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Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 21135

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Land Resources Management, College of Management, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, China
Interests: land economy and policy; territorial space governance
Hospitality Management School, Shanghai Business School, Shanghai 201400, China
Interests: urban development and management; sustainable development; ecological and green cities

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Guest Editor
College of Business, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China
Interests: urban–rural integration; sustainable development; land economy and policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Land is a part of the natural ecosystem. Changes in land use and land cover can affect the geobiochemical cycle by altering ecosystem structure and function, thus, affecting ecosystem services and ecological environment quality, which has long been a frequently researched topic of interest in academic circles. Of course, the research around this topic is mainly focused on the field of natural science.

On the other hand, in the field of social science, land also plays an important role. As is known to all, land acts as the spatial carrier of urban–rural regional systems and one of the main production factors. Urban and rural social and economic development always take land as the "intersection point", to interact and shape the relationship between each other. As a driving factor of social and economic development, changes in land use and land cover can affect various aspects of regional social and economic development, such as the distribution of labor factors, capital factors and information technology, and, thus, affect the state of urban–rural regional sustainable development.

Therefore, research around the impact of changes in land use and land cover on regional sustainable development and regional-factor distribution is of great importance. In this Special Issue, we invite conceptual, empirical, review or exploratory papers, which contribute to our understanding of the relationships between land use/cover and regional sustainable development. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Impacts of land use and land cover on regional planning;
  • Land use/cover and urban–rural integration development;
  • Land use/cover and regional sustainable environment;
  • Land use/cover and regional-factor distribution.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Kind regards,

Dr. Kaifeng Duan
Dr. Jiajia Li
Dr. Jianing Zhou
Dr. Lei Chen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • land use
  • land cover
  • urban–rural integration development
  • sustainable development
  • factor distribution

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Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

27 pages, 7323 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Development of Production–Living–Ecological Spaces: Insights from a 30-Year Remote Sensing Analysis
by Miaomiao Hu, Tan Yigitcanlar, Fei Li, Shengqi Deng and Yabo Yang
Sustainability 2024, 16(21), 9585; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219585 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 631
Abstract
The rapid pace of urbanization and industrialization has reshaped land use patterns globally, particularly within the interconnected domains of ‘production, living, and ecological spaces’ (PLES). Understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of these spaces is crucial for guiding sustainable development. Although a number of previous [...] Read more.
The rapid pace of urbanization and industrialization has reshaped land use patterns globally, particularly within the interconnected domains of ‘production, living, and ecological spaces’ (PLES). Understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of these spaces is crucial for guiding sustainable development. Although a number of previous studies have explored aspects of their dynamics and driving factors, further investigation is needed to fully understand their long-term spatiotemporal evolution and the broader influences of socio-economic and environmental forces. This study aims to fill that important gap by leveraging advanced remote sensing techniques to analyze PLES transformations over a 30-year period. Using Henan Province, China, as a testbed, this study applies high-resolution Landsat data, land use transition matrices, dynamic degree analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and multiple linear regressions to uncover trends and underlying drivers. The results reveal a substantial reduction in production spaces by 3394.62 km² steady growth in living spaces by 4459.41 km² and complex, non-linear changes in ecological spaces, which decreased by 1067.43 km². Key driving forces, such as economic growth, urbanization, and fiscal policies are identified and discussed. These insights provide a robust framework for sustainable land use planning, with broader implications for rapidly urbanizing regions worldwide. Full article
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19 pages, 13729 KiB  
Article
Future Land Use and Habitat Quality Dynamics: Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Simulation in the Taihu Lake Basin
by Chenbo Huang, Xiaojing Cheng and Zhiming Zhang
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7793; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177793 - 6 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1091
Abstract
Land use change profoundly impacts habitat quality, necessitating an understanding of historical and future trends for effective regional planning and ecological protection, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas. This study examines the Taihu Lake Basin (TLB), a region undergoing significant land use changes and [...] Read more.
Land use change profoundly impacts habitat quality, necessitating an understanding of historical and future trends for effective regional planning and ecological protection, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas. This study examines the Taihu Lake Basin (TLB), a region undergoing significant land use changes and exhibiting considerable ecological vulnerability. Utilizing the InVEST model (v3.14.2), we analyzed the dynamics of land use and habitat quality in the TLB from 2000 to 2020. We subsequently employed the PLUS model (v1.40) to predict future land use and habitat quality under various scenarios. Our key findings include the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, TLB experienced a 97.62% increase in construction land, alongside significant reductions in cultivated land and forestland. (2) Population density, precipitation, DEM, and temperature were identified as the main drivers of land use expansion in TLB. (3) Habitat quality declined by 11.20% over the study period, exhibiting spatial disparities including higher quality in the southwest and central regions and lower quality in the east and north. (4) Scenarios prioritizing urban development led to substantial construction land expansion and reduced habitat quality, whereas scenarios emphasizing ecological protection effectively mitigated habitat fragmentation. This study highlights the critical need to integrate ecological protection into regional planning to balance economic development with environmental sustainability. The findings underscore the importance of prioritizing ecological conservation in land use policies to maintain habitat quality and promote sustainable development in the TLB. These insights are valuable for guiding future land use planning and ecological management in similarly sensitive regions. Full article
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27 pages, 350 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Land Transfer on Sustainable Agricultural Development from the Perspective of Green Total Factor Productivity
by Yangchenhao Wu and Wang Zhang
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 7076; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167076 - 18 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1066
Abstract
China’s agricultural sector is transitioning from extensive management to intensive management, and land transfer brings about changes in land use and management methods, which may encourage the agricultural sector to enter a sustainable development track, but this mechanism has not been effectively proven. [...] Read more.
China’s agricultural sector is transitioning from extensive management to intensive management, and land transfer brings about changes in land use and management methods, which may encourage the agricultural sector to enter a sustainable development track, but this mechanism has not been effectively proven. Using the SBM-GML index to construct a green total factor productivity index to measure the level of sustainable agricultural development in each province (or autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government) and provincial panel data from 2010 to 2022, we applied a panel interactive fixed-effects model to empirically test the impact of land transfer on sustainable agricultural development, with a focus on analyzing the heterogeneity and related mechanisms of this impact. The results indicate that (1) land transfer significantly promotes sustainable agricultural development, and this conclusion still held true after robustness tests such as controlling for regional omitted variables, replacing dependent variables, changing the sample size, IV estimation, and GMM estimation. (2) The mechanism testing found that land transfer mainly promotes sustainable agricultural development by increasing the desirable output, and has no significant effect on reducing non-point source pollution. At the same time, land transfer mainly improves the desirable output through factor allocation effects rather than scale operation effects, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural development. (3) The heterogeneity analysis found that the higher the quantile of agricultural development level is, the weaker the role of land transfer in promoting sustainable agricultural development, indicating that land transfer has a greater impact on areas with poor agricultural development foundations, and areas with poor agricultural development foundations are more likely to obtain sustainable development space through land transfer. The impact of different land transfer methods and land transfer objects on sustainable agricultural development was heterogeneous. Compared with non-market transfer methods such as exchange and transfer, market-oriented transfer methods such as leasing and equity had a more significant impact on sustainable agricultural development. Compared to transferring land to ordinary farmers, transferring land to new business entities such as family farms, professional cooperatives, and enterprises can significantly promote sustainable agricultural development. Full article
18 pages, 16215 KiB  
Article
Forecasting Land Use Dynamics in Talas District, Kazakhstan, Using Landsat Data and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) Platform
by Moldir Seitkazy, Nail Beisekenov, Omirzhan Taukebayev, Kanat Zulpykharov, Aigul Tokbergenova, Salavat Duisenbayev, Edil Sarybaev and Zhanarys Turymtayev
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 6144; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146144 - 18 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1681
Abstract
This study employs the robust capabilities of Google Earth Engine (GEE) to analyze and forecast land cover and land use changes in the Talas District, situated within the Zhambyl region of Kazakhstan, for a period spanning from 2000 to 2030. The methodology involves [...] Read more.
This study employs the robust capabilities of Google Earth Engine (GEE) to analyze and forecast land cover and land use changes in the Talas District, situated within the Zhambyl region of Kazakhstan, for a period spanning from 2000 to 2030. The methodology involves thorough image selection, data filtering, and classification using a Random Forest algorithm based on Landsat imagery. This study identifies significant shifts in land cover classes such as herbaceous wetlands, bare vegetation, shrublands, solonchak, water bodies, and grasslands. A detailed accuracy assessment validates the classification model. The forecast for 2030 reveals dynamic trends, including the decline of herbaceous wetlands, a reversal in bare vegetation, and concerns over water bodies. The 2030 forecast shows dynamic trends, including a projected 334.023 km2 of herbaceous wetlands, 2271.41 km2 of bare vegetation, and a notable reduction in water bodies to 24.0129 km2. In quantifying overall trends, this study observes a decline in herbaceous wetlands, bare vegetation, and approximately 67% fewer water bodies from 2000 to 2030, alongside a rise in grassland areas, highlighting dynamic land cover changes. This research underscores the need for continuous monitoring and research to guide sustainable land use planning and conservation in the Talas District and similar areas. Full article
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22 pages, 9506 KiB  
Article
Research on Fuzzy Evaluation of Land Environmental Security in Three Provinces of Northeast China
by Yu Wang, Hanru Zhou, Yanlong Guo and Linfu Zhang
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 4907; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124907 - 7 Jun 2024
Viewed by 875
Abstract
Among the world’s most important three chief black lands, China’s northeast region is a vital hub for the commercial extraction of grain, undertaking the task of grain reserves and special transfers. Utilizing the provincial data of the three northeastern provinces from 2010 to [...] Read more.
Among the world’s most important three chief black lands, China’s northeast region is a vital hub for the commercial extraction of grain, undertaking the task of grain reserves and special transfers. Utilizing the provincial data of the three northeastern provinces from 2010 to 2021, and using existing documents and records as essential elements, we structured a land security appraisal system with five criterion layers and 21 indicator layers of pressure, state, impact, response, and management. The three provinces in the northeast were evaluated for the security of their land resources using the entropy-dependent weight-TOPSIS pattern. The study findings indicate that: (1) In general, land resource security of the three northeastern provinces shows a pattern of decline followed by a gradual increase from 2012 to 2021, and there is a steady improvement in the level of land’s ecological stability; (2) There are differences in the ecological stability of the soil across cities and provinces, with Heilongjiang Province having the best land security status and Liaoning Province having the worst; (3) The amount of soil erosion in tiny watersheds is the indicator that has the biggest influence on land ecological stability in the three provinces in the northeast; (4) The response layer is the criterion layer that has the strongest correlation with land ecological safety. Full article
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25 pages, 7555 KiB  
Article
Spatial Heterogeneity and Driving Mechanisms of Cultivated Land Intensive Utilization in the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomeration, China
by Zhongqiu Zhang, Yufeng Zhang and Xiang Zhang
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4565; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114565 - 28 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 911
Abstract
Cultivated land intensive utilization (CLIU) exhibits spatial heterogeneity that is influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors, with land dissected into different scale systems; however, CLIU has not yet been systematically explored. This study takes the Beibu Gulf urban agglomeration, a national-level model [...] Read more.
Cultivated land intensive utilization (CLIU) exhibits spatial heterogeneity that is influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors, with land dissected into different scale systems; however, CLIU has not yet been systematically explored. This study takes the Beibu Gulf urban agglomeration, a national-level model area for integrated land and sea development in China, as an example to investigate the spatial heterogeneity of CLIU and explore its driving factors through multiple econometrical and geographical methods, including identifying its underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that (1) the CLIU index is 0.334, its Gini coefficient is 0.183, and its comprehensive level has a low intensity and obvious spatial nonequilibrium characteristics. Hypervariable density (50.33%) and the intraprovincial gap (45.6%) are the main sources. (2) Among the independent effects of single factors, the multiple cropping index (0.57), labor force index (0.489), and intensification of construction land (0.375) exert the most influence on CLIU spatial variation. The interaction effects of two factors primarily manifested as nonlinear enhancements, with the interaction between the labor force index and multiple cropping index being particularly noteworthy (0.859). (3) The geographically weighted regression coefficients reveal that temperature (0.332), multiple cropping index (0.211), and labor force index (0.209) have relatively large and positive impacts on CLIU, while slope (−0.1), precipitation (−0.087), and population urbanization (−0.039) have relatively small and negative impacts; all factors exhibit spatial nonstationarity. The spatial heterogeneity of CLIU in the Beibu Gulf urban agglomeration is characterized by patterns’ nonequilibrium and factors’ nonstationarity. The driving mode of multiple factors on CLIU is manifested as follows: natural factors of cropland utilization provide basic guarantees, internal factors of CLIU provide positive enhancement, and external factors of land intensive utilization provide auxiliary promotion. Full article
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31 pages, 17212 KiB  
Article
Exploring Spatial-Temporal Coupling and Its Driving Factors of Green and Low-Carbon Urban Land Use Efficiency and High-Quality Economic Development in China
by Lina Peng, Juan Liang, Kexin Wang, Wenqian Xiao, Jian Zou, Yuxuan Hong and Rui Ding
Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3455; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083455 - 20 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1068
Abstract
Green and low-carbon use of urban land (GLUUL) and high-quality economic development (HED) are two closely linked and mutually reinforcing systems, and their coordinated development is of great theoretical and practical significance to the realization of green and sustainable urban development. Based on [...] Read more.
Green and low-carbon use of urban land (GLUUL) and high-quality economic development (HED) are two closely linked and mutually reinforcing systems, and their coordinated development is of great theoretical and practical significance to the realization of green and sustainable urban development. Based on theoretical analysis, this paper used data from 2005 to 2020 to measure GLUUL efficiency and HED level and their coupling coordination degree (CCD) successively of 282 cities in China, and then analyzed in-depth the main factors affecting CCD and its spatial–temporal heterogeneity using the GTWR model. This study found that (1) GLUUL efficiency and HED levels are increasing with different trends, and the development is unbalanced. High-value cities in the two systems show a staggered distribution pattern. (2) The CCD of the two was dominated by primary and intermediate coordination types, and the overall became increasingly coordinated, with the “intermediate coordination—advanced development” type having the highest representation. (3) There is a gradual convergence of CCD spatial differences, showing an overall spatial distribution pattern that is “high in the northwest and southeast, low in the central area”. (4) The influence degree and direction of different factors on CCD are distinguishing. The positive impact of industrial structure upgrading (Isu) is obviously greater than other factors, which has the strongest effect on the industrial corridor along the Yangtze River and the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. The findings can offer insightful recommendations for promoting sustainable development in China and similar developing countries and regions. Full article
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22 pages, 39433 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Variation and Prediction Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover and Ecosystem Service Changes in Gannan, China
by Xin Luo, Yongzhong Luo, Fangjun Le, Yishan Zhang, Han Zhang and Jiaqi Zhai
Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041551 - 12 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1285
Abstract
For the preservation of ecosystems, including the enhancement of ecological strategies, examining the temporal and geographical variance in ecosystem services (ESs) and land use/land cover change (LUCC) is crucial. Gannan is situated on the upper Yellow River, which is a notable water conservation [...] Read more.
For the preservation of ecosystems, including the enhancement of ecological strategies, examining the temporal and geographical variance in ecosystem services (ESs) and land use/land cover change (LUCC) is crucial. Gannan is situated on the upper Yellow River, which is a notable water conservation region with excellent ecological quality, but in the background of the local traditional production mode and rapid economic development, natural disasters, grassland degradation, and other ecological problems occur frequently. The integrated valuing of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST) model and the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model are combined in this work to assess the spatiotemporal variance in ESs in Gannan. We set up three scenarios in modeling future land use—ecological protection (EP), natural development (ND), and economic development (ED) in 2050—and analyzed and evaluated the drivers of the variation in ESs. In order to reveal the LUCC in Gannan between 1990 and 2020, we predicted the LUCC and ESs spatial distribution characteristics in 2050, explored the correlation between its driving factors, and comprehensively analyzed and propose optimization measures and protection strategies. Through several simulation experiments, the findings indicate the following: (1) the largest percentage of land expansion for construction in Gannan between 1990 and 2020 is 74.53%, and the most noticeable percentage of shrinkage in the sand area is 20.67%; (2) from 1990 to 2020, Gannan’s water yield, carbon storage, soil retention, and habitat quality all changed, by 60 × 108 m3, 0.04 × 108 t, −10.66 × 108 t, and −0.02, respectively; (3) ESs are influenced by a variety of natural and societal variables: the southern and southwestern regions of Gannan are home to the majority of ESs hot spot areas, while the northern region is home to the majority of cold spot areas. This study contributes to the analysis of the developmental traits of Gannan ecosystems and can serve as a model for the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems with comparable environmental traits. Full article
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23 pages, 19877 KiB  
Article
Landscape Evolution and Its Driving Forces in the Rapidly Urbanized Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, a Case Study in Zhuhai City, South China
by Miaomiao Liu, Guishan Chen, Guanhua Li, Yingyu Huang, Kaiwei Luo and Changfa Zhan
Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13045; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713045 - 30 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1735
Abstract
Over the past four decades, urban expansions driven by rapid economic development and climate change have exerted profound impacts on land-use dynamics in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. However, our understanding of the interplay of different urban landscape patterns in this rapid [...] Read more.
Over the past four decades, urban expansions driven by rapid economic development and climate change have exerted profound impacts on land-use dynamics in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. However, our understanding of the interplay of different urban landscape patterns in this rapid urbanization zone remains limited. This study examines remote sensing data from 1999, 2009, and 2019 to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of the urbanization impact on landscape patterns, as well as driving forces, in Zhuhai City, in the western part of the Great Bay. The findings reveal that land-use changes in Zhuhai City are primarily characterized by the conversion of cultivated land and water areas into construction land and forest land, particularly in the western part of the city. These changes may result from rapid urbanization, leading to increased fragmentation and spatial aggregation of landscape patterns. Landscape pattern changes in Zhuhai City were related to both socio-economic development and natural environment change. The urbanization has promoted the agricultural transformation with a loss of cultivated land and water areas. Additionally, this study suggests that the coordination of land use along with the protection and construction of the ecological environment is urgently needed to achieve sustainable development in the region. Full article
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14 pages, 2976 KiB  
Article
Influence of the Kinship Networks on Farmers’ Willingness to Revitalize Idle Houses
by Yao Luo, Yumei Li, Chen Li and Qun Wu
Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10285; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310285 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1155
Abstract
China is vigorously promoting the strategy of rural revitalization, encouraging farmers to revitalize their idle houses and developing rural tourism. In rural China, kinship networks are essential in farmers’ willingness and decision–making tools. It is significant to explore the influence of kinship networks [...] Read more.
China is vigorously promoting the strategy of rural revitalization, encouraging farmers to revitalize their idle houses and developing rural tourism. In rural China, kinship networks are essential in farmers’ willingness and decision–making tools. It is significant to explore the influence of kinship networks on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses. This study constructs a research framework of “kinship networks–revitalization willingness–revitalization action”. It describes farmers’ kinship networks from five aspects: kinship networks structure, kinship networks relationship, kinship networks cognition, kinship networks members’ sense of belonging, and their social participation enthusiasm. Taking Bishan Village, a typical rural tourism–type ancient village, as an example, this study surveyed 197 farmers to demonstrate the influence of kinship networks on farmers willingness to revitalize idle houses. This paper uses a multiple regression model to empirically study the influence of kinship networks on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses. The results show that: (1) In addition to the kinship networks structure having no significant positive impact on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses, kinship networks relationship, kinship networks cognition, kinship networks members’ sense of belonging, and kinship networks members’ social participation enthusiasm all have positive effects on farmers’ willingness. (2) Considering the critical influence of kinship networks on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses, the government should use the structure of kinship networks to formulate relevant policies to guide farmers to increase their willingness to revitalize their idle houses. Full article
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20 pages, 5418 KiB  
Article
Temporal and Spatial Differences in CO2 Equivalent Emissions and Carbon Compensation Caused by Land Use Changes and Industrial Development in Hunan Province
by Huangling Gu, Yan Liu, Hao Xia, Zilong Li, Liyuan Huang and Yanjia Zeng
Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7832; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107832 - 10 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1710
Abstract
The differences in CO2 equivalent emissions and carbon compensation due to land use changes can provide a basis for formulating low-carbon development policies in various regions according to net CO2 emissions. Based on the land use and energy consumption data of [...] Read more.
The differences in CO2 equivalent emissions and carbon compensation due to land use changes can provide a basis for formulating low-carbon development policies in various regions according to net CO2 emissions. Based on the land use and energy consumption data of Hunan Province from 2000 to 2020, the calculation model is constructed to calculate the CO2 equivalent emissions and carbon compensation values for different cities in different periods. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, there was a significant growth trend in the area of built-up land in Hunan Province, mainly from the forest and cropland, while the area of forest is relatively stable. (2) The net CO2 equivalent emissions from land use changes in Hunan Province shows a trend of increasing first and then decreasing with an initially fast and then slowed growth rate. Built-up land is the main carbon source, and its CO2 equivalent emissions increased by 26.78 million tons, while the forest is the main carbon sink, and its carbon absorption decreased by 4.11 × 104 tons. (3) The carbon sink areas are mainly located in Zhangjiajie and Xiangxi in western Hunan, and the CO2 equivalent emission intensity of other carbon source areas is gradually increasing from eastern Hunan to southern Hunan. (4) The carbon compensation value is very similar to the spatial distribution of CO2 equivalent emissions in different cities. The high carbon compensation areas are mainly Yueyang, Loudi, and Xiangtan due to their backward energy structure, un-upgraded industrial structure, and large net CO2 equivalent emissions, while the high carbon compensation areas are mainly Changsha, due to its high economic development level, great technological progress, and small net CO2 equivalent emissions. To achieve regional coordination and low-carbon development, it is necessary to continually improve the carbon compensation mechanism and to build on carbon compensation to promote regional low-carbon coordinated development from a low-carbon level. Meanwhile, the government should rank and direct the transformation and development of different types of cities, to build a low-carbon land development model and achieve the goal of developing carbon neutrality. Full article
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21 pages, 4705 KiB  
Article
Affecting of Nature and Human Activities on the Trend of Vegetation Health Indices in Dak Nong Province, Vietnam
by Nguyen Van Hiep, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, Luong Van Viet, Huynh Cong Luc and Le Huy Ba
Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5695; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075695 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1545
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the effects of natural and human conditions on vegetation covers using VCI and TCI indices (the satellite-based Vegetation Health Indices (VHIs)) in Dak Nong province. Factors affecting the VHIs included in the analysis involve land use, soil, population, [...] Read more.
This study aims to evaluate the effects of natural and human conditions on vegetation covers using VCI and TCI indices (the satellite-based Vegetation Health Indices (VHIs)) in Dak Nong province. Factors affecting the VHIs included in the analysis involve land use, soil, population, topography, distance to roads and surface water. The data analysis period is the dry season from 2000 to 2020. The trend of the VHIs’ change in this study is analyzed using Sen’s method with monitoring data from Modis. The effects of factors affecting the VHIs are based on logistic regression and discriminant analysis. The analysis results show that the VHIs are clear and show both increasing and decreasing trends. Based on logistic regression analysis, the influence of land use types on the trend of the VHIs in the direction of increasing from negative to positive will be from PdF, UnL, AnC, SpF, PtF, PeA and then to PdR. Corresponding to the soil will be from ACa, FRp, FRx, FRr, ACh, LVx, FLg and then to LVg. Based on the discriminant analysis method, it was found that there are only four primary factors affecting the trend of the VHIs in order of decreasing level of closure: population density, land use, soil and population growth rate and to the road. These results show that in places where labour resources are available, plants are interested in investment due to high profits, nutrient-rich soil and convenience for plant care; the VHIs tend to increase and vice versa. Compared with VCI, the trend of TCI tends to be sloping negative and more pessimistic. Through the coefficients of the logistic regression equation and the difference function, the TCI is more sensitive than the VCI when the independent variables change, especially for changes in population density and land use. Thus, TCI can be considered the preferred option for assessing vegetation health trends in the context of climate change. Full article
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16 pages, 1424 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Estimation of Urban Land Use Efficiency and Sustainability Analysis in China
by Huifang Cheng, Ting Yu, Hao Zhang, Kaifeng Duan and Jianing Zhu
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13843; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113843 - 25 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1322
Abstract
With rapid urbanization in China, land use efficiency (LUE) and related sustainability should be reasonably evaluated and improved. Studies have rarely investigated urban LUE and lack an analysis from the sustainability perspective. Long-term analysis can help identify the weaknesses in LUE and obtain [...] Read more.
With rapid urbanization in China, land use efficiency (LUE) and related sustainability should be reasonably evaluated and improved. Studies have rarely investigated urban LUE and lack an analysis from the sustainability perspective. Long-term analysis can help identify the weaknesses in LUE and obtain a more stable evaluation. Hence, in this paper we develop a dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to assess urban LUE considering the time dimension. Differing from studies on traditional static DEA models, this study connects the observed periods by creating a common objective function. In addition, a method for estimating the sustainability of urban LUE is proposed under the DEA framework. The proposed method was applied to 34 major Chinese cities over a 3-year period, from 2015 to 2017. The results reveal that urban LUE still has potential for improvement in most cities. There was a distinct difference in efficiency among eastern, central, and western cities during the observed period. The average efficiency was higher in eastern cities than in central and western cities. The potential to optimize the land area and GDP should be realized with more efforts by most cities to strengthen LUE. Additionally, most inefficient cities have weak performance regarding the sustainability of LUE. The proposed approach enriches the sustainable measurement of LUE. Some management implications are provided to improve urban LUE. The empirical findings provide important support for sustainable land use in practice, and the proposed model is an important empirical extension of the DEA method in the land management field. Full article
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Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 895 KiB  
Review
How Does Agricultural Trade Liberalization Have Environmental Impacts? Evidence from a Literature Review
by Panxian Wang, Zimeng Ren and Guanghua Qiao
Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9379; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129379 - 10 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3191
Abstract
The liberalization of world trade has led to a significant increase in agricultural trade, which has brought to light various environmental externalities, including climate change, deforestation, and water pollution. While economic studies tend to overlook the environmental effects of agricultural trade liberalization, recent [...] Read more.
The liberalization of world trade has led to a significant increase in agricultural trade, which has brought to light various environmental externalities, including climate change, deforestation, and water pollution. While economic studies tend to overlook the environmental effects of agricultural trade liberalization, recent research has shown a growing interest in related aspects. As such, it is crucial to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts of agricultural trade liberalization. This study aims to address this issue by conducting a systematic review of the relevant literature from the past two decades. Research has revealed that agricultural trade liberalization has both positive and negative impacts on the environment. The various mechanisms through which these effects are observed include scale, structural, transport, and technology effects. Most studies have concluded that agricultural trade liberalization has a significantly negative impact on the environment. To address this issue, four potential solutions have been proposed, including factor allocation, policy adjustment, technological innovation, and improvements to compensation mechanisms. Future research should aim to develop a comprehensive model that can effectively examine the environmental impacts of agricultural trade policy distortions and the criteria used to select environmental measures. By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between agricultural trade policies and their environmental consequences. Full article
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