Search Results (4,189)

Common prosperity serves as a pivotal condition for achieving sustainable development by fostering social equity, bolstering economic resilience, and promoting environmental stewardship. Differential land revenue, as a crucial form of property based on spatial resource occupation, significantly contributes to the achievement of common prosperity, though empirical evidence of its impact is limited. This study explores the potential influence of land utilization revenue disparity on common prosperity from the perspective of urban macro differential rent (UMDR). Utilizing panel data from 280 Chinese cities spanning 2007 to 2020, we discover that UMDR and common prosperity levels exhibit strikingly similar spatiotemporal evolution. Further empirical analysis shows that UMDR significantly raises urban common prosperity levels, with a 0.217 standard unit increase in common prosperity for every 1 standard unit rise in UMDR. This boost stems from enhanced urban prosperity and the sharing of development achievements, encompassing economic growth, improved public services, enhanced ecological civilization, and more equitable distribution of development gains between urban and rural areas and among individuals. Additionally, we observe that UMDR has a more pronounced effect on common prosperity in eastern cities and those with a predominant service industry. This study enhances the comprehension of the relationship between urban land revenue disparities, prosperity, and equitable sharing, presenting a new perspective for the administration to contemplate the utilization of land-based policy tools in pursuit of the common prosperity goal and ultimately achieve sustainable development. Full article

The social acceptance of Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) is a decisive factor in the successful implementation of clean energy projects. This study explores the attitudes, demographic profiles, and common misconceptions of citizens in the Region of Epirus, Greece, toward photovoltaic and wind energy installations. Special attention is given to the role of education, age, and access to information—as well as spatial factors such as visual exposure—in shaping public perceptions and influencing acceptance of RES deployment. A structured questionnaire was administered to 320 participants across urban and rural areas, with subdivision between regions with and without visual exposure to RES infrastructure. Findings indicate that urban residents exhibit greater acceptance of RES, while rural inhabitants—especially those in proximity to installations—express skepticism, often grounded in esthetic concerns or perceived procedural injustice. Misinformation and lack of knowledge dominate in areas without visual contact. Statistical analysis confirms that younger and more educated participants are more supportive and environmentally aware. The study highlights the importance of targeted educational interventions, transparent consultation, and spatially sensitive communication strategies in fostering constructive engagement with renewable energy projects. The case of Epirus underscores the need for inclusive, place-based policies to bridge the social acceptance gap and support the national energy transition. Full article

Wildfire regimes are closely linked to changes in landscape structure, yet the influence of accelerated land use transitions on fire activity remains poorly understood, particularly in rapidly transforming regions like central Chile. Although land use change has been extensively documented in the country, the specific role of the speed, extent, and spatial configuration of these transitions in shaping fire dynamics requires further investigation. To address this gap, we examined how landscape transitions influence fire frequency in central Chile, a region experiencing rapid land use change and heightened fire activity. Using multi-temporal remote sensing data, we quantified land use transitions, calculated landscape metrics to describe their spatial characteristics, and applied intensity analysis to assess their relationship with fire frequency changes. Our results show that accelerated landscape transitions significantly increased fire frequency, particularly in areas affected by forest plantation rotations, new forest establishment, and urban expansion, with changes exceeding uniform intensity expectations. Regional variations were evident: In the more densely populated northern areas, increased fire frequency was primarily linked to urban development and deforestation, while in the more rural southern regions, forest plantation cycles played a dominant role. Areas with a high number of large forest patches were especially prone to fire frequency increases. These findings demonstrate that both the speed and spatial configuration of landscape transitions are critical drivers of wildfire activity. By identifying the specific land use changes and landscape characteristics that amplify fire risks, this study provides valuable knowledge to inform fire risk reduction, landscape management, and urban planning in Chile and other fire-prone regions undergoing rapid transformation. Full article

Research on commuting patterns has mainly focused on urban and metropolitan areas, and such studies are not typically applied to rural and small-town regions, where workers often face longer commutes due to limited job opportunities and inadequate public transportation. By using the Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP) data, this research fills that gap by analyzing commuting behavior by ethnic group and industry in south-central Minnesota, which is a predominantly rural area of 13 counties in the United States. The results show that both white and minority groups in District 7 experienced an increase in excess commuting from 2006 to 2016, with the minority group in Nobles County showing a significantly higher rise. Analysis by industry reveals that excess commuting in the leisure and hospitality sector (including arts, entertainment, and food services) in Nobles County increased five-fold during this time, indicating a severe spatial mismatch between jobs and affordable housing. In contrast, manufacturing experienced a decline of 50%, possibly indicating better commuting efficiency or a loss of manufacturing jobs. These findings can help city and transportation planners conduct an in-depth analysis of rural-to-urban commuting patterns and develop potential solutions to improve rural transportation infrastructure and accessibility, such as promoting telecommuting and hybrid work options, expanding shuttle routes, and adding more on-demand transit services in rural areas. Full article

Accomplishing China’s national targets of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality necessitates proactive solutions, hinging critically on fundamentally transforming rural construction models. Current construction practices in rural areas are characterized by inefficiency, high resource consumption, and reliance on imported materials. These shortcomings not only jeopardize the attainment of climate objectives, but also hinder equitable development between urban and rural regions. Using the Digital Industrial Park in Yongtai County, Fuzhou City, as a case study, this study focuses on prefabricated public buildings in regions with extreme hot–humid climate, and innovatively integrates BIM (Building Information Modeling)-driven carbon modeling with the Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (G2SFCA) method for spatial accessibility assessment to investigate the carbon emissions and economic benefits of prefabricated buildings during the embodied stage, and analyzes the spatial accessibility of prefabricated building material suppliers in Fuzhou City and identifies associated bottlenecks, seeking pathways to promote sustainable rural revitalization. Compared with traditional cast-in-situ buildings, embodied carbon emissions of prefabricated during their materialization phase significantly reduced. This dual-perspective approach ensures that the proposed solutions possess both technical rigor and logistical feasibility. Promoting this model across rural areas sharing similar climatic conditions would advance the construction industry’s progress towards the dual carbon goals. Full article

This study presents the scientific and methodological foundation of Spain’s first national framework for the ethical management of community cat populations: the Action Plan for the Management of Community Cat Colonies (PACF), launched in 2025 under the mandate of Law 7/2023. This pioneering legislation introduces a standardized, nationwide obligation for trap–neuter–return (TNR)-based management of free-roaming cats, defined as animals living freely, territorially attached, and with limited socialization toward humans. The PACF aims to support municipalities in implementing this mandate through evidence-based strategies that integrate animal welfare, biodiversity protection, and public health objectives. Using standardized data submitted by 1128 municipalities (13.9% of Spain’s total), we estimated a baseline population of 1.81 million community cats distributed across 125,000 colonies. These data were stratified by municipal population size and applied to national census figures to generate a model-ready demographic structure. We then implemented a stochastic simulation using Vortex software to project long-term population dynamics over a 25-year horizon. The model integrated eight demographic–environmental scenarios defined by a combination of urban–rural classification and ecological reproductive potential based on photoperiod and winter temperature. Parameters included reproductive output, mortality, sterilization coverage, abandonment and adoption rates, stochastic catastrophic events, and territorial carrying capacity. Under current sterilization rates (~20%), our projections indicate that Spain’s community cat population could surpass 5 million individuals by 2050, saturating ecological and social thresholds within a decade. In contrast, a differentiated sterilization strategy aligned with territorial reproductive intensity (50% in most areas, 60–70% in high-pressure zones) achieves population stabilization by 2030 at approximately 1.5 million cats, followed by a gradual long-term decline. This scenario prioritizes feasibility while substantially reducing reproductive output, particularly in rural and high-intensity contexts. The PACF combines stratified demographic modeling with spatial sensitivity, offering a flexible framework adaptable to local conditions. It incorporates One Health principles and introduces tools for adaptive management, including digital monitoring platforms and standardized welfare protocols. While ecological impacts were not directly assessed, the proposed demographic stabilization is designed to mitigate population-driven risks to biodiversity and public health without relying on lethal control. By integrating legal mandates, stratified modeling, and realistic intervention goals, this study outlines a replicable and scalable framework for coordinated action across administrative levels. It exemplifies how national policy can be operationalized through data-driven, territorially sensitive planning tools. The findings support the strategic deployment of TNR-based programs across diverse municipal contexts, providing a model for other countries seeking to align animal welfare policy with ecological planning under a multi-level governance perspective. Full article

The population dynamics of high-altitude mountainous areas are shaped by a complex interplay of socioeconomic and environmental drivers. Despite their significance, such regions have received limited scholarly attention. This research identifies and examines the principal determinants of population changes in the high-altitude mountainous zones of Sichuan Province, China. Utilizing a robust quantitative framework, we introduce the Sustainable Population Migration Index (SPMI) to systematically analyze the migration potential over two decades. The findings indicate healthcare accessibility as the most significant determinant influencing resident and rural population changes, while economic factors notably impact urban populations. The SPMI reveals a pronounced deterioration in migration attractiveness, decreasing by 0.27 units on average from 2010 to 2020. Furthermore, a fixed-effects panel regression confirmed the predictive capability of SPMI regarding population trends, emphasizing its value for demographic forecasting. We also develop a Digital Twin-based Simulation and Decision-support Platform (DTSDP) to visualize policy impacts effectively. Scenario simulations suggest that targeted enhancements in healthcare and infrastructure could significantly alleviate demographic pressures. This research contributes critical insights for sustainable regional development strategies and provides an effective tool for informed policymaking. Full article

The growth of rural residents’ disposable income is essential for narrowing the income gap between urban and rural areas and promoting integrated development. This study explores how China’s National Main Functional Zoning Plan influences rural household income through its regulatory impact on construction land expansion. Using data from county−level administrative units across China, the research identified the construction land regulation index as a key mediating variable linking zoning policy to changes in household income. By shifting the analytical perspective from a traditional urban–rural classification to a framework aligned with the National Main Functional Zoning Plan, the study reveals how spatial planning tools, particularly differentiated land quota allocations, influence household income. The empirical results confirm a structured causal chain in which zoning policy affects land development intensity, which in turn drives rural income growth. This relationship varies across different functional zones. In key development zones, strict land control limits income potential by constraining land supply. In main agricultural production zones, moderate regulatory control enhances land use efficiency and contributes to higher income levels. In key ecological function zones, ecological constraints require diverse approaches to value realization. The investigation contributes both theoretical and practical insights by elucidating the microeconomic effects of national spatial planning policies and offering actionable guidance for optimizing land use regulation to support income growth tailored to regional functions. Full article

Effective flood management in agricultural fields has become increasingly important due to the rising frequency and intensity of rainfall events driven by climate change. This study investigates the applicability of urban flood analysis models—SWMM (1D) and K-Flood (2D)—to irrigated agricultural fields with artificial drainage systems. A case study was conducted in a rural area near the Sindae drainage station in Cheongju, South Korea, using rainfall data from an extreme weather event in 2017. The models simulated inland flooding and were validated against flood trace maps provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis showed a true positive rate of 0.565, a false positive rate of 0.21, and an overall accuracy of 0.731, indicating reasonable agreement with observed inundation. Scenario analyses were also conducted to assess the effectiveness of three improvement strategies: reducing the Manning coefficient, increasing pump station capacity, and widening drainage channels. Among them, increasing pump capacity most effectively reduced flood volume, while channel widening had the greatest impact on reducing flood extent. These findings demonstrate the potential of urban flood models for application in agricultural contexts and support data-driven planning for rural flood mitigation. Full article

The rapid urbanization process has accelerated the degradation of ecosystem services (ESs) in peri-urban rural areas of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), leading to increasing landscape ecological risks (LERs). Establishing a scientifically grounded landscape ecological risk assessment (LERA) system and corresponding control strategies is therefore imperative. Using rural areas of Jiangning District, Nanjing as a case study, this research proposes an optimized dual-dimensional coupling assessment framework that integrates ecosystem service value (ESV) and ecological risk probability. The spatiotemporal evolution of LER in 2000, 2010, and 2020 and its key driving factors were further studied by using spatial autocorrelation analysis and geodetector methods. The results show the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, cultivated land remained dominant, but its proportion decreased by 10.87%, while construction land increased by 26.52%, with minimal changes in other land use types. (2) The total ESV increased by CNY 1.67 × 10⁹, with regulating services accounting for over 82%, among which water bodies contributed the most. (3) LER showed an overall increasing trend, with medium- to highest-risk areas expanding by 55.37%, lowest-risk areas increasing by 10.10%, and lower-risk areas decreasing by 65.48%. (4) Key driving factors include landscape vulnerability, vegetation coverage, and ecological land connectivity, with the influence of distance to road becoming increasingly significant. This study reveals the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of LER in typical peri-urban villages. Based on the LERA results, combined with terrain features and ecological pressure intensity, the study area was divided into three ecological management zones: ecological conservation, ecological restoration, and ecological enhancement. Corresponding zoning strategies were proposed to guide rural ecological governance and support regional sustainable development. Full article

Rural regions face significant barriers to adopting IoT technologies, due to limited connectivity, energy constraints, and poor technical infrastructure. While urban environments benefit from advanced digital systems and cloud services, rural areas often lack the necessary conditions to deploy and evaluate secure and autonomous IoT solutions. To help overcome this gap, this paper presents the Smart Rural IoT Lab, a modular and reproducible testbed designed to replicate the deployment conditions in rural areas using open-source tools and affordable hardware. The laboratory integrates long-range and short-range communication technologies in six experimental scenarios, implementing protocols such as MQTT, HTTP, UDP, and CoAP. These scenarios simulate realistic rural use cases, including environmental monitoring, livestock tracking, infrastructure access control, and heritage site protection. Local data processing is achieved through containerized services like Node-RED, InfluxDB, MongoDB, and Grafana, ensuring complete autonomy, without dependence on cloud services. A key contribution of the laboratory is the generation of structured datasets from real network traffic captured with Tcpdump and preprocessed using Zeek. Unlike simulated datasets, the collected data reflect communication patterns generated from real devices. Although the current dataset only includes benign traffic, the platform is prepared for future incorporation of adversarial scenarios (spoofing, DoS) to support AI-based cybersecurity research. While experiments were conducted in an indoor controlled environment, the testbed architecture is portable and suitable for future outdoor deployment. The Smart Rural IoT Lab addresses a critical gap in current research infrastructure, providing a realistic and flexible foundation for developing secure, cloud-independent IoT solutions, contributing to the digital transformation of rural regions. Full article

As global climate change accelerates, the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon has become increasingly pronounced, posing significant challenges to urban energy balance, atmospheric processes, and public health. This study used the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to dynamically downscale two CMIP6 scenarios—moderate forcing (SSP245) and high forcing (SSP585)—focusing on Zhengzhou, a rapidly urbanizing city in central China. High-resolution simulations captured fine-scale intra-urban temperature patterns and analyze the spatial and seasonal variations in UHI intensity in 2030 and 2060. The results demonstrated significant seasonal variations in UHI effects in Zhengzhou for both 2030 and 2060 under SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios, with the most pronounced warming in summer. Notably, under the SSP245 scenario, elevated autumn temperatures in suburban areas reduced the urban–rural temperature gradient, while intensified rural cooling during winter enhanced the UHI effect. These findings underscore the importance of integrating high-resolution climate modeling into urban planning and developing targeted adaptation strategies based on future UHI patterns to address climate challenges. Full article

Transportation is often cited as a significant barrier to healthcare access by Veterans, particularly those from minority groups, who have disabilities, or live in rural areas. Autonomous shuttles (AS) offer a potential solution, yet limited research has explored Veterans’ experiences with this technology. This study qualitatively investigated Veterans’ lived experiences with AS through focus groups, enrolling participants aged 18+ from Gainesville, The Villages, and Lake Nona, Florida. Via a directed content analysis, six key themes were identified: Perceived Benefits, Safety, Experience with Autonomous Vehicles (AV), AS Experience, AV Adoption, and Perception Change. Among 26 participants (aged 30–85; 77% men; 88% urban residents), prominent themes included Safety (n = 161), Perceived Benefits (n = 153), and AS Experience (n = 118), with predominantly positive counts in all themes except AS Experience. Participants acknowledged safety advantages and multitasking potential of AS over human-operated vehicles while recommending improvements to the shuttle’s slow speed, availability and convenience. While the AS ride was positively received overall, some participants noted issues with comfort and braking, emphasizing the need for further technological enhancements. Real-world exposure to AS appeared to influence acceptance positively, offering insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders aiming to optimize AS deployment for mobility-vulnerable Veterans. Full article

Consumer-accessible and user-friendly smart products such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have become widely used, adaptable, and acceptable devices to observe, assess, measure, and explore urban and natural environments. A drone’s relatively low cost and flexibility in the level of expertise required to operate it has enabled users from novice to industry professionals to adapt a malleable technology to various disciplines. This review examines the academic literature and maps how drones are currently being used in 93 rural and regional city councils in New South Wales, Australia. Through a systematic review of the academic literature and scrutiny of current drone use in these councils using publicly available information found on council websites, findings reveal potential uses of drone technology for local governments who want to engage with smart technology devices. We looked at how drones were being used in the management of the council’s environment; health and safety initiatives; infrastructure; planning; social and community programmes; and waste and recycling. These findings suggest that drone technology is increasingly being utilised in rural and regional areas. While the focus is on rural and regional New South Wales, a review of the academic literature and local council websites provides a snapshot of drone use examples that holds global relevance for local councils in urban and remote areas seeking to incorporate drone technology into their daily practice of city, town, or region governance. Full article

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are becoming increasingly important for sustainable rural development through the smart village concept. This study aims to model ICT’s potential for public services management in European rural areas. It identifies ICT applications across rural service domains, analyzes how these technologies address specific rural challenges, and evaluates their benefits, implementation barriers, and future prospects for sustainable rural development. A qualitative content analysis method was applied using purposive sampling to analyze 79 peer-reviewed articles from EBSCO and Elsevier databases (2000–2024). A deductive approach employed predefined categories to systematically classify ICT applications across rural public service domains, with data coded according to technology scope, problems addressed, and implementation challenges. The analysis identified 15 ICT application domains (agriculture, healthcare, education, governance, energy, transport, etc.) and 42 key technology categories (Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, digital platforms, mobile applications, etc.). These technologies address four fundamental rural challenges: limited service accessibility, inefficient resource management, demographic pressures, and social exclusion. This study provides the first comprehensive systematic categorization of ICT applications in smart villages, establishing a theoretical framework connecting technology deployment with sustainable development dimensions. Findings demonstrate that successful ICT implementation requires integrated urban–rural cooperation, community-centered approaches, and balanced attention to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The research identifies persistent challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited digital competencies, and high implementation costs, providing actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners developing ICT-enabled rural development strategies. Full article