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Many studies have disentangled the perceived benefits of vegetation on subjective well‐being (SWB). Yet, scant attention has been paid to the joint effect of vegetation and building density on SWB. This study explores the relationship between streetscape vegetation (SV), building density and SWB in Beijing, China. Our analysis relies on rich measures of street view data to assess SV exposure at the neighbourhood level. Notably, we distinguish between trees (SV‐tree) and grasses (SV‐grass) when evaluating SV metrics. The results suggest that streetscape trees and grasses are positively associated with SWB, though estimated effects are dependent upon tree and grass density exposures. We also find that the effects of streetscape trees and grass are moderated by building density in the neighbourhood. Additional decomposition analysis provides the insight that the well‐being implications of street vegetation and building density are varied significantly by individual sociodemographic characteristics such as sex, age and income. The findings of this study suggest the importance of considering density in SV planning and land use policies to enhance people's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic upgrading (EU) is being undertaken in China to address numerous problems. However, its social consequences have not received considerable attention. This study selects the Pearl River Delta, where EU is prominent, to examine whether and how workers have benefited from EU process. The data used are from the 2012 and 2014 China Labor-force Dynamic Survey and self-conducted interviews, both of which cover measurable standards and enabling rights of workers. Based on the results of direct comparison and linear/logistic regression, this study argues that EU has a positive effect on social upgrading (SU) because state intervention and regulation play a shaping role in balancing the EU and SU. China's state has achieved a good balance among its roles of facilitation, regulation, and distribution. Compared to SU on enabling rights, SU on measurable standards is likely to occur because measurable standards are easily quantified and observed and thus are at the center of workers' occupational conditions at this stage. The state is inclined to pay more attention to measurable standards than enabling rights. The mechanism through which local states interfere with different aspects of SU considerably varies. Local states adopt flexible governance to strike the right balance between EU and SU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban regeneration is an important strategic choice in promoting urban development globally. Existing research on urban regeneration mainly focuses on the community's economic benefits. However, less research concentrates on how community participation contributes to the sustainable development of communities. The aim of this study is to explore the community regeneration approach in the context of urban regeneration in a typical village community in China. This study finds that participatory planning, which is mainly characterized by public participation, can be an effective way of communication and cooperation. The collaborative workshops provide a participatory platform for stakeholders and promote sustainable community development. Therefore, traditional planning approaches may need to be changed. The contribution of this article is to develop a collaborative planning approach for sustainable community development, which can serve as a reference for community governance in China and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness may contribute to chronic diseases, while neighbourhood green space is increasingly understood to benefit health. However, whether green space is associated with loneliness is less understood, especially for an ageing population. This study aims to explore the relationship between different measures of green space and loneliness among middle-aged and older adults (N = 8383) based on a national cohort. Loneliness was measured with a yes-or-no (binary) self-reported question, while the availability of residential green space was assessed with the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and proportion of neighbourhood public parks. Multilevel logistic regression models, stratified and mediation analysis were used to test whether green space availability was associated with loneliness. The results showed that both forms of residential green space were negatively associated with the risk of loneliness, even after adjustments for covariates. These associations were partially mediated by social cohesion and modified by socioeconomic status and age; residents who were males, at least 60 years old, had lower incomes, or had no high school degree showed protective associations of residential green space on loneliness in some stratified models. These findings indicate that residential green space plays an important role in loneliness risk reduction in middle-aged and older adults, so policymakers can consider urban greening as part of their comprehensive plans to support the mental health of ageing adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake preparedness can reduce casualties and economic losses caused by earthquakes effectively. Existing literature confirms that people's knowledge and perception of earthquakes can affect their actions concerning earthquake preparedness greatly. However, studies have mostly focused on developed countries. Meanwhile, China, particularly its rural regions, has been neglected. In addressing this deficiency, this study examines 5 counties and 10 villages that were seriously affected by the 2008 Wenchuan (Sichuan) earthquake. Using an on-site survey of residents, earthquake perceptions and their impact on disaster preparedness behavior were examined empirically. Exploratory factor analysis and random-effect logistic regression analysis were used. The results reveal that two factors considerably influence disaster preparedness behavior. First, residents with autonomous earthquake information access tend to be more prepared. Second, residents who are more sensitive about earthquakes (high perceived risk of occurrence) tend to be more prepared for earthquakes. Evidently, knowledge and awareness of earthquakes have a positive impact on the disaster preparedness of residents living in rural earthquake-prone regions. Consequently, government agencies should enhance the earthquake education of local residents as part of the national effort to mitigate the adverse effects of future earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns regarding climate change have recently spotlighted the devastating impacts of flooding. In this regard, disaster preparedness is known to mitigate against potential loss suffered as a consequence of flood disasters. Extant research has explored the influence of residents' experience and attitude on disaster preparedness behavior as separate factors; however, research to date has yet to consider these inter-related factors simultaneously. Accordingly, this study explores this relationship, taking rural residents of the flood-prone regions of Sichuan Province, China, as the research subject. Exploratory factor analysis and ordered logistic regression are used to ascertain the effects of flood experience and attitude on residents' disaster preparedness behavior. Results show the following. (1) The level of disaster preparedness behavior of rural residents is relatively low. (2) Respondents who are older, more educated, or who have lived locally for longer are more likely to be better prepared for flood disasters. (3) On the other hand, respondents with higher income, either as individuals or households, are less prepared. (4) Previous flood experience and disposition toward disaster also impacts preparedness behavior. On the basis of these findings, the following suggestions are proposed as mitigation policies for flood-prone areas. (1) Structural flood control measures should be organically combined with daily disaster preparedness. (2) Rural areas affected by devastating floods should offer psychological counseling to residents in order to reduce states of fear and helplessness. (3) Government departments should inform residents in real time of flood warnings and of flood control measures. (4) Lastly, relevant local departments should educate local residents in flood preparedness. Taken together, these measures can be expected to improve living conditions, people's trust in the media, and in the government's flood control capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine how tourists perceive the quality of a walking system in a traffic-free destination. We conducted a questionnaire survey on tourist satisfaction with attributes and overall performance of the walking system at Kulangsu (China) in October 2017 and February 2018. We developed an ordered probit model to evaluate the relative importance of each attribute by employing the pooled cross-sectional data. Results show that the attributes that need an enhancement in the view of tourists are the level of crowding and cleanliness. The two attributes have not been pointed out in previous literature. Accordingly, policy implications are proposed. The findings enhance our understanding of tourist satisfaction with the walking system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing literature has overemphasized the power of state in the theorization of China's urbanization and transition, and after the reform and opening-up, substantial attention has been given to the interaction between state and market. Comparatively, the role of society has been vastly underestimated. The paper selects housing planting in Hohhot to explain how local villagers contended actively with local states for and over space to increase compensation for land requisition. The contention has caused severe social conflicts, high compensation cost, and forced demolition, thereby threatening local states' land finance and development. Essentially, space has become a useful tool for citizens to preserve their interests. This implies that with the rise of society, China's urbanization is transitioning from a high-speed and low-cost stage to a high-quality and high-cost stage. Due to the changing relation between state, capital, and society, many pertinent institutions need to be adjusted as well. The paper calls for additional attention to the state-society-relation perspective when theorizing China's urban development. • Apply housing planting in Hohhot to understand the new urban space landscape in China via the state-society-relation perspective. • Reveal the process of how villagers contend for and over space with local state to analyze the spatial power relation. • Offer political-economic implications of the rise of society in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Transport policies are often carried out in package form, but, presently, transport policy package (TPP) remains a theoretical concept whose practicality has rarely been investigated. Additionally, jobs-housing balance has become a major urban planning and public policy issue that has received considerable scholarly attention. This study probes into evaluating TPPs using the minimum commute , a proxy for jobs-housing balance and an important statistic in the excess commuting framework. Using a brief transportation problem model of linear programming, the minimum commute statistics in scenarios with different TPPs are calculated by repeatedly solving the proposed mathematical model. Moreover, this study considers multimodal commuting for better reflecting realistic situations. Drawing on an empirical study in Xiamen, China, we show that the mathematical model provides indicators for urban form evaluation. Highlights • Assesses the effect of transport policy packages on the theoretical minimal commuting cost • Proposes a transportation problem model of linear programming to determine the effect • Integrates multimodal commuting into the excess commuting framework [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem services (ES) concepts and approaches have become more appealing to practice, such as municipal/urban planning, environmental policies and governance to address sustainable development. Inclusion of this concept in the planning or policy discourses is the first step for further implementation on the ground. Using China's capital, Beijing, as the case study, this article analyzes how ES (or similar concepts) have permeated China's urban development history since 1949 when the New China was established and how this has to be with China's urban green space development. The results show: (1) There were no explicit references to "ecosystem services" per se, but overlapping concepts such as "functions", "values" and "benefits" can be found in planning documents and, importantly, the lack of the concept per se has not affected the detailed services that emerged in all plans. (2) Among the three ES sections, only cultural services run from the beginning to end although the included services kept changing. Other sections show considerable variation and less continuity – the focal services of each stage changed over time. (3) Through the ES lens, some general patterns regarding China's urban development can be found such as regulation services gradually become valued for their own sake. The patterns found in Chinese planning documents are then compared with some western regions. This study reveals limitations of the past and opportunities for the future to inform urban development decision-making. Adaptation of old and incorporating new ES concepts can improve the quality of plans and foster cities' ability to learn from past patterns for future sustainability. • Analyzing how ecosystem services (ES) have permeated China's urban development. • The study is based on coding and analyzing discourse and document contents. • Through ES lens, general patterns can be found in China. • Cultural services play a pivotal role in urban development history. • Opportunities exist in the "non-mainstream" ES to incorporate more ES into plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walking is an imperative travel mode, especially for short trips. Walking accessibility, which is defined as the ease of reaching essential destinations in the walk-in catchment area, may affect property prices because residents are more likely to be willing to pay for this attribute. In addition, different categories of public services may have varied influencing directions and magnitude. These two hypotheses are tested in this study. Taking Xiamen, China as a case study, we estimate the cumulative opportunities of public services on foot and develop a set of hedonic pricing models (more specifically, two pre-specified ordinary least squares models, four Box-Cox transformed models, and two spatial econometric models) to estimate, whether and to what extent, walking accessibility contributes to price premiums (or discounts). Using a database of 22,586 second-hand residential properties in 358 multi- or high-storey residential complexes, we find that (1) walking accessibility to public services contributes to the variations in housing prices and plays a role in determining housing prices; (2) different categories of services have vastly divergent, even opposite, influencing impacts; and (3) walking accessibility to primary schools, commercial centers, and sports and cultural centers have positive effects on house prices whereas walking accessibility to comprehensive hospitals adversely affects housing prices. Methodologically, we confirm that spatial econometric methods improve estimation accuracy and have more explanatory power relative to the standard non-spatial models. Robustness check analysis further guarantees the plausibility of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban redevelopment is a crucial prescription in response to the problems associated with limited land, urban decay, and fading buildings, especially for China's megacities. Given that state-dominated urban redevelopment is slow and limited, the Chinese government has proposed a pioneering market-oriented approach to drive urban redevelopment in Shenzhen. This study seeks to examine the impacts of market-oriented institutional arrangements on land redevelopment approval duration (LRAD) in China from the perspective of public and private interests. Various institutional arrangements are observed under the institutional change of urban redevelopment in Shenzhen, and they are differed by the nature of the applicants, including the original property owners (old factory owner (OFO)), their representatives (e.g., village committees (VC) and the government agency involved in redevelopment (URB)), and developers (DP , second-hand property owner). A number of hypotheses are developed, and empirical tests are conducted to verify or dismiss our hypotheses with the data in Shenzhen. The empirical findings indicate that (1) The LRAD is the shortest when the applicant is the OFO and the longest if the applicant is the local government officials such as URB. (2) Compared with the URB , the LRAD is shorter if the VC is the applicant. (3) The LRAD is longer for the projects with a larger redevelopment scale and the projects with more dedicated public facilities. The findings shed new insights into the design and practical effects of market-oriented institutional arrangements on the progress performance of urban redevelopment, which can give the local government a timely reminder that they should examine and approve urban redevelopment schemes in a soundly planned and socially sustainable fashion. • Under bottom up urban redevelopment, property owners are endowed with land redevelopment right and allowed to apply for redevelopment directly. • Institutional arrangements are differed by the nature of the applicant who owns different sets of property/land rights. • Land redevelopment approval duration (LRAD) is the shortest when the applicant is the sole private property owners. • LRAD is the longest if the applicant is the local government officials. • Compared with the local government, LRAD is shorter if village committee (VC) is the applicant due to lower agency cost. • LRAD is longer for the projects with a larger-scale redevelopment site and the projects with more developer obligations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• COVID-19 reduces the implicit price of metro accessibility. • The price elasticity of distance to the metro is −0.024 before COVID-19 but turns to −0.018 during the pandemic. • COVID-19 does not harm property prices in Chengdu. • This study points out an innovative and interesting research direction. The metro (or underground railways) has become a backbone in the transit systems of many cities. It has numerous externalities, such as ameliorating traffic congestion and enhancing nearby property prices. Previous studies extensively focused on the relationship between metro accessibility and property prices and obtained various interesting findings and enriched practical implications. However, this relationship in the era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other epidemic shocks has not been investigated. Based on a unique property transaction dataset (including tens of thousands of transactions stretching from 2018 to 2020) in Chengdu, China, this study develops a battery of hedonic pricing models and difference-in-differences models to decipher the time-varying relationship between metro accessibility and residential property prices. The results show that the implicit price of metro accessibility modestly decreases in COVID-19, which can be explained by the declining role of the metro. In other words, the price gap between proximate and distant properties is narrowed, and the property price gradient is flattened. Specifically, the price elasticity of distance to the metro is − 0.024 before COVID-19, but it turns to − 0.018 during the pandemic. The relative price of properties within 500 m from metro stations to those farther away (500 m − 3 km) decreases by 15.4% during the pandemic. Additionally, COVID-19 does not jeopardize property prices in Chengdu. Furthermore, the decrease in metro access premiums may be short-lived and only persisted for several months or years. The plausibility and robustness of the core findings have been confirmed through alternative treatment groups, alternative model specifications, and placebo tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Outdoor thermal comfort is evaluated in an urban park in a hot-summer and cold-winter region of China (Chengdu). • Machine learning techniques are applied to determine the (nonlinear) relationship between thermal sensation vote and meteorological factors. • The effect of landscape spaces on human thermal comfort varies across the season. • NTR of PET is 6.79 °C to 19.90 °C, and NTR of UTCI is 13.27 °C to 27.25 °C. TAR of PET is 2.8 °C to 21.9 °C, and TAR of UTCI is 8.1 °C to 28.3 °C. Global warming and rapid urbanization have exacerbated the urban heat island effect. Urban parks contribute to alleviating such an effect and achieving the "carbon emission peak before 2030" and "carbon neutrality before 2060" goals of China. Their popularity is considerably influenced by human thermal comfort. However, limited thermal comfort studies have been conducted in the hot-summer and cold-winter region of China. This study examines human thermal comfort in different landscapes of an urban park in Chengdu and determines the thermal benchmarks. A machine learning (random forest) analysis shows that human thermal sensation is affected by different meteorological factors in different seasons. In addition, the influences of landscape space on human thermal comfort have considerable differences in different seasons. Residents prefer strong solar radiation in winter but fast wind speed in summer. UTCI (universal thermal climate index) is better than PET (physiological equivalent temperature) for outdoor thermal comfort assessment in the study area. This study serves as a valuable baseline and technical reference, contributing to sustainable urban park design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• While BIL supply became increasingly agglomerated, TIL supply was gradually dispersed. • A TIL supply corridor could be identified in the central part of the BTH region. • Contribution of TIL supply to local economic growth was much greater than that of BIL supply. • There existed a 'zero-sum inter-regional linkage effect' among neighboring counties. Industrial land supply, as an important governmental tool in China, has both economic and political connotations. Using the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region as a study area, this paper examines local governments' behavior in supplying industrial land at different technological intensities and its contribution to economic growth from 2007 to 2018. The results are as follows: (1) As time passed, basic industrial land (BIL) supply became increasingly agglomerated, while technology-intensive industrial land (TIL) supply gradually dispersed. (2) A TIL supply corridor could be identified in the central part of the BTH region. (3) The contribution of TIL supply to local economic growth was significantly greater than that of BIL supply. (4) There existed a 'zero-sum inter-regional linkage effect' among neighboring counties, and TIL supply made a greater contribution than BIL supply in the zero-sum game. Finally, important implications for industrial land supply and regional development policies in the BTH region are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bus rapid transit (BRT) syste ms have mushroomed worldwide in the last few decades. An enriched understanding of BRT capitalization effects is essential. Although the BRT accessibility effect on housing prices has been extensively explored, the effect of proximity to the BRT corridor (which may be related to unattractive landscape and noise pollution) has been little scrutinized. More importantly, whether and how the two effects vary across price levels and space have yet to be sufficiently studied. To this end, we estimate the effect of BRT accessibility and proximity on housing prices by applying a battery of econometric methods (including hedonic pricing models, spatial regression models, quantile regression models, and a geographically weighted regression model) to 5185 observations in the housing market in Xiamen Island, China. The results of this study are: (1) BRT accessibility premiums and proximity penalties simultaneously exist in the housing market; (2) buyers of high-priced housing have a greater willingness to pay for avoiding the nuisances attributed to proximity to the BRT corridor; (3) the effect of BRT on housing prices is spatially heterogeneous; (4) the BRT accessibility effect is larger in suburban areas than in urban areas; and (5) housing prices are more predictable near the city centers than outside the area, which may be because a greater proportion of the price of a house near the city centers is derived from the location (rather than the building structure). Finally, policy implications (e.g., building acoustic barriers and planting vegetation along the BRT corridor and improving the transit service in suburban areas) are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Combine the use of Geodetector analysis, PCA, and the GWR model. • Present a novel approach to analyze complex spatially non-stationary relationships. • Assess the spatial variation of PM 2.5 concentrations in the Pearl River Delta region by using the proposed methodology. This study develops an augmented geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to analyze the spatial distribution of PM 2.5 concentrations through the incorporation of Geodetector analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). The modeling approach we propose allows an effective identification of important PM 2.5 drivers and their spatial variation. Geodetector analysis is used to select predictor variables that truly affect the dependent variable, and PCA is adopted to eliminate multicollinearity among the variables. The spatial distribution of PM 2.5 concentrations within the Pearl River Delta region, China, is analyzed using the augmented GWR model. The augmented GWR model has an obvious advantage of parsimony. Moreover, it significantly outperforms the traditional regression model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Effects of accessibility to BRT stations and proximity to the BRT corridor on property prices in a Chinese city are simultaneously evaluated. • Accessibility to BRT stations is positively related to property prices, while proximity to the BRT corridor is negatively associated with the prices. • BRT provides higher accessibility benefits in peripheral areas, compared with central areas. • Many policy implications, such as value capture and reducing the negative externality of BRT corridor, are discussed. Bus rapid transit (BRT) is popular worldwide because it provides high-quality transit services at low costs. China is not an exception in this regard, and it tops the world rankings in BRT network expansion rate. Many studies conducted in the West have shown that BRT accessibility has a positive impact on nearby property prices (accessibility effect). Comparatively, few studies have been conducted in urban China. Moreover, there are even fewer empirical studies on the undesirable factors associated with proximity to the BRT corridor, such as noise, air pollution, and unpleasant visual scenes (proximity effect). Based on 16,165 housing samples in Xiamen (China), we estimated a set of, non-spatial and spatial, hedonic pricing models to simultaneously investigate the accessibility and proximity effects of BRT and tested whether or not accessibility-based premiums and proximity-induced discounts coexist in the housing market. Empirical results of this study suggest that: (1) accessibility to BRT positively affects nearby property prices; (2) proximity to the BRT corridor negatively affects property prices; and (3) accessibility to BRT has a stronger positive impact on property prices in peripheral areas than in central areas. Though the first outcome has been well recognized, the other two have rarely been studied in existing literature, thereby representing the potential contributions of this study. Finally, we proposed policy implications from these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on China’s latest national railway network planning proposal, the connectivity and accessibility indices of China’s high-speed railway network (CHSRN) in different time periods are computed to evaluate the implications of high-speed rail (HSR) for Chinese cities. An overall index for measuring the connectivity-accessibility of cities on the HSR network is proposed based on three indicators: (a) the Beta index, to reflect the connectivity of the HSR, (b) the number of reachable counties by HSR within the 500-km domain of a city, to reflect the location-based accessibility of the HSR, and (c) the population of the reachable places by HSR within the 500-km domain of a city, to reflect the potential-based accessibility of the HSR. Finally, the differences in the normalized connectivity-accessibility levels of different categories of cities are qualified to measure the impact of China’s future national HSR network on the potential development of cities. It is found that “Mid-to-Long-Term Railway Network Plan (Revised in 2016)”, if fully realized, would profoundly change the HSR connectivity/accessibility of different cities. Most notably, cities in the Yangtze River Delta would suffer the most whereas cities of the central and western regions would gain the most. This could potentially contribute to, or bring about new changes in, the socioeconomic landscapes in China. The methodological contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, an overall index to evaluate the comprehensive connectivity and accessibility levels of the HSR network is designed. Secondly, this paper investigates how to qualify the impact of the future HSR network on different tiers of cities in different time periods according to the change of the overall connectivity/accessibility index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined use of non-negotiable (N-NDOs) and negotiable developer obligations (NDOs) has become a principal instrument for land value capture in most countries. In this circumstance, this study seeks to examine how the combined use of NDOs and N-NDOs affects the practical results of land value capture within the context of market-oriented urban redevelopment in China. The ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation and two spatial regression models (SLM and SEM) are applied to parcel-level data samples of all redevelopment projects in Shenzhen, China, for evaluating the practical results of DOs. The outcomes suggest that, in some ways, the combined use of NDOs and N-NDOs leaves room for market players/applicants and the local government to negotiate DOs and other development possibilities. Compared with old factory owners as the applicant, the portion of DOs is higher if developers are the applicant. The applicants who contribute more DOs will strive for a higher floor area ratio bonus, especially when developers act as the applicant. In addition, redevelopment projects located in less developed regions are required to contribute more DOs than those in highly urbanized areas. Our research findings also demonstrate that, in other ways, negotiation disappears, and obligations are charged through non-negotiable statutory urban redevelopment planning. Specifically, projects redeveloped for residential use contribute more DOs than those for industrial use. Moreover, redevelopment projects in higher density zones must contribute more portions of DOs than those in lower density zones. This study provides valuable guidance for policy makers and practitioners to pursue well-designed and properly regulated DOs in urban redevelopment and ultimately achieve sustainable public infrastructure financing. • The combined use of non-negotiable (N-NDOs) and negotiable developer obligations (NDOs) in bottom-up urban redevelopment of Shenzhen brings about varying practical results of contributed obligations. • Compared with the old factory owner as the applicant, the portion of DOs is higher if the developer is the applicant. • The applicant who contributes more DOs will strive for a higher FAR bonus, especially when the developer acts as the applicant. • Redevelopment projects located in less developed regions are required to contribute more DOs than those in highly urbanized areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the rapid escalation of global urbanization, the role of blue-green spaces in urban ecology, public health, and planning has become increasingly prominent. Although their contributions to ecological preservation, public health, and urban design are widely acknowledged, research into public engagement and willingness to participate in the management and planning of these spaces is still in its early stages. Objective: This study aims to identify key factors influencing public willingness to participate in blue-green space management, focusing specifically on people's perceptions of blue-green spaces (including perceived quality and accessibility), their usage behaviors (i.e., frequency of usage of blue-green spaces), and their self-assessed physical and mental health. Methods: We interviewed local residents through random sampling to obtain sample data, and used a representative sample (n = 815, 510 women; 305 men, age 18–85 years, lived in Chengdu for an extensive time) of residents living in Chengdu City, China. Employing a quantitative approach, we examined the relationships between factors such as gender, regular occupation, income, behavior, and health status in relation to the willingness to participate. Additionally, we explored how perceptions and behaviors impacted health statuses and, consequently, inclinations to participate. Results: The findings indicate that individuals with steady occupations and higher incomes are more inclined to engage in the management and planning of blue-green spaces. Notably, men exhibited a greater tendency to participate than women. Furthermore, access to blue-green spaces emerged as a crucial mechanism for addressing health disparities, offering significant implications for urban planning and public health. Conclusion: Successful blue-green space planning and understanding of willingness to participate necessitates the holistic consideration of people's perceptions of blue-green spaces, their usage behaviour and their self-rate health. For a tangible impact on health equity and global urban development, it's essential to prioritize blue-green spaces in planning, especially in lower-income regions. This not only promotes environmental perception but can also be a strategic approach to address health disparities. Our findings offer vital insights for tailoring international urban planning and management practices towards these goals. • Key factors affecting public engagement in urban blue-green space initiatives are perception, income, and health status. • Perception, behavior, and health level can directly affect residents' willingness to participate. • Individuals with higher incomes are more inclined to participate in blue-green space management. • Enhancing blue-green spaces contribute to bridging the gap in health inequalities. • Enhanced blue-green spaces address health disparities, benefiting lower-income communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite many prior studies about the determinants of city-level private car ownership in China, limited studies investigate the effects of vehicle regulation policies and relative price (the ratio of the average car price to GDP per capita) on city-level private car ownership simultaneously. Thus, panel data of 212 cities in China from 2006 to 2015 were collected to explore these effects. The potential explanatory variables include relative price, vehicle regulation policies, socio-economic factors, urban characteristics of the city, and transportation-related factors. The pooled model, fixed-effects model, and random effects model are constructed to analyze the panel data. With the fixed effect on the temporal trend, the fixed-effects model turns out to be the best. Variables including relative price, license plate lottery, vehicle use restriction based on the last digit of the license plate, the average salary of employed workers, and the number of taxis per 10,000 population are all found significant. Supportive policies for alternative fuel cars do not significantly affect private car ownership. One percent increase in the relative price is associated with a 0.08% decrease in private car ownership. The license plate lottery and vehicle use restriction policies would reduce private car ownership by 18.94% and 7.7%, respectively. The finding of this study could provide a helpful reference for policymakers to develop appropriate measures to control the growth of private car ownership of a city. • Determinants of city-level car ownership are revealed based on data of 2006–2015. • Pooled OLS model, fixed-effects model, and random-effects model are compared. • Supportive policies for alternative fuel vehicles do not influence car ownership. • 1% increase in relative car price is related to 0.08% decrease in car ownership. • Implementation of vehicle use restriction leads to 7.7% decrease in car ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient soil moisture and heat often limit crop productivity in semiarid regions. The effects of the ridge–furrow mulching system (RFMS) on improving the soil water and temperature conditions have been confirmed in many studies, but the effects of different ridge–furrow ratios on the changes in soil water, temperature, and the interception rate of canopy photosynthetically active radiation (PAR IR), and thus crop productivity remain unclear. Therefore, we conducted a field experiment from 2015 to 2020 in the Loess Plateau region of northwest China by testing conventional tillage without mulch (CK) as a control treatment and three ridge–furrow ratios (60:60 cm, 80:40 cm, and 50:10 cm). We studied the changes in the soil hydrothermal characteristics and the response of maize canopy under continuous mulching with different ridge–furrow ratios. Compared with CK, RFMS increased the soil water storage in the 0–200 cm soil layer by 5.2–9.3% and the effective accumulated soil temperature by 10.4–29.1%. The hydrothermal properties affected the maize canopy under RFMS where compared with CK, PAR IR increased by 6.3–11.7% at 61 to 90 days after planting (DAP) and the maize yield finally increased by 44.8–77.9%. Correlation analysis showed that the contribution of precipitation from 0 to 90 DAP to the maize yield was greater than that of the effective accumulated soil temperature, whereas the contribution of the effective accumulated soil temperature was greater at 91 to 150 DAP. The precipitation during 61 to 90 DAP was the most important factor that affected the yield during the whole growth period. Thus, increasing the ridge–furrow ratio can improve the soil hydrothermal properties and maize productivity to ensure food security and avoid resource shortages in the Loess Plateau region and similar areas. • Ridge–furrow mainly increased soil water storage and soil temperature before silking. • Leaf area index and dry matter improved due to better hydrothermal conditions. • Precipitation from jointing to silking significantly influenced maize yield. • Effective accumulated soil temperature after silking greatly affected the yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has entered a stage in which new rural construction and urbanization are rapidly developing. Considerable changes are occurring in rural China, and the built environment is different from that in the past; such difference directly influences the travel mode choice of rural residents. However, our knowledge on how the rural built environment influences the travel mode choice of rural residents in China remains limited. To fill this gap, this study combines on-site measurement methods, geographic information system (GIS) technology, and activity diary survey to obtain basic data regarding the built environment and the daily activities of rural residents. The multinomial logit (MNL) model is used to explore the relationship between the rural built environment and the travel mode choice of rural residents. Results show that building density significantly positively affects private car trips. This finding challenges earlier urban built environment research due to the considerable gap between rural and urban areas. An increase in road density increases the travel frequency of electric bicycles and motorcycles. Accessibility perception and preferences positively affect the probability of choosing to walk. Safety and neighborhood harmony perception positively affect the travel frequency of motorcycles and private cars. Rural residents who prefer a safe living environment are likely to choose walking for their daily travel. Despite the considerable achievements in the construction of rural roads, the frequency of public transportation remains low for rural residents. Therefore, additional attention should be given to the investment and construction of public transport facilities during rural urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban heat challenges are increasingly severe, along with climate change and urbanisation. Despite significant environmental, economic, and social consequences, limited actions have been conducted to address urban heat challenges. To support the formulation of heat-health plans and guidelines at the city and community scale, this study presented results, through a questionnaire survey among 584 respondents in Shanghai, China, on heat-induced physiological and psychological impacts and analysed the variability of them with demographic characteristics. The results indicate that psychological impacts were more severe than physiological impacts in severity and susceptible people. Skin heat damage and digestive system diseases were ignored in previous studies, compared with fatal cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Emotional irritability and difficulty in controlling temper were the two most prominent psychological symptoms. The elderly and health-vulnerable groups were more susceptible to heat-induced physiological and psychological impacts than other groups. Among different demographic groups, the most critical physiological and psychological symptoms could vary significantly. Afterwards, suggestions for heat-health plans or guidelines have been proposed. Overall, this study provides a reference for the understanding of heat-induced impacts and enhancing the capacity to cope with urban heat challenges., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Recently, indoor thermal comfort has received more scholarly attention than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic and global warming. However, most studies on indoor thermal comfort in China concentrated on urban buildings in the east and north. The indoor thermal comfort of rural dwellers in southwest China is insufficiently investigated. Hence, this study assesses residents' indoor thermal comfort in a rural dwelling in Linshui, obtains the thermal neutral temperature of the rural area, and analyzes the thermal adaptation behavior of rural dwellers. The results reveal that the thermal neutral temperature of rural dwellers is 29.33°C (operative temperature), higher than that presented in previous studies based on the same climate region. Indoor thermal conditions in rural dwellings are relatively harsh, but various thermal adaptation behavior of rural dwellers significantly improve their ability to withstand the harsh conditions. When people live in an environment with a (relatively) constant climate parameter (e.g., humidity), their perception of that parameter seems compromised. Most rural dwellers are unwilling to use cooling equipment with high energy consumption. Therefore, more passive cooling measures are recommended in the design and renovation of rural dwellings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wei, Zhao, Liu and Yang.)

In recent years, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become the primary cause of death in the world. Existing studies have found that greenspace is important for the prevention of CVDs and stroke. However, since they only focus on large green infrastructure (e.g., urban parks) or the general greenspace (usually being evaluated through normalized difference vegetation index), little information exists regarding the association between street-level greenspace and CVDs (stroke). In this study, the CVDs and stroke data of participants were retrieved from the 33 Chinese Community Health Study. We measured participants' exposure to street-level greenspace exposure using street view images and machine learning technique. Multilevel logistic regressions were applied. While controlling for confounders, we found that higher level of street-level greenspace exposure was associated with lower CVDs prevalence. However, street-level greenspace exposure was associated with stroke prevalence only for females. The associations were stronger among females, younger adults, participants with educational attainment above high school, physically active participants and participants who were not overweight. None of the mediators (air pollution, physical exercise, and BMI) can explain the associations between street-level greenspace exposure and CVDs (stroke) prevalence. Our findings suggest that street-level vegetation should be increased to cope with the rapid growth of the CVDs burdens. Also, the differences between the effect of street-level trees and grasses should be noted before formulating specific urban planning policies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aging of the population is increasing the load on the healthcare system, and enhancing light physical activity among older adults can alleviate this problem. This study used medical examination data from 1773 older adults in Lanzhou city (China) and adopted the random forest model to investigate the effect of the built environment on the duration of light physical activity of older adults. The results showed that streetscape greenery has the most significant impact on older adults' light physical activity; greenery can be assessed in a hierarchy of areas; population density and land-use mix only have a positive effect on older adults' light physical activity up to a certain point but a negative effect beyond that point; and a greater distance to the park within 1 km is associated with a longer time spent on light physical activity. Therefore, we conclude that the built environment's impact is only positive within a specific range. Changes in the intervention of environmental variables can be observed visually by calculating the relative importance of the nonlinearity of built environment elements with partial dependency plots. These results provide a reasonable reference indicator for age-friendly community planning.

The lack of physical activity has become a rigorous challenge for many countries, and the relationship between physical activity and the built environment has become a hot research topic in recent decades. This study uses the Strava Heatmap (novel crowdsourced data) to extract the distribution of cycling and running tracks in central Chengdu in December 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) and develops spatial regression models for numerous 500 × 500 m grids ( N = 2,788) to assess the impacts of the built environment on the cycling and running intensity indices. The findings are summarized as follows. First, land-use mix has insignificant effects on the physical activity of residents, which largely contrasts with the evidence gathered from previous studies. Second, road density, water area, green space area, number of stadiums, and number of enterprises significantly facilitate cycling and running. Third, river line length and the light index have positive associations with running but not with cycling. Fourth, housing price is positively correlated with cycling and running. Fifth, schools seem to discourage these two types of physical activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides practical implications (e.g., green space planning and public space management) for urban planners, practitioners, and policymakers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yang, Yu, Liang, Tang and Li.)

The impacts of perceived neighborhood environment on adults' health and life satisfaction have drawn increasing academic attention. However, previous studies usually examine multi-dimensional (physical, mental, and perceived) health and life satisfaction separately, and few studies dealt with them simultaneously. Moreover, limited research revealed the mechanisms behind the effects of perceived neighborhood environment on health and life satisfaction, as well as how such effects are moderated by socio-demographics. Therefore, employing the 2016 China Family Panel Study Dataset and using structural equation modeling, this study delves into the complicated relationships among perceived neighborhood environment, health behavior, health outcomes (i.e., body mass index, self-rated health status, and depression), and life satisfaction. Notably, it considers mediation and moderation simultaneously. It finds: (1) Better perceived neighborhood environment significantly promotes physical activity and reduces sedentary behavior, smoking, and drinking; (2) Health behavior fully mediates the effects of perceived neighborhood environment on health; (3) Perceived neighborhood environment significantly affects life satisfaction both directly and indirectly (through health behavior and health outcomes); (4) Socio-demographics moderate the above relationships. This study disentangles the complicated impacts of perceived neighborhood environment on adults' multi-dimensional health and life satisfaction, thus providing policy makers and practitioners with nuanced knowledge for intervention., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Liu, Yang, Xiao and Tao.)

Like many other transit modes, the metro provides stop-to-stop services rather than door-to-door services, so its use undeniably involves first- and last-mile issues. Understanding the determinants of the first- and last-mile mode choice is essential. Existing literature, however, mostly overlooks the mode choice effects of traffic safety perception and attitudes toward the mode. To this end, based on a face-to-face questionnaire survey in Shenzhen, China, this study uses the two-sample t-test to confirm the systematic differences in traffic safety perception and attitudes between different subgroups and develops a series of multinomial logistic (MNL) models to identify the determinants of first- and last-mile mode choice for metro commuters. The results of this study show that: (1) Walking is the most frequently used travel mode, followed by dockless bike-sharing (DBS) and buses; (2) Variances in traffic safety perception and attitude exist across gender and location; (3) Vehicle-related crash risks discourage metro commuters from walking to/from the metro station but encourage them to use DBS and buses as feeder modes; (4) DBS-metro integration is encouraged by the attitude that DBS is quicker than buses and walking, and positive attitudes toward the bus and DBS availability are decisive for the bus-metro and DBS-metro integration, respectively; and (5) Substantial differences exist in the mode choice effects of traffic safety perception and attitudes for access and egress trips. This study provides a valuable reference for metro commuters' first- and last-mile travel mode choice, contributing to developing a sustainable urban transport system.

The recent coronavirus outbreak has captured worldwide attention. This study investigated the anxiety of the Chinese public and its relationship with social support during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby providing empirical support for interventions on improving the public's mental health. On the basis of an online questionnaire survey conducted on 10-18 February 2020, this study shows that 19.8%, 68.5%, and 11.1% of the respondents suffered mild anxiety, moderate anxiety, and severe anxiety, respectively. Significant differences are reported in state anxiety between people with different household incomes. There are significant differences in trait anxiety and state anxiety between different social support groups. Social support and trait anxiety are negatively correlated. Social support and state anxiety are negatively correlated. Social support affects state anxiety both directly and indirectly (through the mediation of trait anxiety). Therefore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing public support for society can effectively reduce public anxiety.

Carbon labeling describes carbon dioxide emissions across food lifecycles, contributing to enhancing consumers' low-carbon awareness and promoting low-carbon consumption behaviors. In a departure from the existing literature on carbon labeling that heavily relies on interviews or questionnaire surveys, this study forms a hybrid of an auction experiment and a consumption experiment to observe university students' purchase intention and willingness to pay for a carbon-labeled food product. In this study, students from a university in a city (Chengdu) of China, the largest carbon emitter, are taken as the experimental group, and cow's milk is selected as the experimental food product. The main findings of this study are summarized as follows: (1) the purchase of carbon-labeled milk products is primarily influenced by price; (2) the willingness to pay for carbon-labeled milk products primarily depends on the premium; and (3) the students are willing to accept a maximum price premium of 3.2%. This study further offers suggestions to promote the formation of China's carbon product-labeling system and the marketization of carbon-labeled products and consequently facilitate low-carbon consumption in China.