IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i15p6851-d1711694.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Boosting Sustainable Urban Development: How Smart Cities Improve Emergency Management—Evidence from 275 Chinese Cities

Author

Listed:
  • Ming Guo

    (The College of Emergency Administration, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China
    The Emergency Management Laboratory, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China)

  • Yang Zhou

    (The Emergency Management Laboratory, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China
    The Research Center of Energy Economy, School of Business Administration, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China)

Abstract

Rapid urbanization and escalating disaster risks necessitate resilient urban governance systems. Smart city initiatives that leverage digital technologies—such as the internet of things (IoT), big data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI)—demonstrate transformative potential in enhancing emergency management capabilities. However, empirical evidence regarding their causal impact and underlying mechanisms remains limited, particularly in developing economies. Drawing on panel data from 275 Chinese prefecture-level cities over the period 2006–2021 and using China’s smart city pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this study applies a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) approach to rigorously assess the effects of smart city construction on emergency management capabilities. Results reveal that smart city construction produced a statistically significant improvement in emergency management capabilities, which remained robust after conducting multiple sensitivity checks and controlling for potential confounding policies. The benefits exhibit notable heterogeneity: emergency management capability improvements are most pronounced in central China and in cities at the extremes of population size—megacities (>10 million residents) and small cities (<1 million residents)—while effects remain marginal in medium-sized and eastern cities. Crucially, mechanism analysis reveals that digital technology application fully mediates 86.7% of the total effect, whereas factor allocation efficiency exerts only a direct, non-mediating influence. These findings suggest that smart cities primarily enhance emergency management capabilities through digital enablers, with effectiveness contingent upon regional infrastructure development and urban scale. Policy priorities should therefore emphasize investments in digital infrastructure, interagency data integration, and targeted capacity-building strategies tailored to central and western regions as well as smaller cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Ming Guo & Yang Zhou, 2025. "Boosting Sustainable Urban Development: How Smart Cities Improve Emergency Management—Evidence from 275 Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-27, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:15:p:6851-:d:1711694
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/15/6851/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/15/6851/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kerim Koc & Zeynep Işık, 2020. "A multi-agent-based model for sustainable governance of urban flood risk mitigation measures," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 104(1), pages 1079-1110, October.
    2. Xunchang Li & Yifan Liu & Wenyong Zhang & Yaqian Wang, 2023. "Research on an Evaluation Model of Urban Seismic Resilience Based on System Dynamics: A Case Study of Chengdu, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Margarita Angelidou, 2017. "The Role of Smart City Characteristics in the Plans of Fifteen Cities," Journal of Urban Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 3-28, October.
    4. Aravindi Samarakkody & Dilanthi Amaratunga & Richard Haigh, 2022. "Characterising Smartness to Make Smart Cities Resilient," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Yanning Si & Lizhi Liang & Wenguang Zhou, 2024. "An Evaluation of Urban Resilience Using Structural Equation Modeling from Practitioners’ Perspective: An Empirical Investigation in Huangshi City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Shabnam Varzeshi & John Fien & Leila Irajifar, 2024. "Integrating Technology and Urban Resilience: A Comprehensive Analysis of Smart City Initiatives in Sydney," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-22, December.
    7. Yahong Feng & Jie Wang & Tianlun Zhang, 2024. "The Impact of Smart City Policies on City Resilience: An Evaluation of 282 Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-19, October.
    8. Yafei Jiao & Dian Song & Qiuming Meng, 2025. "The Impact of the National Civilized City Evaluation on Urban Resilience from the Perspective of Administrative Competition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-22, February.
    9. Simona Andreea Apostu & Valentina Vasile & Razvan Vasile & Joanna Rosak-Szyrocka, 2022. "Do Smart Cities Represent the Key to Urban Resilience? Rethinking Urban Resilience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-21, November.
    10. Vito Albino & Umberto Berardi & Rosa Maria Dangelico, 2015. "Smart Cities: Definitions, Dimensions, Performance, and Initiatives," Journal of Urban Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 3-21, January.
    11. Xun Zeng & Yuanchun Yu & San Yang & Yang Lv & Md Nazirul Islam Sarker, 2022. "Urban Resilience for Urban Sustainability: Concepts, Dimensions, and Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-27, February.
    12. Peng Wu & Qingxia Duan & Ligang Zhou & Qun Wu & Muhammet Deveci, 2025. "Spatial-temporal evaluation of urban resilience in the Yangtze River Delta from the perspective of the coupling coordination degree," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 409-431, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mihaela Toderas, 2025. "Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability: A Systematic Review and Critical Analysis of AI Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Angelidou, M. & Politis, C. & Panori, A. & Bakratsas, T. & Fellnhofer, K., 2022. "Emerging smart city, transport and energy trends in urban settings: Results of a pan-European foresight exercise with 120 experts," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    3. Dan Lupu & Liviu-George Maha & Elena-Daniela Viorica, 2023. "The relevance of smart cities’ features in exploring urban labour market resilience: the specificity of post-transition economies," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(12), pages 2406-2425, December.
    4. Clement, Dr. Jessica & Crutzen, Prof. Nathalie, 2021. "How Local Policy Priorities Set the Smart City Agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    5. Haozhi Pan & Si Chen & Yizhao Gao & Brian Deal & Jinfang Liu, 2020. "An urban informatics approach to understanding residential mobility in Metro Chicago," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 47(8), pages 1456-1473, October.
    6. Aravindi Samarakkody & Dilanthi Amaratunga & Richard Haigh, 2023. "Technological Innovations for Enhancing Disaster Resilience in Smart Cities: A Comprehensive Urban Scholar’s Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-22, August.
    7. Li, Rui & Lu, Yi, 2025. "Toward a resilient and smart city: Analysis on enablers for smart city resilience using an integrated DEMATEL–ISM–ANP method," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    8. Insaf Khelladi & Sylvaine Castellano & David Kalisz, 2020. "The smartization of metropolitan cities: the case of Paris," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1301-1325, December.
    9. Diogo Correia & João Lourenço Marques & Leonor Teixeira, 2023. "Assessing and Ranking EU Cities Based on the Development Phase of the Smart City Concept," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-34, September.
    10. Miguel Manjon & Zineb Aouni & Nathalie Crutzen, 2022. "Green and digital entrepreneurship in smart cities," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 68(2), pages 429-462, April.
    11. Mora, Luca & Gerli, Paolo & Ardito, Lorenzo & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio, 2023. "Smart city governance from an innovation management perspective: Theoretical framing, review of current practices, and future research agenda," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    12. Iqbal Yulizar Mukti & Jörg Henseler & Adina Aldea & Rajesri Govindaraju & Maria E. Iacob, 2022. "Rural smartness: Its determinants and impacts on rural economic welfare," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(4), pages 1943-1970, December.
    13. Xiao Ling & Zhangwei Luo & Yanchao Feng & Xun Liu & Yue Gao, 2023. "How does digital transformation relieve the employment pressure in China? Empirical evidence from the national smart city pilot policy," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    14. Johannes Stübinger & Lucas Schneider, 2020. "Understanding Smart City—A Data-Driven Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-23, October.
    15. Lill Sarv & Ralf-Martin Soe, 2021. "Transition towards Smart City: The Case of Tallinn," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-18, April.
    16. Margarida Rodrigues & Mário Franco, 2018. "Measuring the Performance in Creative Cities: Proposal of a Multidimensional Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, November.
    17. Damman, Sigrid & Schmuck, Alexandra & Oliveira, Rosário & Koop, Steven (Stef) H.A. & Almeida, Maria do Céu & Alegre, Helena & Ugarelli, Rita Maria, 2023. "Towards a water-smart society: Progress in linking theory and practice," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    18. Miguel Manjon & Nathalie Crutzen, 2022. "Air quality in smart sustainable cities: target and/or trigger?," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 68(2), pages 359-386, April.
    19. Stefano Bracco & Federico Delfino & Paola Laiolo & Andrea Morini, 2018. "Planning & Open-Air Demonstrating Smart City Sustainable Districts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.
    20. Andreas Exner & Livia Cepoiu & Carla Weinzierl & Viviana Asara, 2018. "Performing Smartness Differently - Strategic Enactments of a Global Imaginary in Three European Cities," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2018_05, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:15:p:6851-:d:1711694. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.