Search Results (245)

This study investigates the demographic transformation of Spain’s settlement system from 2000 to the present, driven by intersecting forces of rural depopulation, metropolitan concentration, immigration, and welfare-state dynamics. Building on an integrated theoretical framework that combines Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, demographic accounting, territorial carrying capacity, and spatial centrality, the research aims to (1) identify the mechanisms governing population redistribution across Spanish municipalities, and (2) simulate future demographic trajectories under current policy regimes. Key findings reveal that all net population growth since 2000 stems exclusively from immigration and its demographic sequelae, while the native Spanish cohort has experienced a net decline of 5.5 million due to negative natural change. The analysis further uncovers a self-reinforcing “demographic trap,” wherein welfare eligibility tied to household size incentivizes higher fertility among economically vulnerable immigrant groups, even as native families delay childbearing due to economic precarity. These dynamics are accelerating a process of “territorial transmutation,” projected to culminate in a shift in de facto governance by 2045. The study concludes that immigration alone cannot reverse rural depopulation or ensure fiscal sustainability without structural reforms to welfare design, territorial incentives, and demographic foresight. Full article

The precise identification of territorial space conflicts (TSCs) and their driving mechanisms is key to enhancing spatial security governance. Taking Jinan City as a case study, this research evaluates territorial space suitability across production, living, and ecological dimensions, proposes an empirical TSC identification model, and employs GeoDetector to analyze spatiotemporal evolution patterns and driving mechanisms. The results indicated that (1) from 2000 to 2020, significant spatial heterogeneity characterized the suitability of production–living–ecological spaces in Jinan City. High suitability zones of production and living space expanded in the northern plain along the Yellow River and central piedmont plain, respectively, while those of ecological space contracted in the southern mountainous and hilly areas. (2) Significant spatiotemporal variations in territorial space conflicts (TSCs) were observed in Jinan City over the past two decades. Intense conflicts dominated production–living and production–ecological space interactions, while moderate conflicts were prevalent in living–ecological and production–living–ecological space interactions. Production–living space conflict zones expanded, living–ecological space conflict zones contracted, and production–ecological and production–living–ecological space conflict zones showed consistent expansion trends. (3) The spatiotemporal evolution of territorial space conflicts is jointly driven by the natural environment, geographical location, social economy, and regional policies. The interaction of driving factors exhibited significant dual-factor and nonlineal enhancement effects. Finally, this study provides some scientific references for the comprehensive management and pattern optimization of territorial space in Jinan City. Full article

Extreme wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent and severe across many regions worldwide, driven by climate change, land-use transitions, and long-standing fire-suppression legacies. In this context, Nature-based Solutions (NbS)—defined as actions that work with ecological processes to address societal challenges while providing biodiversity and socio-economic benefits—offer a promising yet underdeveloped pathway for enhancing wildfire resilience. This Special Issue brings together eleven contributions spanning empirical ecology, landscape configuration, simulation modelling, spatial optimisation, ecosystem service analysis, governance assessment, and community-based innovation. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that restoring ecological fire regimes, promoting multifunctional landscapes, and integrating advanced decision support tools can substantially reduce wildfire hazard while sustaining ecosystem functions. They also reveal significant governance barriers, including fragmented policies, limited investment in prevention, and challenges in incorporating social demands into territorial planning. By synthesising these insights, this editorial identifies several strategic priorities for advancing NbS in fire-prone landscapes: mainstreaming prevention within governance frameworks, strengthening the science–practice interface, investing in long-term socio-ecological monitoring, managing trade-offs transparently, and empowering local communities. Together, the findings highlight that effective NbS emerge from the alignment of ecological, technological, institutional, and social dimensions, offering a coherent pathway toward more resilient, biodiverse, and fire-adaptive landscapes. Full article

The global countryside constitutes a complex social–ecological system undergoing profound transformation. Understanding how such systems navigate transitions and achieve resilient, sustainable outcomes requires examining the interactions and adaptive behaviors of multiple actors. This study investigates the restructuring of rural China through a complex adaptive systems lens, focusing on the county of Lin’an in Zhejiang Province. We employ a middle-range theory and process-tracing approach to analyze the co-evolutionary pathways shaped by the interactions among three key agents: local governments, enterprises, and village communities. Our findings reveal distinct yet interdependent behavioral logics—local governments and enterprises primarily exhibit instrumental rationality, driven by political performance and profit maximization, respectively, while villages demonstrate value-rational behavior anchored in communal well-being and territorial identity. Crucially, this study identifies the emergence of a vital integrative mechanism, the “village operator” model, underpinned by the collective economy. This institutional innovation facilitates the synergistic linkage of interests and the integration of endogenous and exogenous resources, thereby mitigating conflicts and alienation. We argue that this multi-agent collaboration drives a synergistic restructuring of spatial, economic, and social subsystems. The case demonstrates that sustainable rural revitalization hinges not on the dominance of a single logic, but on the emergence of adaptive governance structures that effectively coordinate diverse actor logics. This process fosters systemic resilience, enabling the rural system to adapt to external pressures and internal changes. The Lin’an experience offers a transferable framework for understanding how coordinated multi-agent interactions can guide complex social–ecological systems toward sustainable transitions. Full article

This study is situated at the critical stage of comprehensive implementation of China’s territorial spatial planning system, addressing the strategic need for planning evaluation and optimization. We innovatively construct a Computable General Equilibrium Model for China’s Territorial Spatial Planning (CTSPM-CHN) that integrates dual factors of construction land costs and energy consumption costs. Through designing two policy scenarios of rigid constraints and structural optimization, we systematically simulate and evaluate the dynamic impacts of different territorial spatial governance strategies on macroeconomic indicators, residents’ welfare, and carbon emissions, revealing the multidimensional effects and operational mechanisms of territorial spatial planning policies. The findings demonstrate the following: First, strict implementation of land use scale control from the National Territorial Planning Outline (2016–2030) could reduce carbon emission growth rate by 12.3% but would decrease annual GDP growth rate by 0.8%, reflecting the trade-off between environmental benefits and economic growth. Second, industrial land structure optimization generates significant synergistic effects, with simulation results showing that by 2035, total GDP under this scenario would increase by 4.8% compared to the rigid constraint scenario, while carbon emission intensity per unit GDP would decrease by 18.6%, confirming the crucial role of structural optimization in promoting high-quality development. Third, manufacturing land adjustment exhibits policy thresholds: moderate reduction could lower carbon emission peak by 9.5% without affecting economic stability, but excessive cuts would lead to a 2.3 percentage point decline in industrial added value. Based on systematic multi-scenario analysis, this study proposes optimized pathways for territorial spatial governance: the planning system should transition from scale control to a structural optimization paradigm, establishing a flexible governance mechanism incorporating anticipatory constraint indicators; simultaneously advance efficiency improvement in key sector land allocation and energy structure decarbonization, constructing a coordinated “space–energy” governance framework. These findings provide quantitative decision-making support for improving territorial spatial governance systems and advancing ecological civilization construction. Full article

Measuring and simulating territorial space conflicts (TSCs) for the achievement of carbon neutrality is of critical significance for formulating regional sustainable utilization of territorial resources that are inherently green and low-carbon. This study develops a TSC evaluation framework: “conflict identification–scenario simulation–carbon effect assessment”. Focusing on Jiangsu Province, we clarify the evolutionary mechanism of TSCs under carbon neutrality goals, providing a scientific basis for high-quality regional development and low-carbon spatial governance. Results show that Jiangsu’s average TSC level was categorized as “strong conflict” (0.66) during 2005–2020. For 2030, four scenarios (natural development, economic priority, ecological protection, low-carbon development) project TSCs shifting from scattered to point-like distribution, concentrating in key core areas. Corresponding projected average carbon neutrality indices are 1.10, 1.11, 1.33, and 1.11, respectively. Under the low-carbon scenario, grid units with serious TSCs decreased by 4.53% compared to 2020—higher than natural development and economic priority scenarios, but lower than the ecological protection scenario (12.45%). Consequently, the low-carbon development scenario can optimally mitigate land use conflicts while maintaining carbon balance. This research provides robust data support for Jiangsu’s sustainable coordinated development and informs efficient land use and regional ecological security. Full article

The protection of Indigenous Territories - ITs in the state of Maranhão, located in the Northeast region of Brazil, represents a major challenge at the intersection of environmental conservation and territorial rights. Situated between the Amazon and Cerrado biomes and within the MATOPIBA agricultural frontier, the state faces increasing anthropogenic pressures that accelerate land use changes, intensify fire regimes, and increase greenhouse gas emissions. This study assessed the temporal dynamics of land use and land cover and their relationship with fire in officially recognized Indigenous Territories from 1985 to 2023 using remote sensing, geoprocessing, and spatial analysis in Google Earth Engine. Indigenous Territories lost 185,327 ha of native vegetation, of which 66.9% corresponded to forest and 33.1% to savanna, yet still retained 2028.755 ha in 2023, with 81.2% classified as forest. Fire recurrence reached up to 37 events per pixel, with Araribóia, Kanela, and Porquinhos dos Canela Apãnjekra exhibiting the highest frequencies. During the 2015–2016 El Niño, Araribóia recorded the largest fire episode, with 200,652 ha burned (48.5%). Between 2013 and 2023, total greenhouse gas emissions reached approximately 709 Mt CO₂eq, with 85% originating from fires and 15% from deforestation. The findings highlight the need to integrate traditional knowledge, territorial governance, and Integrated Fire Management strategies to strengthen the protection of Indigenous Territories and support the preservation of Indigenous livelihoods in Maranhão. Full article

This article analyses contemporary transhumance in Gran Canaria as a singular case of insular pastoralism and biocultural heritage within the Mediterranean and Atlantic contexts. While transhumance has been widely recognised for its ecological, cultural and socio-economic relevance, in Gran Canaria it persists in an especially fragile form, maintained by a small, ageing group of herders. Drawing on an interdisciplinary methodology that combines 36 semi-structured interviews, ethnographic fieldwork and GIS-based spatial analysis of routes and grazing areas, the study characterises the socio-ecological functioning of the system, its environmental and cultural contributions, and the threats it faces. The results highlight the role of transhumance in sustaining agrobiodiversity, fire prevention, ecological connectivity and traditional ecological knowledge, as well as in shaping a distinctive pastoral soundscape, toponymy and material culture. At the same time, the system is undermined by demographic ageing, land fragmentation, urban and tourism pressure, bureaucratic burdens and climate uncertainty. The article examines emerging initiatives in cultural and experiential tourism linked to cheese production, wool and participatory transhumant journeys, arguing that tourism can support, but not substitute, the protection of pastoral livelihoods. It concludes by outlining policy implications for island territories, emphasising the need for integrated governance that recognizes transhumance as living heritage and a strategic tool for cultural landscape management. Full article

This study analyzes the establishment of Local Agri-Food Systems (LAFSs) in the triple-border region between the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, by identifying and mapping potential areas of primary peasant agri-food production. An integrated analysis of data sources was treated, processed, and integrated into a common spatial support. Land use and land cover data were used from demographic and agricultural censuses, from the Rural Environmental Registry, agrarian reform settlement projects and conservation units. Our study revealed that 23.73% of the regional area has potential for peasant production, identifying four regions that stand out in terms of this potential. The area presented livestock and animal husbandry as the main agri-food chain, with potential for processing within the territory itself, in addition to extractive activities in the Atlantic Forest biome. The results indicate that there are possibilities for the establishment of LAFSs as a local development strategy associated with social inclusion and environmental responsibility, although there is a need to expand and strengthen the transportation and marketing channels for products from these short chains. The cartographies produced aim to contribute as auxiliary instruments to land use planning and management, seeking to strengthen LAFSs at different scales of governance. Full article

Amid intensifying global climate change and accelerating urbanization, maintaining a balance between carbon emission reduction has become essential for achieving sustainable development. This research investigates the spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanisms of carbon sequestration services in the ecological development zone of northern Guangdong, China. By integrating Big Geodata technology with the InVEST model, the study quantitatively evaluates both the supply and demand dimensions of carbon sequestration services using land-use, nighttime light, and socioeconomic data. Carbon storage capacities were estimated for different land-use types (including cropland, forest, grassland, water body, built-up land, and undeveloped land), while carbon emissions were spatially distributed based on nighttime light intensity, providing a holistic perspective on the regional carbon budget. The findings indicate significant spatial heterogeneity: the western region exhibits an average carbon sequestration capacity approximately 20% higher than the eastern region, due to extensive forest and grassland coverage, whereas urban areas exhibit higher carbon demand coupled with insufficient supply. Through an analysis of land-use transfer matrices and contribution assessment, land-use transformations, particularly the conversion of ecological land to urban built-up areas, were quantitatively identified as the primary factor disrupting the regional carbon balance. This study proposes actionable territorial spatial planning strategies, such as prioritizing ecological conservation in high-carbon-supply areas and promoting low-carbon urban renewal in high-demand zones, directly derived from the spatial mismatch patterns revealed by the InVEST model outputs. These insights contribute significantly to regional sustainable development practices and global climate governance. Full article

The Paraguayan spatial planning system is analyzed through its legal framework, institutional structure, and implementation mechanisms, placing it within the Latin American context marked by fragmented governance and institutional inequality. Based on a review of laws and planning instruments at the national, departmental, and municipal levels, this study examines the system’s evolution, with particular focus on the period from the consolidation of the constitutional framework to the formulation of recent policies promoting sustainable development, decentralization, and democratic decision-making. The findings show a process of partial institutionalization, where norms and methodologies advance more rapidly than operational and financial capacities, resulting in uneven implementation across regions. Ongoing challenges include regulatory fragmentation, overlapping responsibilities, and weak multilevel coordination. Enhancing institutional coherence, prioritizing planning instruments, and strengthening subnational technical capacities are key to achieving a coherent and equitable spatial planning system that integrates international cooperation and translates sustainability and equity principles into practical dimensions of territorial governance. Full article

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is deeply embedded in everyday social life, yet its officially recognized spatial distribution reflects both the independent influences of cultural traditions, development trajectories, and governance practices, and the complex interactions among them. Focusing on 494 national-level ICH items across ten categories in Jiangsu(J), Zhejiang(Z), and Shanghai(H), this study adopts a social-geographical perspective to examine both the spatio-temporal evolution and the driving mechanisms of ICH recognition in one of China’s most developed regions. After rigorous verification of point-based ICH locations, we combine kernel density estimation and the average nearest neighbor index to trace changes across five batches of national designation, and then employ the univariate and interaction detectors of the Geodetector model to assess the effects of 28 natural, socioeconomic, and cultural-institutional variables. The results show, first, that ICH exhibits significant clustering along river corridors and historical cultural belts, with a persistent high-density core in the Shanghai–southern Jiangsu–northern Zhejiang zone and a clear shift over time from highly concentrated to more dispersed and territorially balanced recognition. Second, human-environment factors—especially factors such as urban and rural income and consumption; residents’ education and cultural expenditures; and public education and cultural facilities—have far greater explanatory power than natural conditions, while different ICH categories embed distinctively in urban and rural socio-economic contexts. Third, bivariate interactions reveal that natural and macroeconomic “background” variables are strongly amplified when combined with demographic and cultural factors, whereas interactions among strong human variables show bivariate enhancement with diminishing marginal returns. In summary, these findings enrich international debates on the geography of ICH by clarifying how recognition processes align with regional development and social equity agendas, and they provide a quantitative basis for category-sensitive, place-based strategies that coordinate income policies, public cultural services, and the joint safeguarding of tangible and intangible heritage in both urban renewal and rural revitalization planning. Full article

Analyzing the spatiotemporal evolution and drivers of multifunctional territorial spatial utilization efficiency (TSE) is essential for guiding the sustainable use of territorial space. This study develops an evaluation system integrating urban, agricultural, and ecological spatial utilization, and investigates the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) from 2000 to 2023 using kernel density estimation and the XGBoost–SHAP model. The main findings are as follows: (1) TSE in the YRD exhibits a sustained upward trajectory and a distinct east–west gradient. At the sub-dimensional scale, urban spatial utilization efficiency is clustered in southeastern core cities, agricultural spatial utilization efficiency is concentrated in the central transition zone, and ecological spatial utilization efficiency is highest in the northern areas. (2) The overall regional disparity in multifunctional TSE shows a fluctuating yet declining trend, indicating a gradual reduction in spatial inequality. The inter-provincial imbalance in development is identified as the primary cause of spatial differentiation in the YRD. (3) Topography, economic density, and population density are the leading determinants of TSE, while their interactions with socioeconomic variables generate nonlinear effects on efficiency improvement. These conclusions provide empirical support for spatial planning and efficiency-oriented territorial governance in the YRD. Full article

This study investigates territorial disparities in transition toward circular economy within Italy, introducing an innovative methodological approach aimed at measuring regional efficiency and inequality. The research develops two complementary analytical tools: the Regional Circular Economy Index (ReCEI), a composite indicator designed for comparative evaluation of circular economy performance across regions, and the Regional Circular Economy Disparity Index (ReCED), inspired by the model of Sen which quantifies both the magnitude and spatial distribution of territorial inequalities. Applying this integrated framework to the 20 Italian regions reveals a pronounced heterogeneity: a select group of regions achieves or approaches efficiency benchmarks, whereas others exhibit persistent structural delays linked to infrastructural, institutional and innovative deficits. These findings, thus, confirm the persistence of a territorial dualism in the circular transition, only partially mitigated by instances of advanced governance and coordinated policies. Full article

Promoting the coupled and coordinated development of new-type urbanization and rural revitalization is important for achieving high-quality and sustainable growth in China. This study follows a people-centered and coordinated development approach and is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It builds a comprehensive evaluation framework for the two systems and measures and interprets their coupling and coordination. On this basis, and under the background of China’s territorial spatial planning, the study draws implications for land and spatial governance. The core of the study is to answer the following questions: What are the spatiotemporal patterns of the coupling coordination level between new-type urbanization and rural revitalization in China from 2014 to 2023? How has the coordination of their development speed evolved? What are the main sources of regional differences? Which factors are the key drivers that promote coordinated development between the two systems? The main findings are as follows. (1) The national coupling coordination degree increases steadily. Spatially, there is a pattern of “eastern region leading, central and northeastern regions catching up, and western region showing internal divergence”. This pattern is consistent with differences in development intensity and accessibility across regions. (2) From 2019 to 2023, the coordination of development speed improved in most provinces. A few developed or special provinces show short-term mismatch, which may reflect timing gaps between land-use controls and the provision of public services. (3) Gaps between regions are the main source of overall differences, and there is a trend toward convergence. This is in line with interregional equalization and the narrowing of efficiency gaps. (4) Well-being of residents, social development, and digital innovation are the core driving forces. Digital inclusive finance and the intensity of parcel delivery services also provide important support. There are clear interaction effects among the driving factors, and these effects are stronger in areas where planning improves accessibility and reduces transaction costs. Full article