IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i7p1179-d103732.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Locating Sustainability Issues: Identification of Ecological Vulnerability in Mainland China’s Mega-Regions

Author

Listed:
  • Hui Zou

    (Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Xuejun Duan

    (Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
    Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China)

  • Lei Ye

    (School of Geographical Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226007, China)

  • Lei Wang

    (Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
    Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China)

Abstract

This paper presents a spatial analysis of likely/potential hotspots of sustainability issues in Mainland China through an empirical investigation of patterns of ecological vulnerability in and of China’s megaregions. To be specific, this paper assesses the level of patterns of the ecological vulnerability of 16 megaregions through an indicator system, which includes soil erosion, desertification, ecosystem vulnerability, key ecological areas, and water and land resources. Empirical results reveal that while most megaregions are located in the less vulnerable areas, there are a couple of megaregions with a vulnerable basis of ecological environment. These megaregions consist of Chengdu-Chongqing, Guanzhong Tianshui Economic Zone, Shandong Peninsula, Wuhan City Circle, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and Liaoning Coastal Belt. Furthermore, a typology of these megaregions is identified based on their development level and ecological vulnerability.

Suggested Citation

  • Hui Zou & Xuejun Duan & Lei Ye & Lei Wang, 2017. "Locating Sustainability Issues: Identification of Ecological Vulnerability in Mainland China’s Mega-Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:7:p:1179-:d:103732
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/7/1179/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/7/1179/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scott, Allen J. (ed.), 2001. "Global City-Regions: Trends, Theory, Policy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198297994.
    2. Arjan Van Timmeren & Jonna Zwetsloot & Han Brezet & Sacha Silvester, 2012. "Sustainable Urban Regeneration Based on Energy Balance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(7), pages 1-22, July.
    3. McPhearson, Timon & Kremer, Peleg & Hamstead, Zoé A., 2013. "Mapping ecosystem services in New York City: Applying a social–ecological approach in urban vacant land," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 5(C), pages 11-26.
    4. Qing Yang & Yang Ding & Bauke De Vries & Qi Han & Huimin Ma, 2014. "Assessing Regional Sustainability Using a Model of Coordinated Development Index: A Case Study of Mainland China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Richard Florida & Tim Gulden & Charlotta Mellander, 2008. "The rise of the mega-region," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 1(3), pages 459-476.
    6. Hao Chen & Qiyan Wu & Jianquan Cheng & Zhifei Ma & Weixuan Song, 2015. "Scaling-up Strategy as an Appropriate Approach for Sustainable New Town Development? Lessons from Wujin, Changzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-23, May.
    7. John Parr, 2005. "Perspectives on the city-region," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(5), pages 555-566.
    8. Yunqiang Liu & Jiuping Xu & Huawei Luo, 2014. "An Integrated Approach to Modelling the Economy-Society-Ecology System in Urbanization Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-27, April.
    9. Yigang Wei & Cui Huang & Patrick T. I. Lam & Yong Sha & Yong Feng, 2015. "Using Urban-Carrying Capacity as a Benchmark for Sustainable Urban Development: An Empirical Study of Beijing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-25, March.
    10. Peter Hall, 2009. "Looking Backward, Looking Forward: The City Region of the Mid-21st Century," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(6), pages 803-817.
    11. Leanne Seeliger & Ivan Turok, 2013. "Towards Sustainable Cities: Extending Resilience with Insights from Vulnerability and Transition Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(5), pages 1-21, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xiufen Li & Lining Song & Zunbo Xie & Tian Gao & Tingting Wang & Xiao Zheng & Jiang Liu & Limin Liu, 2021. "Assessment of Ecological Vulnerability on Northern Sand Prevention Belt of China Based on the Ecological Pressure–Sensibility–Resilience Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, May.

    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. Antti Vasanen, 2012. "Functional Polycentricity: Examining Metropolitan Spatial Structure through the Connectivity of Urban Sub-centres," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(16), pages 3627-3644, December.
    2. Blanca Arellano Ramos & Josep Roca, 2015. "Megalopolis: An assay for the identification of the world urban mega-structures," ERSA conference papers ersa15p736, European Regional Science Association.
    3. John Harrison & Michael Hoyler, 2014. "Governing the new metropolis," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(11), pages 2249-2266, August.
    4. John Parr, 2015. "The city and the region as contrasts in spatial organization," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(3), pages 797-817, May.
    5. Colin Jones, 2017. "Spatial economy and the geography of functional economic areas," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 44(3), pages 486-503, May.
    6. NELLES Jennifer, 2010. "All for One? The Dynamic of Intermunicipal Cooperation in Regional Marketing Partnerships," LISER Working Paper Series 2010-18, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    7. Melissa R. McHale & Steward T.A. Pickett & Olga Barbosa & David N. Bunn & Mary L. Cadenasso & Daniel L. Childers & Meredith Gartin & George R. Hess & David M. Iwaniec & Timon McPhearson & M. Nils Pete, 2015. "The New Global Urban Realm: Complex, Connected, Diffuse, and Diverse Social-Ecological Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-30, April.
    8. Luca Salvati, 2018. "From Manufacturing to Advanced Services: The (Uneven) Rise and Decline of Mediterranean City-Regions," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 8(1), pages 1360-1360.
    9. John Harrison, 2011. "Global City-region Governance, Ten Years On," Chapters, in: Ben Derudder & Michael Hoyler & Peter J. Taylor & Frank Witlox (ed.), International Handbook of Globalization and World Cities, chapter 27, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Amr, Alia'a, 2020. "Pattern recognition and transformational growth adjustments alongside ring roads: Descriptive mapping from four case studies," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    11. Roberta Gemmiti & Luca Salvati & Silvia Ciccarelli, 2012. "Global City or Ordinary City? Rome as a case study," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 2(2), pages 1-91.
    12. Delphine Ancien, 2011. "Global City Theory and the New Urban Politics Twenty Years On," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(12), pages 2473-2493, September.
    13. Ron Martin, 2008. "National growth versus spatial equality? A cautionary note on the new ‘trade-off’ thinking in regional policy discourse," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(1), pages 3-13, November.
    14. Jiankang Wang & Qian Han & Yuhong Du, 2022. "Coordinated development of the economy, society and environment in urban China: a case study of 285 cities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(11), pages 12917-12935, November.
    15. Constance Carr & Markus Hesse, 2020. "When Alphabet Inc. Plans Toronto’s Waterfront: New Post-Political Modes of Urban Governance," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(1), pages 69-83.
    16. Mace, Alan & Holman, Nancy & Paccoud, Antoine & Sundaresan, Jayaraj, 2015. "Coordinating density; working through conviction, suspicion and pragmatism," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 56768, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Riccardo Crescenzi, 2008. "Mountains in a flat world: why proximity still matters for the location of economic activity," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 1(3), pages 371-388.
    18. Kauffmann, Albrecht, 2021. "Befindet sich die "Metropolregion Mitteldeutschland" auf dem Weg zur räumlich integrierten Region? Eine empirische Untersuchung der Berufspendlerverflechtungen," Arbeitsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Rosenfeld, Martin T. W. & Stefansky, Andreas (ed.), "Metropolregion Mitteldeutschland" aus raumwissenschaftlicher Sicht, volume 30, pages 76-95, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    19. Jennifer Robinson, 2011. "Cities in a World of Cities: The Comparative Gesture," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 1-23, January.
    20. Bo Liu & Desheng Xue & Yiming Tan, 2019. "Deciphering the Manufacturing Production Space in Global City-Regions of Developing Countries—a Case of Pearl River Delta, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-26, December.

    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:9:y:2017:i:7:p:1179-:d:103732. 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.