landlords, this fragmented market contributes to housing commodification and intensifies spatial inequalities. The study highlights the need for regulatory frameworks tailored to the socio-territorial specificities of heritage Latin American cities, which face both housing deficits and tourism pressures. Full article