Cultivated land is an important resource for the realization of ecological product mechanisms, and the value realization of cultivated land ecological products (CLEP) is beneficial for the development of China’s ecological market. Therefore, understanding the collaborative and behavioral evolutionary mechanisms among multiple stakeholders in the process of realizing the value of CLEP and revealing the impacts of various factors on the participants’ decision-making behavior are critical components in realizing the value of CLEP and promoting agricultural modernization. Based on evolutionary game theory, this study establishes a three-party game model with the government, agricultural enterprises, and consumers as the main bodies. By analyzing the behavioral developmental trajectories of several actors under various strategies, the model deduces that diverse strategy combinations will arise. The model is then used for simulations with data from relevant sources. Finally, based on the findings, the effects of various elements on the actors’ strategy choices and the system’s stability are examined. The results reveal three main findings: (1) The increase in subsidies provided by the government helps improve the enthusiasm of agricultural enterprises and consumers; (2) The higher the participation of agricultural enterprises in the construction of high-standard farmland, the greater the ecological benefit distribution coefficient, and the more conducive it is to the value realization of CLEP; (3) Consumers are the most sensitive to the additional costs for CLEP, followed by agricultural enterprises, with the government as the least susceptible. Based on these conclusions, several policy recommendations are proposed. First, the government should take targeted measures and refine the allocation of government fiscal funds. Second, the government should actively establish a multi-subject collaborative mechanism for realizing the value of CLEP. Third, the government should improve the policy system for realizing the value of CLEP and fully protect the interests of agricultural enterprises and consumers. Finally, subsidy incentives and signaling functions should be reinforced to support the expansion of both supply and demand by lowering production costs and increasing market awareness and trust, thus encouraging a virtuous cycle in the realization of arable land ecological product value.
In the context of building an ecological civilization, establishing a bidirectional conversion channel between “green mountains and clear waters” and “golden mountains and silver mountains” in rural areas is of great significance for promoting the realization of ecological product values, which is essential for the comprehensive revitalization of these regions. This study examines the core issue of realizing rural ecological product value. Based on an analysis of existing literature and case studies, this study systematically examines the conceptual evolution, characteristics, and classification of this realization. It summarizes the core mechanisms of rural ecological product value realization and clarifies the paths and modes associated with it. The study finds that the realization of rural ecological product value has characteristics related to greener stakeholders, integrated resource use, market-led processes, and diversified value composition. The core mechanisms involved include the accounting, transformation, transaction, and feedback of ecological product values. Typical modes are characterized by leadership from village collectives, social capital, and state-owned capital, whereas effective pathways are exemplified by the collaborative integration of policy, industrial, financial, and innovation chains. Based on these insights, this study offers policy recommendations aimed at improving and strengthening the mechanisms for realizing rural ecological product values.
The construction of national parks is a strategic choice for safeguarding national ecological security and an urgent need for increasing the supply of high-quality ecological products. To sort out the basic logic and internal connections of the value realization of ecological products in national parks, this study puts forward the key elements and core mechanisms for the value realization of ecological products in national parks. Combining practical experience at home and abroad, the value realization modes of ecological products in national parks are divided into four major categories of national park ecological protection compensation, ecological right transaction, ecological capital income and ecological resource industrial operation, which are divided into 10 subcategories. Among the major categories, national park ecological protection compensation includes ecological compensation, transfer payment and ecological damage compensation; national park ecological right transaction includes payment for ecological services, pollution discharge rights and resource development rights; national park ecological capital income includes resource property right financing and compensation income financing; and national park ecological resource industrial operation includes industrial operation and franchised operation. The value realization of ecological products in national parks can be promoted by establishing and improving the national park ecological compensation mechanism and market-oriented mechanism, and by developing characteristic industries.
Analyzing the internal logic of the value realization of forest ecological products is crucial for promoting the implementation of the “Two Mountains” concept. Although domestic and foreign research has explored the definitions, connotations, and realization paths, existing reviews still face two limitations. On the one hand, there is a lack of systematic integration and comparison of the accounting methods, influencing factors, and practical cases related to value realization. On the other hand, they fail to fully demonstrate the latest progress and synergistic relationships in key dimensions such as innovation in accounting methods, the diversification of market-oriented paths, and the improvement of institutional systems. Therefore, this study systematically reviews the theoretical foundations and explores multidimensional prospects. By constructing a systematic analytical framework that includes connotation definition, knowledge mapping analysis, influencing factors, practical cases, and research prospects, this review summarizes research progress in standardizing accounting methods, collaborative pathways involving governmental and market mechanisms, and key influencing factors spanning the supply-side, demand-side, institutional, and technological dimensions. Furthermore, through a comparative analysis of typical domestic and international cases, this study reveals the potential for differentiated realization models and global synergy. Finally, for addressing current challenges, this study proposes future research directions from six dimensions, including the innovation of accounting methods, the diversification of market-oriented pathways, and the improvement of institutional systems, to resolve the “triple dilemma” of applying digital technology, enhancing the value chain, and facilitating participation in global ecological governance. This study not only provides an integrated analytical framework for deepening the theory of value realization of forest ecological products, thereby fostering dialogue between academic research and policy practice, but it also offers theoretical references and practical guidance for China to optimize ecological compensation mechanisms and enhance the value of forest ecosystem services during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
Accurately calculating the value of water ecological products and the water ecological product supply efficiency (WEPSE) is of great significance in promoting the coordinated balance between ecological protection and economic and social development in a basin, and for enhancing the overall sustainable development capacity of the region. Based on calculations of the value of water ecological products in 184 administrative villages in Qingpu District of Shanghai in 2023, the improved entropy weight DEA model was used to evaluate WEPSE, and the GWR model was used to explore the influencing factors. The following results were obtained. The WEPSE values showed spatial heterogeneity, with a range of variation in Qingpu District in 2023 of [0.497, 1.000] and a decreasing trend from west to east. The overall difference in WEPSE was 0.195. The interregional contribution rate (49.205%) was stronger than either the intraregional contribution rate (26.869%) or the S.V.D contribution rate (23.926%), so it was the main source contributing to the spatial differentiation of WEPSE. The economic factors and social factors were stronger than the livelihood capital factors in the WEPSE variations in Qingpu District. The influencing factors positively correlated with WEPSE were human capital (HC), urbanization rate (UR), agricultural GDP per unit area (AGPA) and Engel coefficient (EG) in sequence. The influencing factors negatively correlated with WEPSE were disposable income (PE) and industrialization degree (ID) in sequence.
China’s industry-led urbanization has exposed many environmental problems, especially in the Yellow River Basin, which is seriously affected by industrialization. As an environmentally friendly industry, tourism has gradually become the leading force driving the transformation of urbanization in the Yellow River Basin. Based on the high-quality development perspective and panel data of 76 cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2008 to 2020, this study uses a panel quantile model to reveal the impact of tourism urbanization development quality on green total factor productivity. The findings are fourfold: (1) The developmental quality of tourism urbanization in most cities in the Yellow River Basin is low, showing a “point-axis” spatial structure with provincial capitals and tourist cities as the center. (2) Tourism urbanization under different levels of developmental quality can effectively promote the improvement of green total factor productivity, and there is a nonlinear driving effect of significant marginal increase, in which the benefit subsystem of tourism urbanization has the greatest impact on green total factor productivity. (3) The developmental quality of tourism urbanization can affect the green total factor productivity through the “twin engines” of green technology efficiency and green technology progress, and the impact of tourism urbanization development quality on green technology efficiency is greater than that of green technology progress. (4) From the perspective of regional heterogeneity, tourism urbanization in the middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin has the most significant driving effect on green total factor productivity. Tourism urbanization in the upper and lower reaches of the Yellow River basin can significantly improve green total factor productivity under conditions of high-quality development.
In the tide of profound integration between the digital economy and cultural industries, Digital Cultural Tourism is undergoing a paradigm shift from “technology empowerment” to “ecological restructuring”. This practical dilemma necessitates innovative breakthroughs in research paradigms and the enhancement and upgrading of policy systems. Based on this, a three-dimensional analytical framework comprising “subject-tool-theme” has been established. Utilizing NVivo 14 qualitative analysis software, Gephi visualization tools, content analysis, and the Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic model, a comprehensive study of 72 strongly related policies and 66 weakly related policies has been conducted, yielding several key findings: (1) The coordination among policy subjects is inadequate, with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the National Radio and Television Administration playing central roles in policy formulation. At the same time, other departments exhibit limited participation, resulting in insufficient depth and collaboration. (2) The deployment of policy tools is imbalanced, focusing on supply-side measures over demand-side strategies. Moreover, demand-side tools are unevenly distributed, with talent cultivation and recruitment (2.60%) and financial and fiscal support (2.08%) accounting for a relatively small proportion. (3) While the scope of policy themes is broad, in-depth exploration remains limited. Policies concerning the protection of digital resources are relatively delayed, and issues related to data security and the intellectual property ownership of tourism products are not sufficiently addressed. Based on these findings, corresponding optimization strategies are proposed, focusing on strengthening interdepartmental collaboration, optimizing policy tools, and enhancing policy themes. Specifically, policy subjects should focus on strengthening collaborative cooperation, building a “power-responsibility-capability” collaborative network, and establishing an efficient communication and coordination mechanism. In terms of policy tools, the imbalance between supply-side and demand-side should be eliminated; prioritizing technology empowerment, resource coordination, talent cultivation, and content innovation will further optimize supply-side policy instruments. In terms of policy themes, attention should be paid to tourism data security and intellectual property protection, modern tourism talent cultivation, popularization of immersive experience technology and equipment, and the provision of fiscal and financial support, etc.
Based on the cognitive-affective theoretical model of tourism destination image perception, this study utilizes big data mining technology to obtain Weibo comment texts from Shanghai Citywalk tourists. It then systematically explores the characteristics of their tourism destination image perception through content analysis. The key findings are as follows: (1) At the cognitive image level, the attractions chosen by tourists for Citywalk form a “dual-core and multi-axis” network structure, with a preference for characteristic blocks that integrate cultural landscapes and local life scenes. The perception of the tourism environment exhibits multi-sensory interaction characteristics, which are instantaneously influenced by weather conditions. The preferred mode of transportation is the low-carbon combination of “subway + slow travel”. Furthermore, catering is deeply integrated with urban leisure, and accommodation services adequately meet short-term needs. (2) In terms of emotional image, positive emotions are dominant, primarily fueled by urban vitality, cultural collisions, and immersive experiences. Conversely, negative experiences mainly arise from crowds, high consumption costs, and adverse weather conditions. (3) The overall image perception is highly positive, evidenced by a significant willingness to revisit and recommend. However, optimization is needed concerning spatial carrying capacity and consumption affordability. Finally, the study actionable suggestions for optimizing the image of Shanghai’s Citywalk tourism destinations, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for urban micro-tourism design, promoting the development of Shanghai’s all-for-one tourism, and contributing to the establishment of a destination shared harmoniously by both residents and visitors.
The distinctive features of rural areas play a significant role in the protection and inheritance of rural culture, the promotion of rural economic development, and the comprehensive revitalization of villages. This study focuses on five categories of national-level characteristic villages in Guizhou Province, and explores their spatial heterogeneity characteristics before evaluating their resource endowments and tourism development potential. It proposes optimized pathways for the development of characteristic rural tourism in different types of regions. The results revealed three key insights. 1) In terms of spatial heterogeneity, characteristic villages exhibit a distribution pattern that is “dense in the east and sparse in the west,” with three distinct agglomeration core areas formed in Qiandongnan Prefecture, Tongren City, and Anshun City. The nuclear density spatial differentiation among the five types of villages is significant, while an agglomerated state is maintained, indicating that type diversity coexists with spatial concentration. 2) Regarding the factors influencing heterogeneity, natural elements such as elevation, terrain undulation degree, slope gradient, and distance from rivers exert decisive impacts, while cultural heritage accumulation and ethnic population distribution are also important human factors. Together these elements shape the spatial differentiation patterns observed in characteristic villages. 3) To optimize tourism development pathways, an evaluation system was constructed based on a comprehensive index of resource endowments and tourism potential. Using a quadrant diagram method, nine cities (prefectures) were categorized into four development zones: Collaborative Enhancement Zone, Optimized Guidance Zone, Resource Integration Zone, and Characteristic Exploration Zone. This framework provides an optimized pathway for developing distinctive rural tourism, and can offer a reference for the sustainable tourism development of other regions with unique rural resources.
Drawing on panel data from Bohai Rim cities spanning 2001-2019, this study employs ESTDA, LISA temporal path analysis, and the coupling coordination degree model to investigate the spatial-temporal characteristics and coupling coordination dynamics of regional tourism performance. The findings reveal three key insights: (1) Both tourism development achievement and development efficiency exhibit significant spatial agglomeration across the region. (2) The local spatial structures of both indicators remain relatively stable and are characterized by the coexistence of cooperative growth and spatial competition. However, tourism development achievement exhibits greater stability in the direction of spatial dependence compared to development efficiency. This discrepancy is attributed to the stronger path dependence and transitional inertia observed in tourism development achievement, whereas efficiency tends to shift more frequently between spatial association types. (3) The coupling coordination relationship between tourism development achievement and efficiency is evolving from a state of incoordination toward coordinated development, with uncoordinated cities gradually shifting from a ring-shaped spatial pattern to concentrated clusters in the northeastern and southwestern parts of the region. These findings offer valuable theoretical and practical implications for understanding the spatial patterns of regional tourism and advancing a high-quality, complementary tourism development structure.
Recreational services (RS) play a significant role in promoting the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature and enhancing public mental health. This study systematically examined the spatiotemporal evolutionary characteristics and coupling relationships between the supply and demand of RS in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region from 2010 to 2020. By integrating multi-source data—including land use, big data, and fundamental geographic information—a quantitative indicator system for the potential supply and demand of RS was constructed, and the Geo-detector method was employed to identify key driving factors. The results indicate that: (1) During the study period, spatial mismatches existed between the supply and demand of RS in the YRD, though the overall imbalance tended to decrease; (2) Both high-supply and high-demand areas exhibited significant spatial clustering, with high-supply areas primarily located in the southern part and high-demand areas concentrated in the eastern part, leading to extensive supply deficits in the eastern YRD due to spatial misalignment; and (3) The supply and demand of RS are jointly driven by natural and social factors, with tourism economic activity and urban spatial expansion being the key influencing factors. Based on these findings, we propose that regional differentiated strategies, spatial planning coordination, and data-driven governance should be adopted to enhance the supply-demand balance of RS in the YRD and promote synergistic socio-ecological development.
Toponymic cultural heritage (TCH) documents the historical process of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, encapsulates urban memory and cultural identity, and holds significant value in illustrating the historical and cultural dimensions of a city while promoting the high-quality development of cultural tourism. This study focuses on the first batch of TCHs in Wuhan as its research subject, examining the spatial distribution characteristics of TCHs through the application of the average nearest neighbors, Thiessen polygon, kernel density estimation, and standard deviational ellipse methods using ArcGIS tools. The Pearson correlation coefficient is employed to analyze the relationship between the distribution of TCHs and urban socio-economic development, uncovering intrinsic mechanisms and influencing factors to validate the tourism economic value of this heritage and support tourism strategies. The findings indicate that TCHs are influenced by historical, geographical, and cultural factors, resulting in distinct spatial layouts for different types of TCHs, generally exhibiting a pattern of “density in the center and sparsity in the periphery”. Furthermore, correlation analysis and case studies highlight the significant coupling value between TCH and tourism, revealing rich historical culture, social memory, and tourism economic potential. Finally, the study proposes a comprehensive planning framework for developing a TCH tourism system, emphasizing digital empowerment and technological enhancements to improve the tourism experience associated with geographical names. It advocates for a multi-dimensional thematic approach to historical, cultural, and ecological tourism strategy, aiming to establish a “TCH + Tourism” model. This approach seeks to provide innovative ideas and references for the advancement of urban cultural tourism and to foster a new paradigm for the high-quality development of urban cultural tourism.To provide new ideas and references for the development of urban cultural tourism and create a new situation of high-quality urban cultural tourism development.
The Ten-year Fishing Ban (TFB) in the Yangtze River launched by China in 2019 has aroused global concern and multiple conflicts with related stakeholders. To explore effective strategies for ecological program management, we conducted a field survey and simulated different scenarios of policy implementation through the three-party game between the central government, local governments, and fishermen. The results show how various policy options influence the sustainability of the fishing ban. (1) Increasing the penalty for the local government so it is greater than their policy enforcement costs or improving the reward to greater than 0.8 times the ecological benefits, can effectively mobilize the local government’s motivation and delay their shift to passive enforcement. (2) Current government assistance has not effectively met the actual needs of fishermen, so improving fund efficiency rather than fund scale can more effectively entice the fishermen to obey the fishing ban. (3) For illegal fishing, increasing the encounter frequency with fishermen has a greater deterrent effect than increasing the punishment severity, while the efficiency of livelihood support programs significantly influences the marginal benefit of punitive measures. When support efficiency improves to a moderate level, combining it with medium-to-high intensity penalties generates an optimal synergistic effect that can markedly accelerate system convergence. Therefore, a more sustainable fishing ban can be achieved by adding flexible penalties and economic rewards for the local government, improving the assistance for meeting the fishermen’s livelihood demands, increasing the frequency of encounters with illegal fishing and diversifying the punishment measures.
The coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has promoted economic development and environmental protection. In addition to water shortage issues, this region faces water pollution challenges. This study aimed to explore the impact of industrial structure upgrading in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region on the total factor productivity in the water environment using 2011-2018 panel data from the three cities. Results showed that, first, upgrading of industrial structure significantly promoted the total factor productivity in the water environment in the aforementioned region. Robustness testing through missing variables, instrumental variables, and changing core explanatory variables confirmed the robustness and reliability of our results. Second, digital economy development and increased human capital exhibited a positive regulatory effect on the promoting effect of industrial structure upgrading. Third, this promoting effect was achieved by reducing water pollution and enhancing innovation. Lastly, in Hebei, this improvement was noted in cities with medium-to-high-level industrial development and those with high levels of environmental public services. Therefore, industrial structure upgrading in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region contributes to economic development and the protection of the water ecological environment. This study provides theoretical guidance for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Coffee Weather Index Insurance (WII) provides smallholders with a critical buffer against climate-related losses. This study aims to investigate Chinese coffee farmers’ preferences for coffee WII using a choice experiment. The results show that a majority of farmers are willing to purchase coffee WII. Attributes including the premium rate, insured amount, premium subsidy, and type of protection significantly influence farmers’ preferences. Specifically, farmers favor coffee WII with revenue protection, a lower insured amount, a higher premium subsidy, and a lower premium rate. Basis risk does not significantly deter uptake. Furthermore, farmers’ gender, education level, and their anticipated impact of future high temperatures on coffee production play pivotal roles in shaping WII demand. These findings offer valuable insights for insurers and policymakers, informing the design of coffee WII policies that align with local preferences and can enhance the participation of coffee farmers in WII programs.
Horizontal ecological compensation is a key policy instrument for incentivizing the sustained supply of ecosystem services. It is also a crucial approach for achieving the goals of ecological and environmental protection, balanced regional development, and social equity. This study explores the spatiotemporal changes in the ecosystem services of the Miyun Reservoir Basin in the context of the Beijing-Hebei transboundary horizontal ecological compensation policy. Four types of ecosystem services, namely, grain production, water yield, carbon sequestration, and soil retention, were quantitatively evaluated based on InVEST models and the spatial analysis method of ArcGIS in Miyun Reservoir Basin from 2010 to 2023. The key findings include three main points. (1) After the implementation of the horizontal compensation policy (2018-2023), the water yield, carbon sequestration, and soil retention services showed significant recovery, with a notable increase in grain production, thus validating the effectiveness of the “incentive-feedback” dynamic mechanism. Economic inputs and institutional constraints drove the regulation of human activities, which enhanced ecosystem services, while ecosystem service improvements reciprocally supported the optimization of policy, forming a virtuous cycle of “policy incentives and institutional constraints - economic inputs - green actions”. (2) The spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem services was significant. Temporally, all four services exhibited upward trends after 2018, but the reduced precipitation in 2023 triggered anomalous fluctuations in water yield and soil retention, highlighting the interference of climate change with policy outcomes. (3) Spatially, grain production migrated toward the upper reaches of the Chaohe River and Baihe River, water yield was clustered in the upper Baihe and Chaohe sub-basins, carbon sequestration was extended to the mountainous areas with the expansion of forestland, and soil retention showed a pattern of high in the middle and low in the east and west, reflecting the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of ecosystem services throughout the basin. Finally, this study proposes differentiated watershed governance and ecological compensation paths, and recommends tailored compensation standards for ecological functional zones, as well as targeted mechanisms for cropland protection, water conservation, and carbon sink enhancement. A climate-adaptive policy framework should be established to address future uncertainties and optimize Beijing-Hebei transboundary horizontal ecological compensation policies.
Green technological innovation (GTI) has emerged as a pivotal driver of high-quality economic development; however, controversies among scholars remain regarding its impact on corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, and the potential mechanisms are still underexplored. Using a sample of A-share listed companies from the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges in China spanning 2011-2023, this study employs fixed-effects models to empirically investigate how GTI shapes corporate ESG performance. Our findings reveal that GTI exerts a significantly positive, but heterogeneous, effect on ESG performance. The impact is more pronounced among large-scale firms, non-asset-intensive firms, and those operating in the east and west of China. Mechanistically, GTI enhances ESG performance through two key pathways: “operational empowerment” and “investment empowerment”. Further analysis indicates that air pollution pressure positively moderates the GTI-ESG relationship, reflecting a “pressure-driven effect”, while market competition pressure negatively moderates this relationship, indicating a “short-sighted effect”. This study contributes actionable implications for policymakers and firms that underscore the strategic value of GTI in advancing ESG performance amid environmental and competitive pressures.
In 2017, with the aim of mitigating air pollution, especially in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China began implementing clean heating pilot programs during the winter in 43 cities in northern China, which have visible effects. However, problems, such as the heavy financial burden for the government and high costs for residents, are still prevalent in the region. In this paper, the city of Hengshui, one of the first pilot cities, was surveyed, and 275 valid questionnaires were obtained with the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). We use the Heckman Two-stage Model to empirically analyze which are the factors that shape residents’ willingness, and willingness to pay for clean heating. Results show that the residents’ educational background, income, and subjective factors such as their knowledge and perception of the action and of the government significantly influence whether they are receptive to the clean winter heating. On this basis, this paper makes nonparametric and parametric estimates of their willingness and obtains nonparametric estimates of 1069.09 yuan yr‒1 household‒1 and 1624.31 yuan yr‒1 household‒1 and parametric estimates of 726.96 yuan yr‒1 household‒1 and 1104.50 yuan yr‒1 household‒1 for all the samples and for the sample that includes only those respondents willing to pay, respectively. Finally, this paper concludes with the policy recommendations: differentiated subsidies, increases in residents’ income levels, savings on clean heating costs, and greater education and information disclosure.
In the context of China’s rural revitalization strategy, improving the living environment of traditional peri-urban villages is essential for enhancing the quality of life and achieving sustainable development. This study takes Siqing Village in Baqiao District, Xi’an, as a case and develops an integrated renewal approach grounded in multi-source empirical data. Field surveys, quantitative measurements of roads and buildings, spatial mapping of green and public spaces, and household interviews and questionnaires were conducted. The core datasets cover: (1) Road traffic conditions, including pavement quality, traffic flow, and parking supply-demand imbalance; (2) Architectural style, including building types, façade materials, structural conditions, and visual clutter; (3) Green landscape and public space, including vegetation density, landscape quality, and spatial connectivity; and (4) Infrastructure and resident demands, including drainage performance, waste management, lighting facilities, and prioritized functional needs. Methodologically, the study adopts a multi-dimensional framework combining spatial classification, building typology analysis, key landscape feature evaluation, demand-oriented facility allocation, and a participatory governance mechanism of “resident engagement-feedback-plan optimization-co-construction and sharing”. On this basis, targeted strategies are proposed for road traffic optimization, rural style enhancement, green landscape reconstruction, and infrastructure upgrading, while systematically integrating Guanzhong regional cultural elements through symbolic extraction and form translation. The results show comprehensive improvements: all unpaved roads were hardened and road capacity increased by over 30%; landmark spaces and green corridors enhanced ecological quality and spatial identity; unified façades eliminated visual disorder and strengthened regional character; and upgrades such as 120 solar streetlights, waste-sorting stations, and underground cable installation significantly improved safety and environmental cleanliness. Resident engagement reached 85%, indicating stronger community cohesion and governance capacity. The study demonstrates that data-driven, culturally informed, and participatory renewal provides a replicable model for revitalizing traditional peri-urban villages.
Population distribution and agglomeration patterns are critical indicators of regional economic and social development. Analyzing Nepal’s population distribution and agglomeration patterns can provide valuable insights into the underlying spatial distribution, while offering data support and theoretical foundations for formulating effective regional development strategies. This study uses population and land data from Nepal’s counties for the years 1981, 2001, and 2021, and employs quantitative analysis methods, including the Gini coefficient, population growth rate, and population concentration index to systematically examine the spatiotemporal evolution and agglomeration patterns. The results show three key insights. (1) The degree of population distribution imbalance has increased, with the Gini coefficient rising from 0.424 in 1981 to 0.531 in 2021. (2) Population growth follows a regional pattern of “rapid growth in the south and slower growth in the north,” with the Terai Plain experiencing rapid expansion, the central mountainous region growing steadily, and the northern highland areas experiencing slow growth. (3) The population concentration displays a tiered distribution pattern of “high concentration in the plains, significant differentiation in the mountainous areas, and extreme sparsity in the high mountain regions”.
With increasingly frequent cross-regional population mobility in China, heading south to Guangdong and engaging in the catering industry related to dumpling restaurants has become a significant collective livelihood practice for the Dorbod Mongols of Heilongjiang Province. Grounded in life course theory, this study analyzes the group’s unique long-distance interprovincial mobility patterns, motivational mechanisms, and intergenerational evolution. The results reveal that the southward migration of the Dorbod Mongols was not merely an economic decision, but rather a result of the interplay between historical circumstances, social networks, and individual agency. Throughout this process, they developed a migration pattern characterized by “pioneer initiation—lineage diffusion—village-level emulation—intergenerational transmission”. This demonstrates the pivotal role of family-centered social cohesion and relational networks in facilitating cross-regional mobility and urban integration. By providing both a unique lens and a concrete case study, this research advances our understanding of the diverse forms of minority migration in China and the complex mechanisms of population outflow in the Northeast.
Investigating the impact of rural digitalization on agricultural carbon emissions contributes to achieving carbon neutrality goals and facilitates the green transformation of agriculture with enhanced efficiency. Based on panel data from 31 provincial-level regions in China spanning 2005 to 2022, this study employs a dynamic panel model to analyze the influence of rural digitalization on agricultural carbon emission intensity. Heterogeneity analysis, mechanism testing, and spatial effect examination are also conducted. The main findings are fourfold. (1) Rural digitalization effectively promotes the reduction of agricultural carbon emissions. (2) Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the effect of rural digitalization on lowering agricultural carbon emission intensity is particularly significant in production-marketing balanced regions. (3) The carbon emission reduction effect of rural digitalization is primarily realized through the scaling of agricultural operations, the accumulation of human capital, and the improvement of total factor productivity. (4) A positive spatial correlation exists in the agricultural carbon emission intensity across provinces, and the inhibitory effect of rural digitalization on agricultural carbon emission intensity exhibits spatial spillover effects. Therefore, to accelerate rural digitalization and advance agricultural carbon emission reduction, it will be essential to promote the scaling of agricultural operations, guide farmers in adopting advanced technologies, and enhance their ability to utilize digital tools.
The rapid development of the rural digital economy has emerged as a global phenomenon affecting both developed and developing countries, and China is no exception. Based on field survey data from 432 citrus family farms in Jiangxi Province in 2023, the mediating effect test and heterogeneity analysis are employed in this study to assess the impact of digital applications (DA) on family farm income (FFI). The results show that DA significantly increases FFI, with its enabling effect spanning the entire production chain from pre-production information acquisition to mid-production management and post-production marketing. Mechanism analysis indicates that DA enhances economic returns through three synergistic pathways: improving policy resource acquisition efficiency, promoting resource-efficient technology adoption, and expanding market sales channels. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that the income-enhancing effect of DA is more pronounced among farms with smaller scales, lower incomes, weaker social capital, and poorer infrastructure. These findings reflect inclusive “catch-up” and “substitution” effects, rather than the emergence of a digital divide. This study enriches the theoretical framework of digital agricultural empowerment and provides policy-relevant evidence for the formulation of targeted digital agriculture policies.
Climate variability is considered one of the major challenges facing agricultural productivity in ecologically fragile mountain regions such as the Garhwal Himalaya. A study on this topic examines whether temperature and rainfall are Granger-causing each other, considering crop yields; it applies a Granger Causality Test and ARIMA- based time series modelling. A time series dataset of climate, from 1951 to 2023, including maximum temperature (T-max), minimum temperature (T-min), and rainfall, was collected to determine casual relationships and further predict future trends. In addition, the results indicate that T-max has a significant influence on the pattern of rainfall; hence, temperature changes cause a change in precipitation, whereas the latter is not found to be causally related to the former. Lastly, T-max and T-min were strongly interdependent, meaning that the fluctuation in temperature played a central role in influencing agricultural outcomes. The ARIMA model reveals a minor cooling trend in T-max from 2024 to 2030; thus, this might benefit heat-sensitive crops like wheat and potatoes but possibly be a concern for warm temperature crops like rice and mango. Such outcomes, therefore, demand the significance of climate-responsive agricultural planning, especially in rain-fed farming systems that are vulnerable to irregularity in precipitation. With the implementation of predictive climate models and adaptive farming strategies, policymakers and farmers can develop more resilient agricultural systems. The study, therefore, calls for enhanced water resource management, climate-smart crop selection, and policy intervention to mitigate climate risks in the Garhwal Himalaya. Future research studies should include extra climatic and agronomic variables by using high-level machine learning models to better enhance the forecast accuracy and resilience of agriculture with ongoing climate change.
Forest ecosystem enhances environmental resilience by maintaining ecosystem stability and supporting natural processes. In Nepal, the rising temperature has exerted immense pressure on people’s livelihoods and ecosystems. In a forest, soil characteristics and tree diversity are the key components that enhance its resilience in response to various disturbances such as drought, fire, erosion, and landslides. However, the role of forest management in improving soil quality, fostering tree diversity, and building resilience is less investigated in Nepal. The present study aims to assess the role of forest management in soil quality, tree diversity, and building resilience. For this purpose, the soil quality was determined and soil quality rating (SQR) was computed across three management zones of the Panchase protected forest, using a semi-quantitative equation model. The observed tree richness was obtained from transect walk and tree counts around soil sample points. The community resilience adjoining the forest was assessed through participatory approach employing a scoring method. The results showed that SQR was higher in the Protected Zone (0.82) followed by the Intensive Management Zone (0.77) and the Impact Zone (0.69). The highly significant differences in SQR among the three management zones (P<0.001) and the highly significant difference in mean SQR between the Protected Zone and the Impact Zone (P<0.001) highlighted the role of forest management in fostering soil quality. The Protected Zone exhibited higher tree richness compared to the Intensive Management and the Impact Zones, suggesting the need for soil quality enhancement through management measures that also promote tree diversity. Furthermore, the community residing near the forest, which encompasses larger forest area demonstrated higher resilience score of 3.94 than the community residing relatively far, scoring 3.53. This suggests the contribution of forest ecosystem in building community resilience and recommends to strengthen agricultural diversity, agriculture innovation, and biodiversity-based livelihoods in community with low resilience score.
