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Dry‐ and wet‐bulb temperature (Td and Tw) are usually to define heatwaves (HWs) which have been enhanced under anthropogenic climate change (ACC) and urbanization. However, responses of various types of HWs (i.e., dry HWs, only high Td; humid HWs, only high Tw; hybrid HWs, both high Td and Tw; total HWs, high Td or Tw), to ACC and urbanization remain unknown. In this study, both observations and simulations show significantly increasing occurrence probability of total HWs over China during 1971–2020, whereas this increase is mainly reflected in hybrid HWs, followed by dry HWs and humid HWs. 68.2%–93.0% of the observed increases in the above four types of HWs can be attributed to ACC; on the other hand, urbanization tends to suppress humid HWs but enhance dry HWs, as a result of contributing to the increase of hybrid HWs by 10.9%. Under future ACC, total HWs are projected to be more frequent as expected, which is mainly sourced from the increasing hybrid HWs because dry/humid HWs are projected to be steady/downward. As a consequence, urban population exposure to ACC‐induced total HWs would remarkably increase to 83.55 billion person‐days by the 2090s, 89.5% of which can be attributed to hybrid HWs. Urbanization would amplify this population exposure of ACC‐induced hybrid HWs from 74.79 billion person‐days to 110.9 billion person‐days. Our results underscore the importance of improving understanding of hybrid HWs in urban areas and developing targeted adaptation planning on a warmer planet. Plain Language Summary: Under global warming and urbanization, increases in heatwaves (HWs) characterized by air temperature and humidity, have profound adverse effects on human health and socio‐economic well‐being. In this study, HWs are divided into four types: humid HWs (dominated by high air humidity), dry HWs (dominated by high air temperature), hybrid HWs (both high temperature and high humid), and total HWs (encompassing all the three above types), to investigate changes in HWs under different temperature and humidity conditions and their responses to anthropogenic climate change (ACC) and urbanization. Both observations and simulations show that occurrence probability of the four types of HWs increased over China in recent decades, of which ACC contributes to 68.2%–93.0% of intensification of HWs. The increasing occurrence probability of total HWs is mainly reflected in hybrid HWs, followed by dry HWs and humid HWs. Urbanization tends to inhibit (promote) rise in humid HWs (dry HWs), resulting in an increase in hybrid HWs. Under urban expansion and global warming, urban population in China will be more exposed to extremes of humid and hot conditions (hybrid and total HWs), especially in densely populated and rapidly urbanizing areas. Key Points: Historical increasing likelihood of total heatwaves (HWs) over China is dominated by that of hybrid HWsUrbanization tends to suppress (enhance) humid (dry) HWs and hence increase likelihood of hybrid HWs under anthropogenic climate changeFuture anthropogenic warming and urban expansion jointly lead to remarkable increase of urban population exposure to hybrid HWs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the central government implemented a policy of Bureaucratization of Native Officers, in order to develop and consolidate the integration of frontier with the mainland. Through the gradual construction of cultural and educational facilities, appointed officials were able to achieve the political goal of ideological integration with the Central Plains in the frontier society. Taking the construction of cultural and educational facilities as a starting point, this article attempts to explore the relationship between urban development, power change and cultural identity in Dali City from four aspects: the number of facilities, scale regulation, spatial form and functional structure. Shows that: (1) In basic education facilities, charitable schools replaced village schools, and New-type schools gradually increased and showed decentralised distribution, making Confucianism available to a wider audience. (2) The scale of the main educational facilities had expanded and the regulation has improved, gradually showing a concentrated distribution. And due to the formation of functional zoning, cultural and educational facilities occupy a more central and prominent landscape position in Dali City. (3) Influenced by the Confucian culture of Central Plains, the number of imperial examinations gradually increased, and the social life of Dali City changed. Dali City gradually converged with the Central Plains, and the local people's sense of cultural identity with the Central Plains deepened, strengthening the central government's rule over the border areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arid regions tend to form compact urban patterns that have significant implications on urban growth and future urban patterns. Spatial simulation and projection using cellular automata (CA)-based models are important for achieving sustainable urban development in arid regions. In response to this need, we developed a new CA model (GSA-CA) using the gravitational search algorithm (GSA) to capture and project urban growth patterns in arid regions. We calibrated the GSA-CA model for the arid city of Urumqi in Northwest China from 2000 to 2010, and validated the model from 2010 to 2020, and then applied to project urban growth in 2040. The results indicated that the optimal performance of the model was achieved when the fraction of the population was 0.5. GSA-CA achieved an overall accuracy of 98.42% and a figure of merit (FOM) of 43.03% for the year 2010, and an overall accuracy of 98.52% with FOM of 37.64% for 2020. The results of the study help to adjust urban planning and development policies. The developed model has the potential to be employed in simulating urban growth and future scenarios in arid regions globally, including Northwest China and Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the carbon offset potential in Espoo, Finland, by comparing a construction-impacted deforestation site with a larger conserved forest area. Addressing a knowledge gap in localized forest conservation as a CO2 offset method, our research quantifies the carbon stock and sequestration impacts under both baseline and alternative scenarios for the two study sites. The baseline scenario for offset site reflects standard forest management practices, while the alternative scenario involves complete forest conservation without active management. Our findings reveal that the conserved forest (79 ha), dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), increased its carbon stock by 26 Mg C ha-1 in soil and 65 Mg C ha-1 in biomass. This enhancement is sufficient to compensate for the smaller deforestation site's (19 ha), also containing a mix of Norway spruce and Scots pine, stock loss of 186 Mg C ha-1 in soil and 43 Mg C ha-1 in biomass. Furthermore, this study illuminates the complexities of CO2 compensation regulation and emphasizes the necessity for robust, transparent carbon accounting practices. The insights offer a valuable perspective on integrating nature-based solutions in urban planning to achieve broader ecological and climate goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equitable and effective planning of urban park green spaces (UPGSs) is an important way to promote green and healthy urban development and improve citizens' quality of life. However, under the background of rapid urbanization, linear large cities, with their unique spatial forms and high-density population agglomerations, have brought special challenges for the planning and management of urban public green spaces. This study takes Lanzhou, a typical representative of high-density linear large cities in China, as a case study. Based on the improvement of the traditional Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area method (G2SFCA), combined with the Gini coefficient and the Lorentz curve, the social equity and spatial equity of UPGS supply-demand in the central urban area of Lanzhou were evaluated at the city and district scales. Meanwhile, the areas with shortage of UPGS supply-demand were accurately identified as the key areas for future optimization. The results show that: (1) There are significant differences in the equity of UPGS supply-demand in the linear large Lanzhou at the social and spatial levels, and most UPGS resources are enjoyed by a few people; (2) The spatial accessibility of UPGSs has an obvious "string of beads" distribution Characteristics, and the areas with high accessibility are mainly concentrated along rivers; (3) The equity of UPGS supply-demand exhibits a spatial gradient effect, which is characterized by a circle distribution. From the inside to the outside, it is as follows: good supply—dense population, good supply—sparse population, supply shortage—dense population, supply shortage—sparse population. Finally, based on the concept of "progressive micro-regeneration" and the Location Allocation model (LA), the optimal sites for new UPGSs were determined, maximizing the equity of UPGS supply-demand. This provides a practical reference for relevant management departments to optimize park layouts in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global climate crisis is escalating, and urban living Space (ULS) is a significant contributor to carbon emissions. How to improve the carbon suitability of ULS while promoting social and economic development is a global issue. This study aims to develop an evaluation system for comparing and analyzing carbon suitability inequality and spatial differences in different areas. To achieve this goal, an urban living space carbon suitability index (ULS-CSI) based on spatial organizational index (SOI) has been proposed. The ULS-CSI was calculated at the area scale in Tianjin using information from the Tianjin Land Use Database in 2021. The carbon emissions coefficient method was used to calculate the urban living space carbon emissions (ULSCE). Moran'I and LISA analysis were used to quantify the spatial differences of ULS-CSI. The results showed that the residential living area (RLA) carbon emissions was the highest at the area scale, with carbon emissions of 1.14 x 1011 kg, accounting for 33.74%. The green space leisure area (GLA) carbon absorption was the highest at the area scale, with carbon absorption of 5.76 x 105 kg, accounting for 32.33%. SOI in different areas have spatial heterogeneity as the SOI such as building area, road network density and land use characteristics are significantly different in different areas. Areas with superior CSI were primarily situated in Heping, Hexi, Nankai, and Beichen, accounting for 83.90%. Conversely, areas under the basic CSI threshold included Xiqing, Jinnan, and Dongli, accounting for 16.10%. Spatial characteristics of ULS-CSI in Tianjin portrayed a significant spatial positive correlation, indicating the highest autocorrelation degree of CSI at 500 m, with a Moran 'I value of 0.1733. Although these findings reflect the spatial characteristics of ULS-CSI and the SOI affecting the ULS-CSI at area scale, more perfect data are needed to reflect the complexity of structural factors affecting ULS-CSI at area scale. This study is helpful for urban planning to develop differentiated carbon reduction strategies and promote low-carbon and healthy urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex system of the settlement space in China's Pearl River Delta region has always featured infrastructure as a key medium to explore the evolution of the settlement space. Therefore, anthropological research on infrastructure has become an important dimension for researchers to in analyzing social and spatial issues in the Pearl River Delta region. This study explores the correlation mechanism between infrastructure and settlement space by referring to literature reviews and empirical cases, revealing the underlying political factors, economic factors, cultural factors, and complex social change process of the physical space through empirical case studies. It provides a theoretical research genealogy for exploring spatial evolution in addition to a research sample for analyzing social and cultural changes in the Pearl River Delta region. Moreover, it emphasizes the cognitive significance of historical context and has important implications for future urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chishui River Basin, a vital waterway in Southwest China, has experienced rapid urbanization, leading to significant ecological and environmental changes, among which the urban heat island (UHI) effect is particularly pronounced. The UHI effect not only affects the quality of life for residents but also influences urban energy consumption and climate change, underscoring the need for in-depth study of its spatial distribution and contributing factors. The unique karst topography of the region further complicates UHI research, necessitating an investigation that can inform urban planning and sustainable development strategies. This study leveraged Landsat 8 TIRS satellite remote sensing imagery to examine the land surface temperature (LST) and UHI effect in the Chishui River Basin during the summers of 2016 and 2021. Employing the Monowindow Algorithm (MWA), the research quantitatively inverted the LST and analyzed its spatial distribution and the spatiotemporal characteristics of the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect. The findings indicated a notable increase in average summer temperatures between the 2 years, with a 1.67°C rise from 2016 to 2021. Despite this increase, there was an observed reduction in the extent of SUHI areas, suggesting potential mitigation efforts. Additionally, the study revealed that karst regions were more susceptible to forming "abnormal" heat islands due to their distinct geomorphological features. The implications of this research are critical for urban development planning and the pursuit of sustainable urbanization in the Chishui River Basin. By understanding the thermal dynamics and their relationship with urbanization and karst landscapes, policymakers and urban planners can devise strategies to minimize the adverse effects of SUHI while promoting ecological balance and environmental health. Future research should extend the temporal analysis, employ higher resolution data, compare findings with other regions, and provide a detailed examination of mitigation efforts to enhance the robustness and applicability of the conclusions, provide stronger scientific evidence for the ecological sustainability of the Chishui River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is a shared challenge encountered by nations worldwide. As China is on its way toward a green economy, it is worth studying whether producer services agglomeration, a key driver of economic transition, can promote low-carbon urban development. Using panel data of 257 cities across China from 2006 to 2019, this paper examines the influence of producer services agglomeration on urban carbon emissions with spatial econometric models. The findings reveal a positive spatial correlation in regional carbon emissions. The agglomeration of producer services notably decreases the intensity of local carbon emissions, yet it appears to have minimal influence on the emissions from adjacent regions. Enhancing energy efficiency and adjusting the industrial structure are two critical mechanisms by which producer services agglomeration reduces urban carbon emissions. This beneficial effect varies with city type, the abatement effect of producer services agglomeration is more pronounced in non-resource-based cities. When considering city size, the carbon reduction potential of producer services agglomeration is not apparent in smaller cities. As city size increases, the emission reduction effect becomes more apparent. However, in mega-cities, this impact is somewhat diminished. Accordingly, this paper proposes exploring methods of coordinated air pollution management across cities, promoting producer services agglomeration in line with market mechanisms, and driving low-carbon urban development in a manner tailored to local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction models of smart cities and low-carbon cities are crucial for advancing global urbanization, enhancing urban governance, and addressing major urban challenges. Despite significant advancements in smart and low-carbon city research, a consensus on their coupling coordination remains elusive. This study employs mixed-method research, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses, to investigate the coupling coordination between urban smart performance (SCP) and low-carbon level (LCL) across 52 typical smart and low-carbon pilot cities in China. Independent evaluation models for SCP and LCL qualitatively assess the current state of smart and low-carbon city construction. Additionally, an Entropy–TOPSIS–Pearson correlation–Coupling coordination degree (ETPC) analysis model quantitatively examines their relationship. The results reveal that smart city initiatives in China significantly outperform low-carbon city development, with notable disparities in SCP and LCL between eastern, non-resource-based, and central cities versus western, resource-dependent, and peripheral cities. A strong positive correlation exists between urban SCP and overall LCL, with significant correlations in management, society, and economy, and moderate to weak correlations in environmental quality and culture. As SCP levels improve, the coupling coordination degree between the urban SCP and LCL systems also increases, driven primarily by economic, management, and societal factors. Conversely, the subsystems of low-carbon culture and environmental quality show poorer integration. Based on these findings, this study proposes an evaluation system for smart and low-carbon coupling coordination development, outlining pathways for future development from the perspective of urban complex systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the acceleration of urbanization, subway construction has become a key part of urban development. However, shield construction often needs to cross existing railway lines, which requires accurate prediction of ground surface settlement of railway operation facilities to ensure railway safety and smooth construction. The existing Internet of Things (IOT) ground surface settlement prediction mainly relies on deep learning algorithms, but these algorithms are often difficult to take into account the extraction of local features and the capture of global features when processing long time sequence data, resulting in the prediction effect is affected when processing long-term dependent ground surface settlement data. In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a ground surface settlement prediction method based on T-BiGRU Mask Multi-Head Self-Attention Informer (TM-Informer). First, T-BiGRU is introduced into the model to effectively cover a wide range of time scales and extract the local feature of the settlement sequence data. Second, Mask Multi-Head Self-Attention (MMSA) is used to effectively solve the long-term dependence problem in long time sequence settlement data prediction and enhance the global feature capture ability of the model. In this paper, TM-Informer is compared with Informer, Transformer and LSTM by four evaluation indexes MSE, MAE, RMSE and MAPE. The experimental results show that the MSE, MAE, RMSE and MAPE of TM-Informer are 0.301, 0.432, 0.548 and 2.617, respectively, which are 0.08, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.26 higher than those of Informer, which proves the effectiveness of TM-Informer in railway ground surface settlement monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT With the rapid urbanization in China, urban land resources gradually become the core of urban development. This study spatially evaluated the urban land resource carrying capacity (LRCC) with a case study of the built‐up area in Wuhan from 2015 to 2020. Following an evaluation index system, five critical LRCC indicators, including population density, GDP per land area, plot ratio, building density, and road network density, were selected by an analytical hierarchical process. The synthesis of indicators, however, is usually challengeable due to homogeneous assumptions of traditional techniques. In this study, we adopted a local technique, geographically weighted principal component analysis, to calculate a comprehensive carrying pressure (CCP) concerning spatially varying contributions of each indicator on their synthesis across different geographic locations. On mapping these spatial outputs of the built‐up area in Wuhan, the highest CCP was found in the central areas, where population size tends to be influential and the dominant variable in 62.69% of subdistricts. Furthermore, increased construction over the 5 years has led to an increased CCP in some of the peripheries of the built‐up area, and 55.22% of subdistricts show rising changes. With the GWPCA technique, this framework works well in evaluating and analyzing urban LRCC from a new local perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMany coastal small-scale fishing (SSF) communities in low and middle-income countries are experiencing urbanisation due to global development and migration patterns. Scholars have documented how processes related to urbanisation present SSF communities with a unique series of opportunities and challenges. However, it is still poorly understood how SSF communities perceive and pursue resilience while adapting to these changing conditions. To address this gap, we conduct ethnographic research among the members of a fishing cooperative in Cancun, Mexico. We find that four factors related to Cancun’s pattern of development have incentivized local fishers to adopt a trans-sector perspective of livelihood resilience through which they view fishing as a lucrative but fleeting opportunity, with some actively planning a transition to non-fishing livelihoods. These four factors are the depletion of local fisheries, rising land values, the proliferation of non-fishing livelihood opportunities, and regional migration patterns. Whether local fishers ultimately prove resilient to the stresses of urbanisation depends partly upon the degree to which local governance and support systems align with this perspective. By contextualizing these findings within the broader literature on SSFs and urban development, we develop a heuristic to hypothesize to what extent these findings are generalizable beyond the study context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization poses a significant threat to environmental sustainability, particularly in Pakistan, where uncontrolled urban growth and water mismanagement have exacerbated water scarcity and climate variability. This study investigates the spatiotemporal impacts of urbanization and climate change on groundwater in Lahore District, Pakistan. various parameters were considered to execute the study including land use/land cover (LULC), rainfall, Land Surface Temperature (LST), ground wells and population data using advanced techniques such as Random Forest machine learning algorithm, Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis. Our findings reveal that urbanization has severely impacted the water table in the north, northwest, and southwest areas. There is a significant negative negative correlation (-0.333) between the quantity of groundwater level (GWL) and the annual average LST whereas, the p-value (0.75) is also showing highly significant relation of GWL and LST in the study area. Whereas a positive association (0.666) exist (p-value 0.333 moderately significant) between yearly GWL and the mean precipitation. This research provides crucial insights for policymakers to understand the effects of urbanization and climate change on groundwater and develop strategies to mitigate adverse impacts in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban-Building Energy Modelling (UBEM) tools play a crucial role in analysing and optimizing energy use within cities. Among the available approaches, the bottom-up physics-based one is the most versatile for urban development and management applications. However, their accuracy is often limited by the inability to capture the dynamic impact of occupants' presence and actions (i.e., Occupant Behaviour) on building energy use patterns. While recent research has explored advanced Occupant Behaviour (OB) modelling techniques that incorporate stochasticity and contextual influences, current UBEM practices primarily rely on static occupant profiles, due to limitations in the software itself. This paper addresses this topic by conducting a thorough literature review to examine existing OB modelling techniques, data sources, key features and detailed information that could enhance UBEM simulations. Furthermore, the flexibility of available UBEM tools for integrating advanced OB models will be assessed, along with the identification of areas for improvement. The findings of this review are intended to guide researchers and tool developers towards creating more robust and occupant-centric urban energy simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the impact of urbanization on carbon emissions is crucial for formulating effective emission reduction policies. Using nighttime light data and attribute data from 68 Chinese cities (2002–2021), this paper develops an urban development evaluation system with the entropy method. The Lasso method is employed to select key factors affecting carbon emissions, and hierarchical regression models are utilized to analyze these factors across different city types. The results show the following: (1) The extraction of built-up areas using integrated nighttime light data yields an overall accuracy ranging from 70.90% to 98.87%, reflecting high precision. (2) Expanding cities have predominated over the past two decades, indicating a continued upward trend in urbanization in China. (3) Urban development is influenced by internal characteristics and geographic location: contracting cities are mainly inland heavy industrial centers, while expanding cities are located in economically advanced coastal regions. Additionally, it is also impacted by the growth of surrounding cities, exemplified by the imbalance between central cities and their peripheries within metropolitan areas. (4) The expansion of built-up areas is a significant factor affecting carbon emissions across all city types. For expanding cities, managing population growth and promoting tertiary sector development are recommended, while contracting cities should focus on judicious economic planning and virescence area protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface urban heat island (SUHI) phenomenon has become increasingly severe due to the combined effects of global warming and rapid urban expansion, and the difference between urban and rural thermal environments has increased significantly. This trend has profound impacts on social, economic, and ecological environments. Research related to SUHI has achieved fruitful results; however, quantitative research methods for SUHI have not been unified with standards and systems, which will certainly affect the comparability of the results of SUHI research. Few studies have combined and compared multiple SUHI methods. Therefore, we designed a study of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration as a test case to quantitatively analyze the differences between SUHI results in different urban and rural contexts based on five different SUHI research methods. It was found that (1) there were significant differences in the SUHI intensity results among the different methods. The maximum difference in the SUHI intensity obtained by different methods can be up to 6 °C. The lowest SUHI intensity was observed during the day in the urban–buffer method, and the lowest SUHI intensity was observed at night in the urban–water method. (2) Different methods affected the distribution of SUHI areas and their evolutionary characteristics. The NHI (no heat island), WCI (weak cold island), and WHI (weak heat island) zones were larger, with proportions exceeding 70%. The expansion range of the heat island zone during the daytime was mainly in the west and north of the YRD urban agglomeration, whereas the expansion of the heat island range at night was mainly concentrated in the center and south. (3) The trend changes observed using different methods were significantly different. When we applied the urban–buffer and municipal–nonmunicipal methods, most cities showed an upward trend. However, when the other methods were applied, most cities exhibited a downward trend. The differences in trend results owing to the choice of different methods were greater with respect to values in the summer months and smaller in the winter months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation of agricultural land into urban areas causes negative impacts on the livelihood of people in rural areas and affects their overall condition. To maintain or increase the opportunities for living and well-being during any disturbance resulting from a development project is called livelihood resilience. This research presents a comprehensive assessment of the effects of urban development-induced displacement and resettlement on the livelihood resilience of rural households. The sustainable livelihood approach (SLA), proposed by the Department for International Development (DFID), has been utilized to achieve these objectives. This research designed a measurement model through a systematic selection of indicators under five livelihood assets. The measurement model was verified by interviewing 348 households and applying a confirmatory factor analysis. Then, through a pairwise comparison of three scenarios of households (already displaced, economically displaced, and to-be-displaced) applying Mann–Whitney U-tests, the study evaluated the livelihood resilience of the households of Atal Nagar-Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The findings show variability in physical assets across the scenarios, while there is no significant difference in social assets. The economic assets are significantly different for economically displaced and to-be-displaced households. Moreover, the result also shows that economically displaced households suffer the most, while the already displaced households get accustomed to the situation with time. The research reveals that rather than only providing monetary compensation, intensifying agricultural or farming activities, along with providing various supports for maintaining social and human assets, can better ensure the sustainable development of affected people and the efficacy of urban development projects. Moreover, it highlights the critical role of well-structured resettlement programs in mitigating negative impacts and bolstering livelihood resilience. With a novel methodological approach and the obtained results, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners that can help craft urban development strategies that prioritize the welfare of the affected people from rural areas and improve their livelihood resilience. Practical Applications: Urban development, through the transformation of agricultural land, negatively impacts the lives and livelihoods of the people in rural areas. This research endeavors to mitigate the risks by strengthening the livelihood resilience of the households in rural areas impacted by a new city/town development. This research identified four livelihood assets, namely, physical, social, economic, and human, to understand the nature of livelihood resilience. The research reveals that rather than only providing monetary compensation, intensification of agricultural or farming activities, livestock breeding, and accessibility of irrigation facilities are more crucial for people in rural areas. Moreover, the physical infrastructure, although improved after resettlement, may not ensure long-term resilience for displacees and resettlers due to the loss of regular income and employment. In addition, providing necessary information related to displacement and resettlement and various government schemes and assessing and planning by local government, institutions to enhance communication with neighbors and friends are important for making the deprived people resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demolition issue of long-span spatial lattice structures has become increasingly prominent with the rapid urban development and building upgrades. Building deconstruction offers superior economic and environmental benefits compared to traditional demolition and therefore should be further promoted and applied. Dismantling in blocks is an efficient approach for deconstruction of long-span spatial lattice structures, surpassing the practice of dismantling individual components one by one. However, dividing the entire structure into substructures considering the convenience and safety of dismantling operations is the first challenge of dismantling in blocks yet to be overcome. In this study, a block planning method was proposed to aid practitioners in making high-quality block schemes. The topological relation of spatial grids defined by the adjacency matrix is the basis. The comprehensive evaluation index was established reflecting the operability, efficiency, and safety of the block scheme. Taking the combination of spatial grids as the variable and the comprehensive evaluation index combined with constraint functions as the objective, the block planning was formulated as an optimization problem. The genetic algorithm was adopted to solve this problem, and two examples were presented for verification. Results confirmed that the proposed block planning method is effective to generate the high-quality block scheme that meets topology, quantity, and lifting weight requirements and has great synthetical performance. The consideration of structural symmetry can accelerate the optimization process. The zoning planning strategy provides a tool for practitioners to make the block scheme that meets the lifting weight requirements of different zones when the crane's lifting capacity is limited by operating space. The proposed block planning method will enrich the construction management technologies of dismantling projects and help engineers make efficient and wise decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Value capture (VC) is widely cited as a method for local authorities to provide urban public goods to their cities in the face of fiscal stress. Its application in practice however remains limited. In this article, we aim to explain the implementation process of VC as a strategy to fund public transportation infrastructure through case studies in London, New York, and Copenhagen. Adopting a theory of gradual institutional change, we argue that the implementation of VC depends on the capacity to change distributional institutions that are inherently contested. Particularly relevant is the role of the beneficiary, whose support of VC is necessary but not likely. Our results show that a strategic urban development project can act as a driver to overcome this barrier, but that this driver can, simultaneously, also hinder the institutionalization potential of a VC strategy. We therefore suggest that, for VC strategies to become more commonplace, sharing value uplifts among beneficiaries must become more commonplace too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the history of baseball integration in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. While Jackie Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers is often seen as the most significant moment in breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, there were other instances of racial integration in baseball at various professional levels and in different regions. Suffolk County had its own history of baseball integration, with teams like the Brookhaven Town Highway Nine breaking racial norms by including African American players. Ralph "Sammy" Bunn, a star Black pitcher, became the first known African American to play on a white Suffolk County baseball team. His story is seen as a significant moment in the community's baseball history. [Extracted from the article]

Models of human mobility can be broadly applied to find solutions addressing diverse topics such as public health policy, transportation management, emergency management, and urban development. However, many mobility models require individual-level data that is limited in availability and accessibility. Synthetic populations are commonly used as the foundation for mobility models because they provide detailed individual-level data representing the different types and characteristics of people in a study area. Thorough evaluation of synthetic populations is required to detect data biases before the prejudices are transferred to subsequent applications. Although synthetic populations are commonly used for modeling mobility, they are conventionally validated by their sociodemographic characteristics, rather than mobility attributes. Mobility microdata provides an opportunity to independently/externally validate the mobility attributes of synthetic populations. This study demonstrates a spatially-oriented data validation framework and independent data validation to assess the mobility attributes of two synthetic populations at different spatial granularities. Validation using independent data (SafeGraph) and the validation framework replicated the spatial distribution of errors detected using source data (LODES) and total absolute error. Spatial clusters of error exposed the locations of underrepresented and overrepresented communities. This information can guide bias mitigation efforts to generate a more representative synthetic population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, limited surface space and restricted urban expansion have become increasingly prominent. The development of underground spaces has emerged as an effective solution, offering a new dimension for urban growth and sustainability. However, due to the non-renewable and costly nature of underground space (UGS), it should be properly planned before development to avoid waste of resources and economic loss. In this study, the potential of UGS development based on the influence of surface buildings was evaluated by using the high-resolution satellite images of Gaofen-2 (GF-2) in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. Firstly, the DeepLabv3+ network was lightened to enhance the training efficiency and building extraction accuracy. The building shadows were then extracted by an improved shadow measurement model, and used to estimate the height of extracted buildings based on the imaging mechanism and information of the remote sensing image. Finally, the building height (BH) was converted into the depth of influence on the UGS, and the development potential of the UGS was then estimated. The experimental results show that the UGS within 0–10 m in Qingdao city has been extensively occupied. However, the geological layers between 10–30 m and 30–50 m contain large continuous areas that have not been utilized, indicating the greatest potential for resource development within the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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With urban expansion, traditional drainage systems in densely populated cities face significant challenges, leading to frequent flooding and pollution issues. Deep tunnel drainage systems emerge as an innovative approach, offering underground storage for excess precipitation and alleviating urban inundation. This research investigates the deployment of a deep tunnel system in Guangzhou's densely populated urban core. By integrating with existing networks, this system aims to curtail over-flow contamination and boost sewage-handling capacity. Successful implementation hinges on the thorough evaluation and synchronization with broader urban development objectives. In Guangzhou, where traditional methods fall short, deep tunnels present a viable option. This study explores techniques for identifying drainage deficiencies, devising enhancements, and refining citywide strategies. Economic analysis indicates that deep tunnels are more cost-effective than conventional drainage upgrades, offering long-term benefits for land conservation and drainage efficiency. Following implementation, these systems markedly enhance sewage management, diminish overflow incidents, and improve pollution mitigation. Although initial investments are substantial, the enduring advantages in land preservation and drainage efficiency are significant. Thus, deep tunnel systems emerge as a practical flood control solution for high-density urban areas like Guangzhou, fostering sustainable metropolitan growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was published open access under a CC BY-NC-ND licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban development in historic cities frequently faces the dilemma of balancing preserving cultural heritage with meeting economic competition and modernization requirements. This study investigates the long-term viability of repurposing heritage buildings in the urban areas of Fuwwah and Rosetta, Egypt. It specifically examines the intricate relationship between competition and integration in achieving sustainability. This study examines the present condition of heritage conservation in these cities by analyzing the factors that impact the sustainability of repurposing buildings and evaluating the effectiveness of strategies that balance the pressures of urban competition with the need to incorporate heritage into the changing urban environment. The research examines the practices and difficulties associated with repurposing heritage buildings in Fuwwah and Rosetta. Examine the economic, social, and environmental factors that impact the long-term viability of heritage preservation. Assess the equilibrium between urban development influenced by competition and the inclusive methods of repurposing heritage buildings. The research methodology comprises two approaches: the first involves conducting a literature review on heritage building reuse, sustainability in heritage conservation, and competition and integration in urban development. The analysis approach focuses on assessing heritage conservation in case studies by examining competition and integrating investment in heritage buildings. The ultimate goal is to draw conclusions and determine the results of these assessments. The research highlights: The study focuses on conserving heritage areas and repurposing heritage buildings in an integrated manner for cities within the same region. This aims to leverage each city's unique characteristics to create competitive investment opportunities, particularly in tourism. Additionally, the goal is to capitalize on each city's distinctiveness to become attractions that mutually benefit one another through project integration. The research examines the cities of Fuwwah and Rosetta as case studies. A series of projects were proposed that interconnect while preserving the privacy of each city. After evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges, these projects were validated through a questionnaire distributed to the relevant stakeholders. The research results confirmed the hypothesis and demonstrated that the proposed projects are conducive to integrated development between the two cities while maintaining the distinctiveness of each city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling the prediction of land use/land cover (LULC) change is necessary for sustainable management of natural resources and effective planning for proper urban development. The Markov chain model is the most commonly used prediction model for assessing LULC changes. This study aims to assess changes in LULC in Cuttack City from 1990 to 2020 and to predict LULC modification in 2050. For the analysis, Landsat satellite data were collected from the USGS website for 1990, 2005, and 2020. The satellite images were masked with our area of interest and classified using the maximum likelihood classifier tool in ArcGIS 10.2. The result of the multi‐temporal classification shows that the built‐up area percentage reached 45.927% in 1990 and 57.827% in 2020. Most areas of vegetation and water bodies were affected by this impromptu growth. Using the chi‐square test, the results of the Markov model are validated, which shows no significant differences between the classified and simulated areas. This model can, therefore, be accepted for our prediction. Built‐up growth has already achieved its peak in Cuttack City. There may be further growth in built‐up areas in the city shortly. These findings draw the attention of urban planners and policymakers to the stress of urban sprawl and prompt them to take stringent action to deal with this pressing issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese central government uses top-down land quotas as a key tool for limiting urban expansion. Faced with the benefits of land development, how will local governments respond to centralised quotas? We established a framework for multidimensional local government competition to explain quota implementation. This framework includes vertical competition for fiscal revenue and quotas, horizontal competition for economic growth and political promotion, competition between former and subsequent local leaders for recognition of their leadership and temporal distribution of land finance revenue and government debt and competition with landowners as well as developers for land appreciation income and tax revenue. We argue that these types of competition and their spill-over effects drive local governments to strengthen land-centred urbanisation, resulting in the failure of quotas to restrain urban expansion. Our findings help to improve the understanding of local governments' strategies for urban spatial development and centralised urban growth management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hawassa is a rapidly developing city in Lake Hawassa watershed of Ethiopia. Analyzing the effect of land cover dynamics on surface runoff remains imperative to adaptive urban stormwater management. This study quantified spatial variation of land cover and sensitivity of stormwater management response. Historical 30 years of daily annual rainfall, three satellite imageries, DEM, and hydrological soil group data were analyzed. A statistical‐based combined approach of geospatial techniques and Soil Conservation Service‐Curve Number (SCS‐CN) model was employed. CN and surface runoff depth for the delineated urban watersheds were determined. The result revealed that the built‐up area increased by 30.9 km2, where the rate varies spatially. The variation of impervious land cover explains 58.6% of change in CN with coefficient of 0.352. While CN is inversely correlated with agricultural and vegetation land cover variations. The finding suggests CN explains 96.78% of the change in surface runoff with a significant correlation coefficient of 3.91. The proposed integrated model approach justifies the potential to reorganize the relationship between the spatial effect of land cover variation on surface runoff at the urban watersheds. Thus, suitable local‐specific solutions can be devised for effective management of flood risk and optimize the drainage system of urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Urban Regeneration & Renewal's first issue of Volume 18 covers a range of topics related to urban regeneration and renewal. The papers include case studies from countries such as the US, China, Vietnam, Thailand, France, Italy, and Denmark, and cover issues like housing, stakeholder engagement, infrastructure, creative enterprises, and climate change. The issue also discusses the UK's "levelling up" agenda and the impact of the 2024 general election on regeneration policies. The papers provide insights into various approaches and best practices for addressing urban challenges globally. [Extracted from the article]

According to the greenhouse gas (GHG) protocol for cities, GHGs are responsible for an estimated 75 per cent of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. This represents a key opportunity to tackle climate change. With the year 2023 and, in particular, the month of July delivering record-breaking temperatures, this demonstrates a clear need to accelerate decarbonisation and, in this context, to reduce the carbon footprint of cities. Further, acting on urban development addresses a number of key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Many cities, however, are struggling to break away from a reliance on carbon and some are economically dependent on it. This paper seeks to investigate, through an energy justice lens, some first considerations of how to secure just and sustainable urban regeneration. It posits that energy justice, and its five core principles, is a useful analytical tool for considering the justice and development concerns related to the transition to a low-carbon world. The cities examined in brief in this comparative study are Bordeaux in France, Venice in Italy, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Bangkok in Thailand. The research posits that despite different trajectories, cities can play a leading role in ensuring justice and sustainability in our low-carbon world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affordable housing is among the biggest policy challenges facing cities worldwide. Treating New York City as a case study, this paper reviews a multifaceted toolkit to combat the housing crisis. Specifically, the analysis focuses on how the government incentivises real estate developers to build affordable housing, with both financial incentives such as tax abatements, tax credits and loans funded by tax-exempt bonds and non-financial means such as zoning regulations. The study demonstrates both the successes achieved by New York City and the unintended consequences that emerged from these interventions, and the research argues that beyond financial and economic considerations, long-range spatial planning factors play a pivotal role in the formulation of effective affordable housing policies. The research underscores the need for policy makers globally to take a holistic approach and integrate various elements of city growth to address the intricate challenges posed by housing crises in urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the theoretical and practical links between digital twin (DT) application in heritage facilities management (HFM) from a life cycle management perspective and to signpost the future development directions of DT in HFM. Design/methodology/approach: This state-of-the-art review was conducted using a systematic literature review method. Inclusive and exclusive criteria were identified and used to retrieve relevant literature from renowned literature databases. Shortlisted publications were analysed using the VOSviewer software and then critically reviewed to reveal the status quo of research in the subject area. Findings: The review results show that DT has been mainly adopted to support decision-making on conservation approach and method selection, performance monitoring and prediction, maintenance strategies design and development, and energy evaluation and management. Although many researchers attempted to develop DT models for part of a heritage building at component or system level and test the models using real-life cases, their works were constrained by availability of empirical data. Furthermore, data capture approaches, data acquisition methods and modelling with multi-source data are found to be the existing challenges of DT application in HFM. Originality/value: In a broader sense, this study contributes to the field of engineering, construction and architectural management by providing an overview of how DT has been applied to support management activities throughout the building life cycle. For the HFM practice, a DT-cum-heritage building information modelling (HBIM) framework was developed to illustrate how DT can be integrated with HBIM to facilitate future DT application in HFM. The overall implication of this study is that it reveals the potential of heritage DT in facilitating HFM in the urban development context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst global concerns about land use change and its far-reaching impact on biodiversity and human well-being, there is a growing need to understand how land use stock and flow changes over time through land use accounting. While existing studies on land accounting have focused on historical land changes, little attention has been paid to future transitions. This study assessed historical patterns and projected future shifts in land use dynamics from 1987 to 2050 across Japan by combining high-resolution land use and land cover datasets, land change simulations, and land accounting. In the analyses, particular attention was paid to the historical and future trends of farmland abandonment by leveraging data at 100-m resolution built on national vegetation surveys. High-resolution analysis of farmland abandonment issue with national scale in Japan is a novelty. From 1987 to 1998, the land stock analysis results showed a pronounced marked increase in residential land (10.4%) and grassland (16.9%); the flow analysis results showed that urban residential sprawl expansion was mainly formed by secondary (32.6%) and plantation (21.1%) forest areas, coinciding with increasing population and economic growth. Projections from 2010 to 2050 indicate a marked increase in abandoned farmland (67.2% per decade), a trend influenced by rapid population decline and presumably agricultural policies, especially significant in regions such as Hokkaido and Kyushu. The findings of this study are crucial for shaping policy and decision-making, underlining the need for sustainable land management strategies that effectively balance urban growth, agricultural productivity, and environmental preservation in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Increasing population density in urban areas in recent decades has led to the need to develop the building environment in an accelerated way, being necessary for the construction of buildings and their vertical development for a higher percentage of occupancy of the population on a small area of land. Urban expansion has determined the need to impose restrictions on public law through laws and regulations, to reduce the negative impact on the environment and to increase the quality of life of the population. Integrating restrictions, rights and responsibilities into cadastral systems would be an important step in developing integrated real estate management systems. This article aims to monitor the impact of public law restrictions on buildings in the urban area and to present urban regulations and legislation in Romania with applicability in the field of construction through the study of case in which a 3D model of representation and visualization of the restrictions of public law of the buildings is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature reserves have played a crucial role in biodiversity conservation for decades. Rapid urban sprawl has increased the amount of solid waste created by littering and illegal dumping in metropolitan nature reserves. This paper examines how two nature reserves, Wolfgat Nature Reserve and Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserves, can combine community conservation with waste management. To determine aspects such as the socioeconomic impact of the nature reserves on the surrounding communities, questionnaires with a specific focus on the topic were distributed to the surrounding communities and subsequently administered. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with key informants from the nature reserve staff and observational methods, and SPSS was used to analyze the data. Consistent with previous research, this study revealed that ignoring local populations frequently results in people disobeying the appropriate regulations in these protected areas and that education does not guarantee conservation support. Despite this, the survey revealed an absence of community participation; conservators were more reactive than proactive. In this study, the level of education, which in some studies is always associated with knowledge, was contradicted; those with post-secondary education knew little about these areas, and the vast majority of participants were unaware of the protected areas just a few kilometers away from their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the influence of the Communist Party of China on the country's development, focusing on key leaders such as Mao, Deng, Jiang, Hu, and Xi. It explores how Deng's reforms in 1978 transformed China into an urban society and how his successors built upon his foundation. The article also highlights the challenges faced by China's urban development, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for resilient and adaptive urban planning. It introduces a book by Hu that analyzes popular concepts and buzzwords in Chinese urbanization, examining their origins, evolution, and current connotations. The book provides insights into the evolving discourse of Chinese urban landscapes and the "new normal" of urbanization. Hu's work offers a comprehensive and balanced narrative of the real Chinese city, drawing on historical and contemporary materials and providing in-depth case studies of representative Chinese cities. The article concludes by discussing the paradoxes and tensions in Chinese urbanization and the imperative of sustainability and enduring prosperity. Overall, Hu's analysis provides a nuanced understanding of Chinese urban transition since the 2010s. [Extracted from the article]

The predicament of digital authoritarianism is particularly grievous for Africa because democratic institutions have been gradually eroded in several countries throughout the region. Illiberal regimes, in particular, exploit digital technologies to undermine such fragile democracies as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Moreover, surveillance technology is expanding throughout the region as national and local governments seek to increase their capacity to monitor and control their populations—a trend that has been aggravated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This article assesses the risks posed by smart cities to democratic institutions and processes by identifying the main models of smart city development and how they conceive of the state and citizens' relationship, then assessing how smart cities can potentially foster and consolidate digital authoritarianism, with a particular focus on the technology that a regime can exploit to pursue illiberal goals. I provide cases to illustrate how smart city systems promote digital authoritarianism and conclude by discussing proposals to mitigate the technological risks and promote democratic smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]