Research Progress on Land Use and Analysis of Green Transformation in China Since the New Century

Abstract

The optimization of land use structure is a key measure to promote the allocation of land resources, ensure sustainable land development, and address the human-land conflict. Since the 21st century, land use in China has exhibited spatiotemporal dynamic development characteristics in response to socio-economic growth and changes in regional geographical conditions. The academic community, both domestically and internationally, has enriched and refined the research system on China’s land use, driven by the need to optimize its land use structure. This study systematically reviews relevant land use research literature from 2000 to 2024, utilizing bibliometric analysis and visual mapping to conduct phased evaluations and an overall review. The existing LUCC research framework in China is extensive, with a strong focus on land use issues in the context of rapid development. Building on this review and incorporating practical needs, theoretical innovation, interdisciplinary integration, and expansion across multiple fields, we aim to propose a framework for future land resource research. This framework includes: (i) Establishing a Multi-functional Land Use System: This approach promotes the coordinated development of ecological and social benefits of land use. (ii) Enhancing Effective Assessment and Management of Ecological Risks: Such efforts contribute to optimizing spatial planning and ensuring land security. (iii) Addressing Low Land Use Efficiency: Focusing on this issue will enable more precise management aligned with regional characteristics. (iv) Exploring the Application of Multi-disciplinary and Cross-field Technologies in Land Use Efficiency Assessment: This integration will advance spatial planning research. (v) Expanding Research on Multi-functional Land Use and Multi-element Integration: This direction fosters coordination across various planning frameworks, promoting synergies in land use research.

1. Introduction

Land use refers to the purposeful activities of human development on land resources, while land cover describes the physical coverage of the earth’s surface resulting from both natural formations and human activities [1]. Although these concepts differ in expression, they generally describe similar subjects, which has led to their classification as equivalents within academic research [2]. The term “land use/land cover” (LULC) is commonly used to denote a range of land-related practices and activities undertaken by humans, such as development, usage, conservation, and restoration. Land use change (LUC) represents a dynamic analysis of this phenomenon, encompassing changes in structure, spatial characteristics, utilization attributes, efficiency, and functional benefits, thus serving as a critical aspect of the overall structure of land use and an essential component of sustainable land development. Land use attributes and structure are adjusted based on varying natural and socio-economic conditions, and LUCC reflects the dynamic influence of human activities on the earth’s surface systems [3]. Curbing land degradation and achieving sustainable land use are vital for preserving biodiversity, enhancing ecosystem service provision, and improving human well-being. The Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), ranks the five primary direct drivers of changes in natural systems, identifying land and sea use change as the foremost factor [4]. The IPBES Land Degradation and Restoration Assessment highlights that unsustainable practices—including industrialization, urbanization, agricultural and agroforestry management, forest conversion, pasture management, non-timber resource extraction, wildfire management, invasive species introduction, mining, and infrastructure development—are principal drivers of land degradation [5]. At present, land ecosystem security has become a global concern, requiring regional cooperation and governance as part of a systemic approach. China has actively addressed these needs for land development, utilization, management, and conservation by fulfilling the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, participating in the International Forum on Black Soil Protection and Utilization and IPBES [6], and implementing the International Wetland City Accreditation program [7]. Additionally, LUCC and its landscape patterns play a crucial role in informing land use policy and ecological crisis mitigation strategies [8]. Since the 21st century, as global modernization has rapidly accelerated, profound transformations have occurred in land use attributes, spatial patterns, and element flows. From a sustainable development perspective, there is a renewed focus on examining the ecological, social, and economic dimensions of land, considering the land resource needs of stakeholders, and balancing equity and sustainability. Accordingly, academic perspectives and methods in land use research have evolved domestically and internationally. The goal is to employ more scientific and comprehensive research models and paradigms to identify optimal land use strategies and reasonable planning that maximizes the coordination of ecological, economic, and social benefits. Key issues in studying land use transitions include ecological risk management, rural revitalization, rural industrial development, and the supply of ecological products and services to meet land-related ecological and social needs. Land use is both a spatial phenomenon and a dynamic process, with changes that vividly reflect current needs in land spatial governance and socio-economic activities. Against the backdrop of frequent global ecological crises, advancing land use from traditional extensive methods to green, efficient models aids in adjusting and optimizing land use patterns, practices, and types while enhancing green attributes. Ultimately, this shift aims to achieve intensive and efficient production spaces, comfortable and livable residential spaces, and green, sustainable ecological spaces. Consequently, this study seeks to analyze the dynamics of land use changes and research advancements in China since the beginning of the new century. This will offer a clearer view of the evolving trends in China’s land use issues and establish a new research framework aimed at promoting the green transformation of land use.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Land Issues Are the Primary Cause of Environmental Conflicts

From a global perspective, the factors leading to environmental conflicts are complex and diverse, with variations in form across different regions. However, at its core, the root cause lies in the unsustainable exploitation of land resources by humans. This results in pressing issues such as environmental pollution, resource wastage, and the ongoing degradation of ecosystems. In recent years, numerous scholars, both domestically and internationally, have explored the spatial distribution of strategic environmental resources worldwide by establishing the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas). This has enabled them to analyze environmental conflicts stemming from regional resource development and environmental governance. EJAtlas is the largest global database focused on environmental justice and is currently the most authoritative real-time analytical map of environmental conflicts [9]. The data in EJAtlas comes from various sources, including environmental organizations, journalists, and scholars from around the world. Through large-scale data comparison and statistical analysis, EJAtlas provides insights into the types and characteristics of environmental conflicts worldwide. As such, it has been referred to as the “protest map against environmental injustice” and a “focal map” for global environmental conflicts [10]. Figure 1 shows the global distribution of “ecological distribution conflicts” (EDC) recorded by EJAtlas from 2012 to 2024.

According to statistical data, as of 22 September 2024, the EJAtlas has recorded and analyzed a total of 4175 cases of regional environmental conflicts worldwide (Figure 2). Among these, conflicts related to land resources account for 26%, followed by 16% from the extraction of mineral and energy resources and 15% from water resource distribution, representing the top three causes. Dalena Tran and other scholars, after analyzing EJAtlas’s statistical data, found significant differences in the major types of environmental conflicts between developed and developing countries. In developing countries, conflicts related to land resources, water resources, and biodiversity account for 52% of all environmental conflicts, whereas these types of conflicts constitute only 19% in developed countries [11]. Therefore, they argue that there is a close correlation between the predominant types of regional environmental conflicts and the level of economic development in these regions.

Promoting harmonious human-land relationships is the core objective of optimizing land use patterns. As one of the countries with the largest desert areas, the most affected population, and the most severe sandstorm damage, China has long been committed to optimizing and upgrading its land use. China’s land planning concepts and land use models are deeply influenced by the natural environment and the country’s vast territory. These models have continuously adjusted in response to the rapidly changing socio-economic development demands since the 21st century. At present, China’s land use incorporates the multifunctional demands of space for production, living, and ecological development [12]. Efforts should be made to improve the overall efficiency of land governance in China while focusing on the rational distribution and use of land resources. This includes promoting efficient and intensive use of production space, ensuring comfortable and livable living spaces, and preserving clean, picturesque ecological spaces. Additionally, a scientific classification and evaluation system for the “three types of space” (production, living, and ecological) should be established to provide a basis and guidance for the optimal utilization of land in China.

2.2. Historical Review and Current Needs

2.2.1. Review of Land Use Issues Before the New Century

Before the 21st century, land use research in China exhibited distinct phase-based characteristics. Based on the literature indexed by CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), the development of land use research in China prior to the 21st century can be roughly divided into three stages (

Table 1. Comparison of Land Use Research in China and Internationally Before the 21st Century.

Year	Topic	Level of Attention		Main Content		Evaluation
		Dom	Inter	Dom	Inter
Before 1949	Regional LU	★	☆	Focused on LU in regions such as Yunnan and Chengdu, emphasizing the description of regional geographical conditions.	Limited research	During this period, there were few research outcomes both domestically and internationally. Domestic studies primarily focused on descriptive and general research, while international studies were more focused on comparative and correlational analysis.
	Rural Land Issues	☆	★	Limited research	Changes in Rural LU.
	LU Types and Public Health	☆	★	Limited research	Impact of LU types and changes on the incidence of diabetes and tuberculosis among regional residents.
1949–1960	Rational LU	★	★	Analysis of soil and vegetation conditions in regional areas, with a focus on soil quality.		During this period, China’s LU research emphasized aligning with social needs, focusing on improving soil fertility and increasing crop yields, while introducing the concept of rational regional land planning. In contrast, international research paid more attention to the redevelopment of urban land and explored ways to optimize urban spaces.
	Planning Theory and Practice	★★	☆	Crop production planning for state-run farms.	Government redevelopment of abandoned land and urban space, focusing on detailed issues of LU planning
	Soil and Water Conservation and Land Ecology	★★	★★	Preliminary ideas on soil and water conservation were proposed for the Loess Plateau and the middle reaches of the Yellow River, with a focus on improving soil fertility.	Initial attention was given to cultivated land and land ecology issues.
	Regional LU and Management Experience	☆	★★		Focus on the study of practical experiences in regional LU.
1960–1980	LU Optimization Systems	★	★	Comprehensive utilization of dry, infertile, sandy, and alkaline land of varying quality.	LU optimization models and classification management.	In the early stages of this period, domestic research focused on the impact of soil fertility on agricultural production activities. To improve production efficiency, regional soil analysis and optimization of LU structures began. By the late 1970s, the research became more diversified, addressing issues such as urban planning and artificial afforestation. Internationally, the emphasis during this period was on the influence of legal frameworks on LU, with the emergence of concepts and practices related to land ecological protection.
	Land Information Technology	☆	★	A basic description of mapping technology was introduced.	The role of mapping and modeling LU in urban heat condition surveys and the use of impact technology for residential land planning.
	Land Resource Protection	★	★★	Focus on soil erosion and fertility	Rational utilization and protection of land resources in arid regions; emphasis on the role of legal frameworks in land resource protection.
	LU Planning	★★	★★	Development of LU planning maps, focusing on the rational planning and layout of crops, with agricultural production planning based on land characteristics. By the late 1970s, planning began to target agricultural modernization.	Regional LU planning and procedural legitimacy; analysis of the relationship between LU and urban groundwater systems; and the social issues caused by transportation LU.
	Land Ecology	★	★	Preliminary concepts were developed for using artificial afforestation to address soil erosion issues.	Focus on the decline of forest resources and biodiversity.
	LU Experience Analysis	★	☆	Analysis of LU and agricultural production experiences from countries such as Japan, the United States, and Denmark.	Focus on the impact of regional land planning on transportation, ecology, and health.
1980–1999	LU Change	★★		Focus on the dynamic analysis of LU and the analysis of influencing factors.	Focus on the natural and social factors driving LU.	Domestic research during this period increased, not only focusing on changes in LU but also emphasizing the collaborative role of land planning. This led to the improvement of planning theories and practices, balancing socio-economic development needs with ecological protection, and laying the foundation for a national spatial planning system. Internationally, research during this stage paid more attention to the natural attributes of land, with the relationship between carbon emissions and land management becoming a key research focus.
	Land Resource Classification and Planning	★★	★★	Focus on land classification and integrated planning to meet the needs of domestic socio-economic development.	Focus on the suitability of land development and the layout of urban residential LU.
	Land Resource Protection	★	★	Focus on desertification and land degradation issues, emphasizing land ecological quality in ecologically fragile regions and the development of a land ecological evaluation system.	Emphasis on the natural attributes of land.
	Land Quality Evaluation Systems	★	☆	Incorporate sustainability, soil quality, and land carrying capacity into the comprehensive evaluation.	Limited research
	Geographic Information Technology	★	★	Focus on the role of remote sensing technology in LU	Focus on the role of remote sensing technology in global land classification and management.
	Land Ecology	☆	★★	Limited research	Focus on the relationship between LU and carbon storage, as well as biodiversity and forest resource protection.

☆ limited attention; ★ moderate attention; ★★ significant attention; Dom: Domestic; Inter: International.

):

First, from the 1950s to the early 1960s. Scholars, drawing on the research outcomes of geographers such as Hu Huanyong and Ren Mei’e and agronomists such as Zhang Yixin [13], conducted exploratory studies on issues such as regional land irrigation and rational construction [14,15], land planning for state-run farms and communes [16,17], soil quality [18], and strategies for improving soil fertility [19]. Although the results were limited, these early efforts laid the foundation for scientific understanding and theoretical frameworks regarding soil and water conservation, as well as rational land resource planning within the Chinese academic community [20]. Second, from the 1960s to the 1980s. During this period, scholars focused more on land management and protection. They not only integrated China’s land use with topics such as national land rehabilitation and soil and water conservation [21,22] for classification-based studies [23,24], but also drew on land planning and utilization experiences from neighboring countries such as Japan [25,26]. This enabled the exploration of land evaluation and rational planning methodologies tailored to different regions [27], providing policy recommendations to resolve human-land conflicts and promote rational agricultural development [28]. Third, after the 1980s. Land use research became increasingly diversified, with interdisciplinary approaches combining agronomy, economics, management, and law becoming more prevalent. Researchers expanded the scope to include broader natural and socio-economic drivers of land use and placed greater emphasis on the use of geographic information technology and land use change models as analytical tools. This shift promoted the widespread application of quantitative research methods in land use studies.

Compared to the progress of land use research in China, related studies abroad started earlier and developed a more mature research system. Before the 1980s, there was a clear distinction between domestic and international research. Foreign scholars focused on issues such as sustainable land use and urban land use efficiency earlier and paid more attention to single-factor drivers and urban land resource allocation, with an emphasis on the bidirectional influence of economic, natural, and social factors on LUCC. After the 1980s, both domestic and international academia began to show trends of diversification, with topics such as land use planning, evaluation indicator design, and the application of information technology becoming research hotspots. From a developmental trend perspective, before the 21st century, foreign scholars’ research on land use increasingly leaned towards ecological and information-based approaches. In contrast, China’s research evolved in response to socio-economic development needs, shifting from an early focus on soil fertility and agricultural production planning to improving foundational theories of land resources and the practical research of optimizing land resource allocation.

2.2.2. Changes in Land Use in China Since the 21st Century

The China National Land Use and Land Cover Change remote sensing monitoring database (CNLUCC) has the advantages of a long-time span, high data accuracy, and higher precision when scaled up, making it suitable for long-term time-series studies. Using the CNLUCC database to analyze changes in China’s land use over the twenty-year period from 2000 to 2020 provides a scientific reflection of the characteristics and development patterns of land use changes in China. In terms of analytical methods, the “dynamic zoning method” is mainly used. This method not only reviews the “pattern of change” in China’s land use over the past twenty years, such as shifts in dynamic zoning boundaries, changes in internal characteristics of zoning units, and the growth or decline of units, but also clearly depicts the “process pattern of change”, which highlights the regional differences in the phased characteristics of land use changes. This enables a scientific summary of the alternating transformation patterns between the “land use pattern” and the “process” in China. This study uses high-resolution soil organic carbon and land cover change maps based on Landsat images, employing machine learning algorithms and environmental covariates in digital soil mapping. It selects data from three key time points—2000, 2010, and 2020—and conducts a dynamic analysis of China’s land use and land cover using a geographic information analysis system (ArcGIS 10.8) (Figure 3).

From the perspective of the dynamic distribution of LUCC, over the twenty years from 2000 to 2020, all regions of China experienced significant expansion in urban and rural construction land. In regions such as Northeast China, North China, East China, Central China, and Southwest China, land use changes were primarily related to the conversion of arable land, while South China saw conversions involving both arable land and forest land, and Northwest China experienced changes mostly in grassland and undeveloped land. In terms of growth rate, the period from 2000 to 2010 was a period of rapid land expansion, with the urbanization rate reaching 49.7% in 2010, an increase of 13% compared to 2000 [29]. From 2010 to 2020, the growth rate of urban land slowed down, although land for urban transportation infrastructure continued to grow at a high rate. Regarding the spatial and temporal variations in LUCC trends between 2000 and 2020, the most significant changes occurred in arable land and urban land use. Arable land showed a trend of “decreasing in the south and increasing in the north”, with the center of new arable land shifting from the Northeast to the Northwest while the overall national arable land area declined. Residential land use (including urban, rural, public transportation, airports, ports, etc.) exhibited a pattern of “expansion in scale, spreading from the eastern region to the central and western regions”. Despite a slowdown in growth from 2010 to 2020, the overall scale of land use continued to expand. Forests and grasslands are crucial ecological barriers. China has actively implemented the “Grain for Green” policy to return farmland to forests and grasslands. This policy, introduced by the government to enhance the ecological environment and increase farmers’ income, incentivizes farmers to restore sloped farmland prone to soil erosion and decertified land into forested areas, thereby effectively preserving forest and grassland ecosystems. Overall, however, forest and grassland areas have continued to decline over the past two decades, highlighting the need to further strengthen policy support for converting farmland back to forests and grasslands. Additionally, multi-scale studies targeting regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei [30], the Yangtze River Basin [31], the Yellow River Basin [32], and Shaanxi [33] indicate that early-stage development in China was marked by low land use efficiency and a lack of systematic planning. Rapid urban expansion has led to decreased landscape heterogeneity and increased land fragmentation, reducing both ecosystem service value and land sustainability. Moving forward, it is essential to strengthen land management, promote intensive land use, and protect arable land, integrating land use with ecological conservation to develop environmentally friendly modern agriculture [34]. In terms of land use efficiency, urban land use efficiency in China has shown a fluctuating upward trend with significant positive spillover effects [35]. However, regional differences are pronounced: the central, northeastern, and northwestern regions exhibit higher efficiency, with the central region showing the highest efficiency, the northeast comparatively lower, and the northwest demonstrating the fastest efficiency growth. The southwest lags behind, underscoring the need for region-specific strategies that align with regional development characteristics to effectively enhance urban land use efficiency.

2.2.3. Analysis of Regional Arable Land Utilization and Agricultural Sustainable Development Strategies

The rapid urbanization of the past two decades in China has led to significant loss of arable land. In May 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued the 2019 National Arable Land Quality Grade Report, dividing the country’s arable land into nine regions: Northeast China, Inner Mongolia and the Great Wall area, Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, Loess Plateau, Middle and Lower Yangtze River, Southwest China, South China, Gansu-Xinjiang, and Qinghai-Tibet. Based on evaluation criteria such as site conditions, profile characteristics, topsoil physical and chemical properties, nutrient status, soil health, and soil management, 2.023 billion mu (approximately 135 million hectares) of arable land were classified into ten grades, from highest to lowest. Among these, arable land ranked in grades one to three amounted to 498 million mu, accounting for 27.3% of the total arable land area. Land graded four to six accounted for 818 million mu, and land ranked seven to ten amounted to 510 million mu, representing 27.9% of the total [36]. The specific distribution of arable land grades in different regions is shown in Figure 4:

Ensuring food security is a non-negotiable bottom line for national security. It is essential to strictly protect the red line of arable land, improve its quality, continually optimize crop planting layouts, and enhance both the legal framework for arable land protection and the technical systems for land development. Under the broader context of rural revitalization, rural land use should focus on the security of arable land resources and the high-level protection of its quantity, quality, and ecology. This can be achieved through measures such as classified land management and ecological control technologies, comprehensive development and application of saline-alkali land, and compensation for arable land protection, thereby optimizing the management of arable land use.

2.3. Methods

To effectively present the landscape of academic research on China’s land use since the new century, it is essential to map out the developmental trajectory, key issues, and real-world challenges in this field. This will help provide new research paradigms and policy recommendations for the green transformation of China’s land use models. A bibliometric and visualization analysis of relevant literature from 2000 to 2024 on “land use in China” is thus necessary. Bibliometric methods allow for organizing and analyzing quantitatively collected data, using Ucinet6 for network mapping, matrix analysis, and heat map analysis. This approach objectively reflects the current state, characteristics, and evolving trends in domestic and international research on land use in China since the new century. Building on this analysis, a comparative review of domestic and international research frameworks will be conducted. Integrating insights from GIS on land use changes and current development needs in land spatial governance, this study aims to provide new directions and a framework for future land use research.

2.3.1. Data Sources

Chinese Literature Data Collection: From the perspectives of disciplines, research themes, research methods, focus groups, and major contributions, this study conducts a phased review and quantitative analysis of land use-related journal articles in CNKI from 2000 to 2024. It summarizes the changes and characteristics to provide a foundation for subsequent research. The goal of this study is to depict the research network at different time points through a phased analysis of “China’s land use”, in order to reflect the research progress and trends of land use issues in China. For literature collection, this study relies on the CNKI database, with the literature search cutoff date set for September 26, 2024. The specific search criteria were as follows: First, a precise search was conducted in the CNKI journal database using the keywords “land use” or “land cover”; Second, only SCI and CSSCI journals were selected, yielding 11,068 relevant articles; Third, a manual screening was conducted on the retrieved literature to remove articles with incomplete information, irrelevant content, duplicates, and non-academic papers. A total of 10,444 articles were retained, including 2089 from 2000 to 2007, 4675 from 2008 to 2016, and 3680 from 2017 to 2024 (see Figure 5).

International Literature Data Collection: For international literature, the Web of Science database was primarily used for literature search. The keywords were restricted to “land use” and “China”, with the document type limited to the Web of Science Core Collection. The publication years were set from 2000 to 2024, and the document type was restricted to “Article”. A total of 47,168 search results were obtained. After excluding 1888 articles due to duplication, missing keywords, or irrelevant content, the final number of articles available for co-occurrence matrix analysis was 47,280. These articles were distributed across three periods: 2228 articles from 2000 to 2008, 11,221 articles from 2008 to 2016, and 33,831 articles from 2017 to 2024 (see Figure 5).

2.3.2. Methods

This study employs Bibexcel to conduct a phased keyword bibliometric analysis of the selected literature. Keyword co-occurrence analysis, also known as co-word analysis, is a research method based on content analysis that explores the structure of a discipline. It is predicated on the idea that when two keywords or technical terms, representing the research theme or direction of a specific field, appear in the same document, they share an internal relationship. The more frequently the two keywords appear together, the stronger or “closer” the relationship between them [37]. By applying multivariate statistical methods such as factor analysis, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling analysis to quantify this “distance”, the key research hotspots, structure, and paradigms of the discipline can be identified [38]. To effectively present the results of keyword co-occurrence analysis and illustrate the intrinsic connections among keywords, this study employs the UCINET6 social network analysis software to construct a visual co-occurrence network. UCINET6 enables the analysis and calculation of social network matrices, with its NetDraw application used to analyze and compute network density, graph hierarchy, and connectivity. Degree centrality, the most direct metric for assessing node centrality in visual co-occurrence network analysis, is a key indicator [39]. This analytical method, known as centrality analysis, implies that the higher a node’s degree value, the more frequently the keyword co-occurs with other keywords in a single document, indicating a greater significance within the research field. Using network analysis mappings and heatmaps, this study reviews existing research on China’s LUCC.

3. Results

3.1. Network Analysis of Land Use/Cover Keywords (2000–2007)

As shown in Figure 6, the high-frequency keywords in LUCC research from 2000 to 2007, both domestically and internationally (excluding search terms), include GIS, remote sensing, and urbanization. This indicates that during this period, land use research focused on the construction of policy systems for land resource utilization, with a strong emphasis on applying geographic information technologies in ecological assessment. Researchers also analyzed LUCC drivers and influencing factors in detail. Geographic information technologies, such as remote sensing (RS) and GIS, were increasingly applied in LUCC research. Through quantitative analysis methods such as geographic modeling, scholars analyzed and simulated dynamic land use changes in vulnerable ecological regions such as the Loess Plateau, arid areas, and estuarine zones, promoting the rationalization of land use. Additionally, urban expansion was identified as a major driver of land use change, where the conversion of large areas of farmland and forest land into construction land became prominent [40]. For example, the early 21st-century influx of migrants into Guangdong spurred urbanization, leading to the rapid expansion of urban land along coastlines and major highways. This expansion caused a significant reduction in agricultural land, such as farmland and orchards [41], bringing widespread public attention to the need for intensive land use. Moreover, scholars generally agreed that land use changes were driven by a combination of natural and social factors, with socio-economic factors playing a particularly important role. Urban land expansion was driven by market demand and government macro-control policies. Government land policies and management practices directly affected the structure, landscape, and internal mechanisms of land use.

From the 2000–2007 research network analysis, it can be seen that scholars during this period had already begun to analyze the relationship between land degradation, drought issues, and global climate warming by simulating the impact of land use on climate [42]. Additionally, remote sensing technology was used to study the relationship between the urban heat island effect and land use/land cover [43]. Although research outputs during this period were relatively limited, the focus on urbanization and the application of technologies such as remote sensing and GIS was pioneering. This research provided important references for promoting the efficient and intensive use of urban spaces and for scientific and rational land planning.

3.2. Network Analysis of Land Use/Cover Keywords (2008–2016)

Frequent occurrences of ecological problems such as global climate anomalies, land degradation, and soil erosion have accelerated the pace of LUCC research. As shown in Figure 7, during this period, the central keywords in the network structure of domestic research included landscape patterns, GIS, influencing factors, land use change, and remote sensing. The close research relationship between land use, landscape patterns, and GIS made it a focal point of studies during this stage. Meanwhile, in the international academic community, research began to show the development of machine learning as a key characteristic. “MODIS” (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) has emerged as a prominent keyword during this phase, with MODIS-NDVI and MODIS-NPP data widely applied in research on vegetation and environmental factor changes [44], leaf area index (LAI) [45], and climate change [46]. Additionally, the centrality of “climate change” in related studies has become increasingly evident, with keywords such as “soil erosion” and “spatial distribution” standing out in the relational network.

Under the context of integration, the focus and research on regional land ecological risks became one of the characteristics of this period. First, the development of dynamic monitoring technologies provided strong technical support for analyzing land use changes. Examples include the use of drone technology for land surveys [47] and the application of QUEST decision tree remote sensing imagery [48] for image analysis. Second, the analysis of factors influencing land use changes during this period became more region-specific, with studies on the spatial and temporal changes and driving forces of land use at the micro-regional level becoming mainstream. For instance, dynamic land use models were used to analyze the impacts of various factors such as economic structures, population distribution, and land policies on land use patterns in different cities [49]. International scholars, on the other hand, analyzed land use drivers using historical change data and mathematical models such as MODIS [50] and NODI machine learning, as well as artificial intelligence tools to innovate land use classification methods. Third, urban landscape patterns emerged as a research hotspot during this period, focusing on the spatial optimization of urban landscape elements. Inefficient land use and prominent land degradation issues called for strengthening urban ecological landscape planning and construction. The establishment of an integrated land use plan that coordinates national economic and social development through a unified system, known as “multiple plans in one”, was advocated to guide urban spatial governance and the rational delineation of urban development boundaries [51], providing a reference for future urban development [52]. Overall, while both domestic and international scholars during this period placed significant emphasis on the application of land classification and dynamic monitoring technologies and on the rational planning of land resources, there were clear differences. Domestic scholars focused more on national development needs, emphasizing strategies for undeveloped land and integrated, intensive land use. In contrast, international scholars were more inclined to analyze the spatial and temporal changes in land use within specific regions and to evaluate policies such as land requisition retention systems and rural land intensification, proposing measures such as increased government intervention to address specific issues.

3.3. Network Analysis of Land Use/Cover Keywords (2017–2024)

From 2017 to 2024, academic research on land use has focused on two primary areas. On one hand, it emphasizes ecological efficiency (see Figure 8), examining the spatio-temporal evolution of regional land use and the impact of national spatial ecological optimization on ecosystem services and rural revitalization, thereby highlighting the social benefits of ecology. On the other hand, the research analyzes ecological pressures, particularly the effects of land use on carbon emissions, aiming to promote land use transformation and innovate new land use methods. The types of research conducted during this period can be categorized as follows:

First, the focus is on land ecology and green low-carbon utilization. Since China proposed its dual carbon goals, scholars have based their research on carbon carrying capacity, integrating the green and low-carbon development requirements of carbon reduction, pollution reduction, greening, and growth. Extensive studies have been conducted on the correlation between land ecological value and carbon emission efficiency. As land development shifts from expansion to stock utilization [53], research on topics such as “low-carbon and green transformation of agricultural systems” [54], “green land-use efficiency”, and “sustainable urbanization [55]” has gained increasing attention. The goal of green transformation in land use is “sustainability [56]”, which necessitates the establishment of economic, social, cultural, and environmental systems aligned with green transformation [57]. This requires both strengthening holistic planning studies and highlighting the impacts of various factors on sustainable development goals. It signifies the application of the concept of green development within urban environmental communities [58], promoting the intrinsic coupling of the “economy-ecology-society” system.

Second, there is a focus on rational land resource planning and the construction of an ecosystem services system. Ecosystem services refer to the various benefits that humans derive from ecosystems [59], and they are considered crucial for promoting the study of the coupling between humans and land systems [60]. Since their introduction in the 1990s, ecosystem services have rapidly become a research hotspot in disciplines such as geography and ecology. The ecological footprint theory suggests that different types of land exhibit significant disparities in their ecological service functions [61], and the efficiency of land resource allocation and utilization positively influences national spatial optimization. In response to the observed decline in the value of ecosystem services and concerns about system stability [62], scholars have proposed strategies to establish multi-level ecological security frameworks [63], enhance ecological space governance and optimization [64], and develop a comprehensive research framework for ecosystem services [65].

Third, the study of rural land use transformation. The rise of themes such as “rural revitalization”, “ecosystem service systems”, and “land use transformation” is closely linked to national land protection policies. The transformation of land use structures supports rural land consolidation and helps achieve a supply-demand balance in rural land use [66]. In agricultural production, there is an increasing focus on sustainable agricultural development and eco-agriculture construction [67], where ecological agricultural planning and delivery systems provide producers with efficient and resource-saving land use models [68]. Land use transformation is also key to establishing a rural “ecosystem service system” that fulfills multiple functions—productive, residential, and ecological [69]. Meanwhile, the development of “ecological industrialization” aims to achieve an integrated, mutually reinforcing relationship between ecological and economic benefits.

From 2017 to 2024, this period represents a significant developmental stage for land use research, characterized by more diverse research content and a more detailed focus on land resource utilization and spatial planning. The outcomes achieved during this time are substantial [70]. First, analyses of land ecological risks have become more comprehensive, strengthening the assessment and indicator systems for land use and providing optimization suggestions for issues such as land degradation and low land use efficiency. Second, research has increasingly focused on low-carbon land use and ecological benefits, emphasizing planning integration and multidimensional value assessments and delving deeply into the factors influencing the construction of ecosystem services systems. Finally, there has been a continuous strengthening of policy and methodological research related to land use, leading to more in-depth and comprehensive studies on the quantitative analysis of land resource utilization policies, technological applications, and model simulations.

4. Discussion

4.1. Review of the Current Status of Domestic and International LUCC Research

By integrating the LUCC research co-occurrence analysis map from 2000 to 2024 (Figure 9) and the LUCC research heatmap for the same period (Figure 10), we can summarize the current LUCC research framework as follows: the analysis of research themes indicates a significant emphasis on spatial planning. Efficient utilization of land resources has become a focal point of study, with keywords such as landscape patterns and land management directly reflecting the content of land spatial planning. Additionally, the green low-carbon transformation of land use has emerged as a critical research area. In light of global climate warming and issues related to land carbon storage, integrating land use planning with greenhouse gas emission control has become a new research hotspot. Keywords such as ecosystem service systems, climate change, and ecological services illustrate the academic community’s attention to global ecological issues and the importance of green transformation in land use. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on the systematic coupling of elements. Compared to traditional single-factor land management approaches, current research highlights a more systematic perspective on land use, stressing the need for coordinated resource allocation and sustainable land utilization. This promotes the systematic coupling of resources such as energy and land [71]. Additionally, research on releasing industrial potential and enhancing social-economic benefits under the framework of rural revitalization strategies has gained traction, focusing on utilizing market orientation and government policy support to promote multifunctional land use and coordinated urban-rural development.

Analysis of Development Trends. Changes in land use are closely related to various factors, including the stages of socio-economic development, land policy systems, national technological levels, and natural endowments. Compared to previous land utilization forms that were predominantly driven by macro-control and political orientation, land use in China since the 21st century has incorporated more market-oriented elements. Terms such as urbanization and land use efficiency have emerged as key themes in land use research, with scholars increasingly focusing on the relationship between land resources and economic development needs, thereby emphasizing the economic benefits of land use. As the focus of human activities gradually shifts towards urban areas, traditional, extensive, and unidirectional land use models struggle to meet the optimization demands of modern urban space management and planning. Consequently, the social benefits of land use have not been effectively realized. In this context, landscape patterns and planning have become new hotspots in land use research. Scholars, guided by the principles of socialist ecological civilization, are expanding the multifunctional attributes of land use, striving to optimize land resource allocation, promote land use transformation, and enhance the social, economic, and environmental efficiencies of land use management and planning. This has reinforced the ecological orientation of land use structures.

The integration of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches represents the future direction for land use research. Emphasizing cross-disciplinary collaboration provides a more comprehensive analytical perspective and enables the development of scientifically sound and balanced land use strategies that consider diverse stakeholder interests. As a complex system, land use encompasses economic, social, and ecological dimensions. For instance, economics can evaluate the cost-effectiveness of land development, sociology can address the differentiated demands for ecosystem services among various interest groups, and geography, using GIS and other spatial analysis tools, can assess the natural attributes of land and analyze LUCC dynamics. These interdisciplinary methods and technologies support the optimized spatial configuration of land and the transformation of land use, helping to uncover new attributes and directions for land utilization. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the support systems and technological applications in land use research have become more sophisticated both domestically and internationally. Digital technology, GIS, and remote sensing (RS) have seen widespread adoption, significantly enhancing the precision of indicator system research and the versatility and adaptability of modeling approaches [72]. These advancements improve research efficiency and accuracy in land use analysis and planning while fostering interdisciplinary studies such as intensive land use and ecosystem service systems research. The former advocates integrating economic theory, ecological theory, public policy, and geographic science to establish a scientifically robust land-saving and land-efficiency evaluation system, enabling quantitative assessments of regional land use and policy innovation in technical applications. The latter, in contrast, employs a more comprehensive approach to model selection for ecosystem services, with quantitative assessment models proving essential for understanding service supply, optimizing environmental resource allocation, and informing scientific land use planning. Models such as InVEST, widely used for ecosystem service valuation [73,74], habitat quality assessment [75], and regional ecosystem service supply evaluations [76], offer significant contributions. The SolVES model is applied to analyze the social value and influencing factors of landscapes or ecological land [77], while the ARIES model maps the spatial flow of ecosystem services [78]. Continuous refinement in understanding the applications and limitations of various integrated models has effectively enhanced their adaptability, advancing the field of land use research.

In summary, since the 21st century, research on land use in China has made significant progress, although certain shortcomings remain. Scholars have deepened the study of optimizing land resource allocation and intensive land use, accumulating substantial data and findings that have led to the development of a relatively scientific and comprehensive quantitative assessment mechanism. However, the multifunctional demands for land related to production, living, ecology, and quality have not yet been fully met. The exploration of land use attributes and pathways for realizing benefits remains insufficient, and research on regional land ecological spaces requires optimization. There is a pressing need to shift away from traditional single-factor research models and to explore new approaches that facilitate the collaborative multifunctionality, multi-factor integration, and multidimensional assessment of land use. On the other hand, remote sensing technology and intelligent processing of land information offer various functions, including assessment, visualization, and spatial analysis, which help facilitate the integration of multi-source data in land use research, enhancing both accuracy and convenience. Nevertheless, their application in improving green efficiency in land use and facilitating land use transformation is still inadequate. There is a need to expand the application of technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning in areas such as national spatial planning, land management strategies, and dynamic monitoring of land information, thereby optimizing the technological concepts and operational mechanisms in land use research. Against the backdrop of global climate change and new requirements for green development, research on the green low-carbon transformation of land and ecological benefits in China is gradually gaining momentum. Building on existing studies, it is essential to strengthen the intensive and sustainable use of land as well as spatial planning and remediation research while promoting interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral applications of innovative technologies. This will enhance the systemic, scientific, and comprehensive nature of land use research.

4.2. Directions for the Future

The structural optimization and multifunctional transformation of land resource utilization are future trends in land use research. The report from the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has identified the current issue of “unbalanced and inadequate spatial development” in our country [79]. Notifications such as “Further Strengthening the Preparation and Implementation Management of National Spatial Planning” and “Strengthening Detailed Planning Work for National Spatial Development” outline goals for optimizing regional functional layouts and spatial functions, emphasizing the need to construct and optimize a new pattern of national spatial development. The future directions of land use research in China (see Figure 11) focus on optimizing spatial layouts, promoting the low-carbon transformation of land use, constructing an ecosystem service system, and coordinating urban and rural elements based on key demands. The optimization of land resource utilization structures and the multifunctional use of land should be grounded in land system science. This involves a detailed analysis of the coupling relationships between various flows, including human flow, information flow, material flow, and energy flow. Furthermore, it is essential to improve the collaborative mechanisms between land resources and other resource elements and to explore measures and methods for optimizing regional resource allocation and enhancing land resource utilization efficiency based on feedback from ecological and socio-economic systems.

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Enhancing Land Use Efficiency as a Fundamental Direction for Future Research: Existing studies indicate that irrational land use can lead to a reduction in the carbon stored in soil and the biomass of vegetation, resulting in the release of significant amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and exacerbating climate warming. Additionally, inappropriate land use can negatively impact biodiversity; for instance, a sharp reduction in forest area can destroy wildlife habitats, causing numerous species to lose their living space. Therefore, it is essential to focus on the regional ecological risks associated with changes in land use methods, structures, and layouts. By applying modeling techniques such as machine learning, statistical models, and multi-agent models, research accuracy and scientific rigor can be enhanced. This approach aims to implement effective carbon emission reductions and land management, addressing issues of irrational land use and low efficiency, thereby promoting sustainable land development.

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Optimizing Spatial Planning and Resource Allocation as Key Directions for Future Research: Enhancing green land efficiency and promoting the integrated development of landscape patterns and ecosystem service systems are not merely issues within the realms of production or ecology. They require comprehensive optimization of national spatial layouts and policy support to facilitate the optimal allocation of resources and the multifunctional transformation of land use methods. Research on optimizing land use should emphasize the significant role of “multiple plans in one” in constructing the national spatial framework, fostering effective integration between urban and rural areas, different regions, and resource elements while coordinating rural revitalization with new urbanization. First, a problem-oriented approach should be adopted, analyzing the misallocation of land resources and its impacts and proposing targeted integrated planning schemes aligned with the national spatial planning system. Second, a process-oriented approach should focus on the implementation and effectiveness of policy frameworks and support systems in the management of national space and resources. Finally, a results- and feedback-oriented approach should aim to enhance the land dynamic monitoring system, refine the land use evaluation indicator system, and incorporate regional land use conditions and developmental characteristics into comprehensive land planning to maximize economic, social, and ecological benefits. This includes establishing robust ecological compensation systems and natural resource pricing mechanisms to advance the diversity and comprehensiveness of land use research.

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Expanding New Attributes of Land Use as an Innovative Direction for Future Research The types of land use form the foundation of the land use system’s structure. Changes in land use types can alter the attributes and functions of land use, while the multifunctional attributes of land meet diverse societal needs, such as industrial development, food security, and landscape value. For example, enhancing the ecological attributes of land can promote land protection and ecological benefits, meeting societal demands for ecological services and increasing the sustainability of land use. Expanding the economic attributes of land can explore synergies between multiple ecological industries and land resource utilization in conjunction with projects such as the Grain for Green Program, thus supporting the development of the ecological tourism industry and improving the scientific management of land resources. Additionally, expanding the public and social attributes of land use should emphasize equitable resource distribution, promote coordinated urban-rural development, implement regional ecological compensation, and enhance the quality of living environments, ultimately improving the fairness of land use.

Figure 11. Directions for Future Land Use Research in China and Their Interrelationships.

Figure 11. Directions for Future Land Use Research in China and Their Interrelationships.

4.3. Future Framework Construction

With the continuous attention to and deepening understanding of land issues, the attributes and functional benefits of land have also been constantly expanding (see Figure 12). The emergence of new land use attributes and its multifunctional transformation have prompted a re-evaluation of land redevelopment, ecological risk management, resource utilization, and allocation models. This has introduced new attributes such as climate regulation, social equity, ecosystem service provision, and land value assessment, thereby enhancing ecological benefits. Simultaneously, related research increasingly emphasizes the social and public dimensions of land use, focusing on the impact of land use on various stakeholders. By assessing the economic value of land and optimizing industrial layouts, research increasingly considers land’s economic value, establishing a new research framework aimed at “optimizing land use models”. This approach promotes the rational use of land resources and enhances land’s role in balancing the functions of “production, living, and ecology” as well as “economy, nature, and society”. The specific research framework can be divided into five key areas (see Figure 13).

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Focusing on Land Use Pattern Transformation: This component aims to expand the value attributes of land in alignment with real-world needs, providing new research directions for future land use studies. First, it involves assessing and modeling the impacts of production structure adjustments, climate change, and resource utilization models on land use. Second, it analyzes the driving forces behind the sustainable development of land resources and the enhancement of ecosystem services, facilitating effective resource management and monitoring to ensure the rational utilization of land resources and improve utilization efficiency. Third, it seeks to deepen the understanding of the “decision-management” relationship, forming a systematic awareness of land ecological safety, ecological risk prevention, and rational land resource planning. This includes advancing research and design in the “planning-process-evaluation-feedback” framework. Fourth, it emphasizes the need to refine policy guidance and support for the orderly transformation of land use, expand multi-stakeholder participation in governance, leverage the roles of an “active government” and “effective market”, and strengthen resource management and monitoring, as well as regional remediation. This approach aims to make land use more scientific, efficient, and sustainable, thereby providing robust support for agricultural production transformation, social progress, and ecological protection.

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Focus on research regarding land use change and land ecological assessment and management. With the deepening of studies on land degradation, soil erosion, global climate issues, and ecological risk, the academic analysis of regional ecological risks has become more comprehensive. This is reflected in aspects such as spatial delineation of risk levels [80], overall ecological risk index [81], biodiversity loss [82], forest and grassland degradation [83], landscape fragmentation [84], and energy waste [85]. Ecological risk assessment of land use is receiving increasing attention, and the theoretical and methodological framework for this field can be advanced by focusing on ecological risk assessment and management in ecologically vulnerable regions, establishing unified evaluation indicators and standards, and emphasizing the practical application of risk assessment systems. First, ecological risk assessment and management should support risk control and rational planning of national space, highlighting the role of ecological risk assessment in regional ecological risk management. This involves creating an ecological risk information database targeting land use risk sources and impact areas, as well as enhancing the comprehensive evaluation indicator system and feedback mechanisms for ecological risk. Second, based on the in-depth capture of regional, national, and global land ecological risk information and effective monitoring of the spatiotemporal dynamics of ecological risks, researchers should explore optimization pathways for land use through scenario analysis, methodological modeling, indicator systems, and risk classification and weighting. This effort focuses on addressing the lack of uniformity in evaluation indicators and standards across different scales and regions. Third, the analysis should encompass the role of ecological risk assessment and management in national spatial planning and ecological restoration, strengthening the study of land use ecological risk assessment in ecological safety function protection zones and ecological safety barrier areas. This approach aims to continually optimize spatial patterns and ecological restoration plans.

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Advancing Research on Land Use Efficiency with a Focus on Land Conservation and Intensive Utilization: The intensification and conservation of land use is a crucial direction for land use transformation. The promulgation of the 2014 Regulations on the Conservation and Intensive Utilization of Land has facilitated the rational use of land and enhanced comprehensive benefits. Moreover, the emphasis on ecological civilization and high-quality development has raised higher standards for land use models in China, reflecting the nation’s commitment to the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature and the green, sustainable utilization of land resources. First, it is essential to promptly monitor instances of land idleness, waste, and pollution, analyzing the causes of fluctuations in land use efficiency, insufficient levels of conservation and intensification, and the inability to guarantee ecological benefits. Second, through quantitative analysis and comparative studies, the research should identify optimal policy environments that can enhance regional land green utilization efficiency and promote conservation and intensification. Third, in conjunction with regional land use efficiency issues, the study should explore integrated land management and planning solutions, further leveraging the supporting roles of policy systems, management approaches, and technological innovations to promote the sustainable utilization of land resources.

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First, efforts should be made to enrich the LUCC database through remote sensing technologies, field surveys, and interviews, maximizing the role of LUCC data in monitoring, simulating, and analyzing natural, social, and ecosystem domains. Second, by employing mapping techniques and selecting appropriate models, multi-scale analyses and quality control studies should be conducted to facilitate the green transformation of land. Third, based on the matching requirements of data types and research scales, a comprehensive selection of methods such as machine learning, scenario simulation, and visual analysis should be implemented to promote data integration and model construction across multiple spatial scales. This approach aims to enhance the rationality of spatial scale and pattern assessment results, thereby improving the scientific rigor of land use research and the intelligence of management practices.

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Research on Multi-Factor Collaborative Land Use Planning: A rational land use structure must consider the integration and transformation of urban and rural elements, as well as the systematic coupling of ecological factors, to promote the coordinated development of urban and rural areas and the interrelationships among land, water, energy, and food systems. On one hand, regional industrial layouts should be optimized based on specific geographical conditions and resource advantages to facilitate the upgrading of agricultural industrial structures and comprehensive land management. For instance, in regions such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration and the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone, where land resources are relatively scarce but conditions for transformation are favorable, technological innovations can be employed to promote adjustments in green, low-carbon, and clean production methods. This can help achieve ecological industrialization while introducing drought-resistant, high-yield crops to reduce the consumption of water, land, and other resources, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural development. On the other hand, it is essential to leverage the promoting role of specialized land use planning. This should involve strengthening the rational development of saline-alkali land and underutilized land resources based on the multifunctional attributes of land. Developing regionally distinctive ecological and tourism industries can facilitate the transformation of resource elements between urban and rural areas and ensure the precise supply of ecological products.

5. Conclusions

This study systematically reviews and maps the landscape of land use research in China since the beginning of the 21st century, focusing on the origins of issues, evolutionary context, current developments, and future pathways. Examining the critical areas and gaps in current research on land use in China reveals that rational utilization of land resources is essential for addressing environmental conflicts. The spatial imbalance of land resources, large-scale urban expansion in the early stages of economic reform, and a singular focus on rapid regional economic development have led to the unnecessary occupation of ecological land, resulting in persistently low land use efficiency, reduced ecosystem service capacity, and an artificial opposition between land use and ecological protection. To reconcile these competing demands, a new model of land use that harmonizes land utilization with ecological protection is urgently needed. To address this conflict, a “green shift” has emerged in land use research, with growing emphasis on ecological and sustainable land use becoming a dominant trend. However, existing research frameworks are still insufficient to fully meet the social demands for land use to support multiple functions—production, living, ecology, and quality. Research on land use has outgrown traditional forms and models, necessitating a re-evaluation of land use approaches, including a balanced assessment of its economic value, ecological functions, resource attributes, and habitability to accommodate the complex and multifaceted nature of land use. Considering global ecological challenges and the shift toward multifunctional land use, this study examines recent changes in the ecological, economic, and social attributes of land and proposes a new research framework. We argue that future research on land use should align with national development strategies and contemporary needs. This requires building a research matrix that integrates five core aspects—changes in land use attributes, land ecological risk analysis, strategies for improving land use efficiency, development of research tool systems, and optimization of land resource structure—with three primary benefit attributes: ecological, economic, and social. Through improved land use efficiency, optimized spatial planning and resource allocation, and exploration of new land use attributes, this approach aims to promote rational and sustainable use of land resources. Throughout this process, it is crucial to focus on land use change, ecological evaluation, and management while also leveraging technological innovation to support the green, low-carbon transition in land use. Achieving this requires a coordinated approach to land use planning research that integrates multiple factors. However, exploring China’s land use research progress and green transformation pathways since the turn of the century involves not only diverse ecological theories and methods but also considerations from economics, sociology, and sustainability, as well as social equity and big data support from computer science. Due to space limitations, this study does not cover interdisciplinary perspectives on China’s green land use transformation in detail. Therefore, future research should strive for greater interdisciplinary integration of research paradigms and methodologies to further expand and enrich the field of land use research in China.