Impact of urban expansion on regional temperature change in the Yangtze River Delta

Based on non-radiance-calibrated DMSP/OLS nighttime light imagery from 1992 to 2003, urban land area statistical data, meteorological data and land surface temperature data retrieved by MODIS and NOAA/AVHRR data, the influence of urbanization on regional climatic trend cf temperature in the Yangtze River Delta （YRD） was analyzed. Conclusions are as follows： 1） There is a significant urbanization process from 1992 to 2003 in the YRD. Four city clusters of Nanjing-Zhenjiang-Yangzhou, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou Bay form a zigzag city belt. The increase rate of annual mean air temperature in city-belt is 0.28-0.44℃/10a from 1991 to 2005, which is far larger than that of non-city-belt. 2） The urban heat island （UHI） effect on regional mean air temperature in different seasons is summer〉autumn〉spring〉winter. 3） The UHI intensity and the urban total population logarithm are creditably correlated. 4） The UHI effect made the regional annual mean air temperature increased 0.072℃ from 1961 to 2005, of which 0.047℃ from 1991 to 2005, and the annual maximum air temperature increased 0.162℃, of which 0.083℃ from 1991 to 2005. All these indicating that the urban expansion in the YRD from 1991 to 2005 may be regarded as a serious climate signal.

Impacts of Weather Conditions Modified by Urban Expansion on Surface Ozone: Comparison between the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta Regions

In this paper, the online weather research and forecasting and chemistry （WRF-Chem） model is used to explore the impacts of urban expansion on regional weather conditions and its implication on surface ozone concentrations over the Pearl River Delta（PRD） and Yangtze River Delta（YRD） regions. Two scenarios of urban maps are used in the WRF-Chem to represent the early 1990s （pre-urbanization） and the current urban distribution in the PRD and the YRD. Month-long simulation results using the above land-use scenarios for March 2001 show that urbanization increases both the day- and night-time 2-m temperatures by about 0.6℃and 1.4℃, respectively. Daytime reduction in the wind speed by about 3.0 m s-1 is larger than that for the nighttime （0.5 to 2 m s-1）. The daytime increase in the PBL height （〉 200 m） is also larger than the nighttime （50-100 m）. The meteorological conditions modified by urbanization lead to detectable ozone-concentration changes in the PRD and the YRD. Urbanization increases the nighttime surface-ozone concentrations by about 4.7%-8.5% and by about 2.9%-4.2% for the daytime. In addition to modifying individual meteorological variables, urbanization also enhances the convergence zones, especially in the PRD. More importantly, urbanization has different effects on the surface ozone for the PRD and the YRD, presumably due to their urbanization characteristics and geographical locations. Even though the PRD has a smaller increase in the surface temperature than the YRD, it has （a） weaker surface wind speed, （b） smaller increase in PBL heights, and （c） stronger convergence zones. The latter three factors outweighed the temperature increase and resulted in a larger ozone enhancement in the PRD than the YRD.

Urban Land Use Efficiency and Contributing Factors in the Yangtze River Delta Under Increasing Environmental Restrictions in China

Evaluating urban land use efficiency(ULUE) provides insights into the interactions between land use systems and their external environment. Specifically, changes in ULUE are important for monitoring urban transformation in developing countries. In this study, using a traditional input-output index model, we incorporated slack-based measurements and undesirable outputs into a SBM-UN(slack-based measure-undesirable) model to investigate ULUE within the context of increasing environmental restrictions in China. The model was used to estimate the ULUE of 26 cities in the highly developed urban agglomeration of the Yangtze River Delta from 2000 to2018. The average ULUE in the Yangtze River Delta was relatively low compared to that of developed city regions in the European Union(EU) and North America and exhibited a U-shaped curve over the study period. Incorporating undesirable outputs, such as environmental pollution, into the model reduced ULUE by 19.06%. ULUE varied spatially, with the kernel density estimation exhibiting a bimodal distribution. Efficiency decomposition analysis showed that scale efficiency made a greater contribution to ULUE than pure technical efficiency. Based on our findings, recommended approaches to improve ULUE include optimizing factor allocation, reducing undesirable outputs, and increasing the effective output per land unit. The study suggests that ULUE and the SBM-UN model are useful planning tools for sustainable urban development.

Urban Development and Water Management in the Yangtze River Delta

Throughout the history of the world, the development of the cities are related to the large water systems and the ocean. Where the river is abundant, the trade and regional centres could be formed. However, along with the prosperity of the water-cities, massive urban construction and environmental issues are enormous challenges in human process. A “scientific” urban planning, “Sponge City”, “Resilient City”, regional and urban culture and characteristics get more and more attention. The theme of “water and city” is clearly of great historical value and practical significance for the new resilient urban and water management strategies. The paper will summarize characteristics of geographical, historical, socio-cultural and political realms in metropolitan deltas and the historical governance as well as the recent developments in the Yangtze River Delta. It will introduce urban development and water management in four water cities: the canal and the city-Yangzhou, the river and the city-Nanjing, the lake and the city-Suzhou and the sea and the city-Shanghai. And then it will analyze the inner motivation of the interaction between water and cities in Yangtze River Delta. Furthermore, learning from successful historical experiences, the paper will provide suggestions for future sustainable urban development.

Mapping Urban Networks through Inter-Firm Linkages: The Case of Listed Companies in Yangtze River Delta, China

Recently, literature on urban network research from the perspective of ?rm networks has been increasing. This research mainly used data from the headquarters and branches of all 2581 listed manufacturing companies in the Yangtze River Delta from 1990 to 2017, and studied the urban network through an interlocking network model that quantifies the links between enterprises. The results showed that the spatial distribution of listed manufacturing industries in the Yangtze River Delta was relatively concentrated, and cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou were hot spots for the spatial distribution of listed manufacturing industries. However, Fuyang, Suqian, Chizhou, Lishui and other network edge cities were less distributed in manufacturing. The urban network of the Yangtze River Delta has significant hierarchical characteristics. The urban network of the Yangtze River Delta presents a multi-center network development mode with Shanghai as the center and Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Hefei as the sub-centers. Moreover, we found that the development of inter-city connections in the Yangtze River Delta was driven by network mechanisms of priority attachment and path dependence. The radiating capacity and agglomeration capacity of cities in the Yangtze River Delta have a strong polarization characteristic. The core cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Hefei have much higher network radiation capabilities than network aggregation capabilities. However, other non-core cities and network edge cities have weak network radiation capabilities, and mainly accept network radiation from core cities. It enriches the research of urban networks based on real inter-?rm connections, and provides ideas for the wider regional study and the combination of econometric techniques and social network analysis.

The Influence of the Urban-Rural Income Disparity on the Industrial Structure—Taking the Yangtze River Delta Region as an Example

In this paper, the effect of the mediation effect is mainly used to test and analyze the regression model, and most scholars have studied the impact of the modernization of the industrial structure on the income gap. However, this paper is from another perspective, based on the social background of high-quality development, the main study is the impact mechanism of urban and rural income gap on the industrial structure, taking the Yangtze River Delta as the main research object, and specifically selecting 22 central cities in the Yangtze River Delta region, which is also one of the highlights of this study. The regression model is constructed by using the intermediary effect, and the four intermediary variables of fiscal expenditure (M1), fixed asset investment (M2), number of patent applications (M3), and total import and export (M4) are selected, which represent the role of the government, fixed asset investment, scientific and technological level and opening-up level, and study and analyze the inherent influence mechanism between each variable. Before doing specific research, I consulted the papers and literature of many other outstanding scholars, among which Cheng Yuhong and Cheng Chi’s “The Influence Mechanism of industrial structure of urban and rural income gap” [1] has great reference value for this paper. According to the research results, under the background of high-quality development in the Yangtze River Delta region, the expansion of the income gap between urban and rural areas will inhibit the upgrading of the industrial structure, so it is necessary to focus on building a new type of urbanization, accelerating the construction of an urban innovation system, optimizing the rural employment structure to narrow the income gap between urban and rural areas, and providing impetus for the continuous upgrading of the industrial structure.

Industrial carbon emissions and influencing factors in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration

This paper calculates the industrial carbon emissions of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration over the period 2006-2013. An empirical analysis is conducted to find out the influencing factors of industrial carbon emissions of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, using a spatial Durbin panel model. The results show that cities with larger industrial carbon emissions often enjoy low annual growth rates, while the cities with smaller ones enjoy higher annual growth rate; There exists a comparatively strong positive correlation in space in per capita carbon emission; urbanization, and total population. GDP per capita and international trade are the main influencing factors of industrial carbon emissions; There are spatial spillover effects on international trade and urbanization of neighboring cities, which have a significant impact on local industrial carbon emissions.

Measurement of Digital Economy Development Level in Yangtze River Delta and Its Influence on Ecological Efficiency

Based on the panel data of 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta from 2007 to 2018,this paper empirically tests the impact of digital economy development on urban ecological efficiency in the Yangtze River Delta.The results show that the development level of digital economy in Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is fluctuating and rising;the development of digital economy has a significant positive role in promoting the improvement of urban ecological efficiency;there is significant regional heterogeneity in the promotion of ecological efficiency by digital economy,especially in central cities.

Articulating China's Science and Technology:Knowledge Collaboration Networks Within and Beyond the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis in China

In this paper, we reconsider the defining but often overlooked ‘hinge' function of megalopolises by analyzing how megalopolises have articulated national and international urban systems in the context of a globalizing knowledge economy. Taking the case of China's Yangtze River Delta(YRD) region, we particularly focus on knowledge circulation within and beyond the YRD region by analyzing the pattern and process of knowledge collaboration at different geographical scales during the 2004–2014 period. Results show that the structure of scientific knowledge collaboration as reflected by co-publications has been strongest at the national scale whereas that of technological knowledge collaboration as measured by co-patents has been strongest at the global scale. Despite this difference, the structure of both scientific and technological knowledge collaboration has been functionally polycentric at the megalopolitan scale but become less so at the national and global scales. The ‘globally connected but locally disconnected' pattern of Shanghai's external knowledge collaboration suggests that the gateway role of the YRD megalopolis in promoting knowledge collaboration at different geographical scales will take time before it is fully realized.

Characterization of Air Pollution in Urban Areas of Yangtze River Delta,China

The hallmark of development in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) of East China has been sprawling urbanization. However, air pollution is a significant problem in these urban areas. In this paper, we investigated and analyzed the air pollution index(API) in four cities(Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Ningbo) in the YRD from 2001 to 2012. We attempted to empirically examine the relationship between meteorological factors and air quality in the urban areas of the YRD. According to the monitoring data, the API in Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou slightly declined and that in Ningbo increased over the study period. We analyzed the inter-annual, seasonal, and monthly variations of API, from which we found that the air quality had different temporal changes in the four cities. It was indicated that air quality was poor in winter and spring and best in summer. Furthermore, different weather conditions affected air quality level. The wind direction was considered as an important and influential factor to air pollution, which has an impact on the accumulating or cleaning processes of pollutants. The air quality was influenced by the different wind directions that varied with seasons and cities.

Impacts of Roof/Ground Mitigation Strategies on Improving the Urban Thermal Environment and Human Comfort over the Yangtze River Delta, China

The combined effects of global warming and the urban heat islands exacerbate the risk of urban heat stress. It is crucial to implement effective cooling measures in urban areas to improve the comfort of the thermal environment. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting Model(WRF), coupled with a single-layer Urban Canopy Model(UCM), was used to study the impact of heat mitigation strategies. In addition, a 5-km resolution land-cover dataset for China(ChinaLC), which is based on satellite remote sensing data, was adjusted and used, and 18 groups of numerical experiments were designed, to increase the albedo and vegetation fraction of roof/ground parameters. The experiments were conducted for four heatwave events that occurred in the summer of 2013 in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration of China. The simulated results demonstrated that, for the single roof/ground schemes, the mitigation effects were directly proportional to the albedo and greening. Among all the experimental schemes, the superposed schemes presented better cooling effects. For the ground greening scheme, with similar net radiation flux and latent heat flux, its storage heat was lower than that of the roof greening scheme, resulting in more energy flux into the atmosphere, and its daytime cooling effect was not as good as that of the roof greening scheme. In terms of human thermal comfort(HTC), the improvement achieved by the ground greening scheme was better than any other single roof/ground schemes, because the increase in the relative humidity was small. The comprehensive evaluation of the mitigation effects of different schemes on the thermal environment presented in this paper provides a theoretical basis for improving the urban environment through rational urban planning and construction.

The Effect of Urban Agglomeration Expansion on PM_(2.5) Concentrations: Evidence from a Quasi-natural Experiment

This study constructs a quasi-natural experiment based on the expansion of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration(YRDUA) of China in 2010 to investigate the impact and inner mechanism of urban agglomeration expansion on fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5)) concentrations through propensity scores in difference-in-differences models(PSM-DID) using panel data from 286 prefecturelevel cities in China from 2003 to 2016. The results show that 1) urban agglomeration expansion contributes to an overall decrease in PM_(2.5)concentration, which is mainly achieved from the original cities. For the new cities, on the other hand, the expansion significantly increases the local PM_(2.5)concentration. 2) In the long term, the significant influence of urban agglomeration expansion on PM_(2.5)concentration lasts for three years and gradually decreases. A series of robustness tests confirm the applicability of the PSM-DID model.3) Cities with weaker government regulation, a better educated population and higher per capita income present stronger PM_(2.5)reduction effects. 4) Urban agglomeration expansion affects the PM_(2.5)concentration mainly through industrial transfer and population migration, which cause a decrease in the PM_(2.5)concentration in the original cities and an increase in the PM_(2.5)concentration in the new cities.Corresponding policy suggestions are proposed based on the conclusions.

Revisiting and Rethinking Regional Urbanization in Changjiang River Delta,China

China is entering a critical and accelerating phase of urbanization.As one of the most urbanized regions in China,the Changjiang(Yangtze)River Delta has experienced dramatic urbanization and urban transformation.However,in the recent years,many changes have taken place in this region and there is limited attention to the regional urbanization path evolution,its problems and the way to solve these problems.Therefore,we should revisit the urbanization process in the Changjiang River Delta again.In this paper,we revisited urbanization paths of the Changjiang River Delta by data analysis,influence factors of urbanization by the Gray Relational Analysis,and major challenges to urbanization of the Changjiang River Delta by theoretical considerations.We found that the urbanization of the Changjiang River Delta had experienced several stages of large-scale spatial and urban system restructuring.Within the Changjiang River Delta,Shanghai,Zhejiang and Jiangshu had experienced different urbanization path with local characteristics.But with their development model gradually converging,their urbanization model is also converging.We also found that the major influence factors affecting the Changjiang River Delta urbanization were dynamic change and urbanization was driven by different key factors in different socio-economic development stages.Meanwhile,the Changjiang River Delta urbanization is facing many problems such as existing institutional arrangements,including the hukou(household registration)system and others which can not meet the needs of current socioeconomic development and urbanization.Therefore,it is imperative to promote institutional innovation and adopt a new urbanization development strategy for the sake of the orderly and sustainable urbanization development in the Changjiang River Delta.

长三角城市群物流业高质量发展水平测度研究及评价

以长三角城市群物流业为研究对象,采用熵权TOPSIS法和核密度估计分析方法,测度2010—2021年长三角城市群物流业高质量发展水平并分析区域发展差异。研究发现:长三角城市群物流业高质量发展水平向好趋势明显,但仍然有待提高。有18个城市的物流业高质量发展水平低于均值。其中上海的物流业高质量发展水平最高,居于第2位的苏州相比于上海还有较大差距。从各区域来看,区域发展不均衡的特征较明显,各区域物流业高质量发展水平存在一定差距,上海物流业高质量发展水平显著高于其他区域,物流业高质量发展水平排名靠后的城市主要集中在安徽,该区域内发展差距呈现缩小趋势。

铁路网络联系对城市土地绿色利用效率的影响研究——以长三角地区为例

研究目的:探究铁路网络联系对城市土地绿色利用效率的影响及空间溢出效应,为依托铁路交通发展促进土地绿色利用效率提升提供科学依据。研究方法:超效率SBM模型,社会网络分析方法,空间面板模型。研究结果:(1)长三角城市铁路联系强度和土地绿色利用效率均呈现显著的增长趋势,土地绿色利用效率存在着较为明显的区域差异。(2)铁路联系强度的提高促进了本城市土地绿色利用效率的提升,与综合铁路联系相比,高铁联系对本城市土地绿色利用效率的提升作用更加明显。(3)铁路联系的加强促进了本城市产业结构合理化水平的提升和创新产出的增长,进而对土地绿色利用效率产生影响。高铁联系在促进本城市产业结构合理化水平提升和创新产出增长方面的作用更加明显。(4)城市对外铁路联系强度的提高产生了负向的空间溢出效应,抑制了邻近城市土地绿色利用效率的提升。研究结论:应充分发挥铁路建设在优化产业结构、促进创新方面的作用,依托铁路网络加强区域内经济技术合作、发挥各城市比较优势,以推动区域土地绿色利用效率的整体性提升。

基于DPSIR模型的城市旅游经济韧性评价与影响因素——以长三角城市群为例

基于DPSIR模型构建旅游经济韧性指标体系,对2009—2021年长三角城市群旅游经济韧性水平进行测度,并分析其演化特征与影响因素,以期为旅游经济韧性提升提供一定决策依据.结果表明:长三角城市群旅游经济韧性呈现“先升后降”的变化趋势,各城市韧性水平整体上呈上升趋势.韧性较高城市主要分布在中东部地区,各城市旅游经济韧性水平间具有一定空间集聚特征.旅游经济韧性受经济发展水平、经济发展结构、旅游发展速度、游客承载量、教育水平、基础设施和政府干预等因素的综合影响,其中旅游发展速度对旅游经济韧性具有明显负面影响,其他因素均具有显著促进作用.

金融集聚与城市绿色发展的时空耦合分析——以长三角城市群为例

基于2011-2021年长三角27个城市的面板数据,利用区位熵和超效率SBM模型测算长三角各城市金融集聚和城市绿色发展水平,构建两系统耦合协调度模型,分析两系统之间时空耦合特征。结果表明,长三角城市群金融集聚水平呈稳定上升态势,且差距逐渐缩小;城市绿色发展水平空间分布不均衡,随时间推移城市间差距愈发显著;两系统之间呈现高耦合、低协调的局面,形成了以上海、南京、杭州、合肥为高值中心,由高到低向四周扩散的发展格局,两系统协调值差异呈现先减后增的“U”型的趋势,且差异愈发明显。因此,需要加强长三角中心城市与周边城市信息互通,充分发挥中心城市的空间溢出效应带动周边区域发展,进而推动长三角城市群两系统协调发展。

长三角城市群FDI、技术创新与先进制造业集群发展

FDI和技术创新是长三角城市群先进制造业集群发展的重要影响因素。文章基于2010—2021年长三角城市群26个城市面板数据,分析FDI对先进制造业集群发展的直接作用机制以及技术创新在FDI与先进制造业集群发展之间的中介作用机制,并运用面板回归模型和中介效应模型检验理论假设。研究结果表明:长三角城市群FDI对先进制造业集群发展具有显著的正向作用,其作用机制主要表现为促进集群网络化、产业链优化和劳动力流动;技术创新在FDI与先进制造业集群发展之间具有显著的中介作用。根据研究结论提出长三角城市群促进FDI高质量发展、提高先进制造业集群的科技创新能力、加强FDI与技术创新的协同效应等政策建议。

政府干预视角下长三角城市群科技创新资源配置效率及影响因素分析

科技创新资源优化配置是贯彻落实创新驱动发展战略的必然要求。长三角城市群作为我国经济社会运行和科技事业发展的先行区,明确其科技创新资源配置效率差异及影响因素,对于打造创新型国家具有重要的推动作用。以政府干预为研究视角,运用超效率DEA模型和DEA-Malmquist模型对2011—2020年长三角城市群26个城市科技创新资源配置效率进行测算,并采用Tobit模型以政府干预为核心解释变量实证分析其影响因素。结果发现:长三角城市群科技创新资源配置效率整体呈现递增趋势,上海、宁波、苏州、杭州、南京的效率值排在前5位,但是城市群内部科技创新资源配置效率差异悬殊,区域空间格局极不平衡,其中政府干预、产业结构调整和城市化水平均对提高科技创新资源配置具有显著正向影响。因此,建议长三角各地政府围绕从科技创新资源投入至产出的各个环节制定相关法律法规,进一步规范科技创新资源配置方式,并加强城市之间的交流与合作。

长三角地区县域城乡融合发展水平测度及影响因素分析

县域城乡融合是中国城乡关系演进新的阶段,是实现以县域为重要载体的城镇化与乡村振兴协同发展的关键。测度2010—2021年长三角地区152个县级行政单元的城乡融合发展水平,对时空演变特征与影响因素进行分析。研究表明:长三角地区县域城乡融合发展水平呈现波动上升趋势,并表现出生态融合>人口融合>空间融合>经济融合>社会融合的维度差异。空间分布上呈现出“东部为中心、向四周辐射”的“核心—边缘”结构特征。动态演变进程中呈现出低水平融合区逐渐向中等水平融合区的转变趋势。影响因素分析表明,财政自给率显著地促进县域城乡融合发展水平的提升,产业结构失衡、金融借贷比则与其呈显著的负相关关系,且各影响因素在不同县级行政单元人口规模和经济区位中均存在异质性。