Exploring the changes in food consumption and dietary nutrient intake of Chinese urban and rural residents is of great significance. This study constructed a Chinese food nutrient model using data from “China Statistical Yearbook”, “China Rural Statistical Yearbook”, “China Yearbook of Household Survey”, and “China Yearbook of Rural Household Survey”. The structure and changes in food consumption and nutrient intake among urban and rural residents in China from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed using dietary balance indices and comparisons with dietary recommendations. The results show that higher consumption of cereals and lower consumption of dairy products remained the main problems in food consumption by both urban and rural residents from 2000 to 2020. The dietary nutrient structure of urban and rural residents developed a dual calorie structure dominated by grain and supplemented by vegetable oil, a dual protein structure dominated by grain and supplemented by pork, and a triple fat structure dominated by vegetable oil and supplemented by both pork and grain. Rural plant-based and animal-based dietary nutrition lagged behind that of urban areas, with a difference of roughly 20 years. The results of this study clarified the food consumption and dietary nutritional structures and changes of urban and rural residents. We found the deficiencies in the current dietary structure and made recommendations for improving the nutritional health of urban and rural residents.

As an emerging integrated economic system, the ice and snow economy holds significant importance for promoting high-quality regional economic development. This study first employs data visualization techniques to illustrate the current status of China's ice and snow economy. On this basis, it uses the LSTM neural network model to conduct a predictive analysis of its future development trends. Furthermore, by analyzing the industrial convergence mechanism and operational mechanisms of the ice and snow industry, the study explores the underlying logic driving the development of China's ice and snow economy. Finally, it identifies the challenges in its development and proposes relevant policy recommendations to promote the high-quality development of the ice and snow economy in the Chinese context. The findings show that since China was awarded the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in 2015, its ice and snow economy has entered a period of rapid growth. The total market scale expanded from 270 billion yuan in 2015 to 980 billion yuan in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 15.4%. However, the ice and snow economy still faces challenges such as homogeneous consumption structures, incomplete industrial chains, unbalanced regional development, and constraints on sustainable development. It is therefore urgent to formulate targeted solutions based on China's actual conditions, gradually establishing a well-structured ice and snow industry system characterized by clear government-market collaboration, supply-demand alignment, dynamic cost-benefit equilibrium and balanced development and protection-ultimately propelling the high-quality development of China's ice and snow economy.

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.

Minority characteristic villages are an important carrier of Chinese cultural heritage and key locations for the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. This study takes 683 villages with national minority characteristics in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin as the research object. It uses spatial analysis and geographic exploration technology to explore the spatial distribution characteristics of minority characteristic villages in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin, the formation mechanism, and potential for rural revitalization. The results show that: (1) The spatial distribution of ethnic minority villages in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin is not balanced, with an overall distribution pattern of “dense in the south and sparse in the north”. (2) The spatial distribution of ethnic villages is of the aggregation type, and the overall spatial distribution is characterized by “one nucleus with multiple points” and “cold in the north and hot in the east”. (3) The main factors affecting the spatial distribution of ethnic villages are the economy, population, ecology, transportation, and natural environment. (4) The spatial differentiation of ethnic villages in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin is the result of a combination of factors. In the context of future rural revitalization, we should anchor the revitalization and protection of ethnic villages, focus on the construction of inter-regional cooperation mechanisms, refine the spatial layout and optimal integration, and sincerely devote ourselves to the excavation and inheritance of the unique culture of ethnic groups to comprehensively, profoundly, and systematically promote the efficient practice of the rural revitalization strategy.

Ecotourism in national parks represents an important pathway for synergistically advancing ecological conservation and sustainable development. Based on a review of domestic practices in national park ecotourism development and focusing on core attractions, this paper systematically proposes four representative development models: the “Forest Wellness+” model, the “Flagship Species-Centered” model, the “Eco-Cultural Tourism” model, and the “Nature Quest” model. This study examines case studies from national parks such as Tangwanghe, Giant Panda, Zoige, and the Yellow River Estuary, and the core characteristics and limitations of each model. The main findings are as follows: (1) All four models are grounded in high-quality ecological resources and generate economic benefits for local communities through tourism activities, thereby achieving multiple objectives, including ecological conservation, tourism development, and community revitalization. (2) The models differ significantly in terms of target visitor groups, resource dependence, and seasonal adaptability, and each faces distinct challenges, such as market homogenization, human-wildlife conflict, insufficient cultural interpretation, and climatic constraints. (3) To promote model optimization and long-term sustainability, it is essential to adapt and innovate development models according to local conditions, enhance technology-enabled smart management, and transcend administrative boundaries to establish regional collaborative networks. This study provides an in-depth exploration of the underlying operational logic of ecotourism models in China’s national parks. It offers precise, replicable development paradigms for different park types, thereby contributing to the standardization and sustainability of ecotourism within China’s national park system.

This study uses Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to address the two main issues facing the Taihang Mountains region: the absence of systematic development and the dispersion of its rich cultural resources. Geographical correlations were investigated using 538 cultural resource places in the Eastern Taihang Mountains, and the Southern Taihang Mountains was used as a case study to apply a multifaceted collaboration methodology involving spatial overlay analysis, kernel density analysis, and regional potential value analysis. The results revealed some planning frameworks by using the spatial connectivity benefits and complementary nature of the cultural resources in the Eastern and Southern Taihang regions. This study proposes a cultural belt at the municipal level, which would link Jincheng, the central region of Southern Taihang, with Zhangjiakou, Baoding, Shijiazhuang, and Xingtai. Furthermore, county-level tourism routes would be expanded from the core clusters of Southern Taihang (Gaoping City and Zezhou County) to the main nodes of eastern Taihang (Yuxian, Pingshan, Jingxing, Xindu, Shahe, and Wu’an). Through this program, Taihang’s eastern and southern cultural resources can be developed in a methodical, integrated manner. This effort can create a viable path for multi-stakeholder participation in the Taihang cultural economy by integrating cultural resource nodes with various stakeholders, such as the public, businesses, government agencies, and universities. The promotion of economic development in the Taihang Mountains region will require an increase in the Taihang Mountains’ cultural influence, to eventually inform cultural regeneration and use across the country, and this study offers a theoretical reference and practical foundations for achieving those goals.

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 Zhengtai Railway is an important logistics channel connecting Shanxi with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta, and it has a profound impact on regional industrial development. Based on the theory of heritage corridors and using GIS spatial analysis technology, this study conducted a multi-dimensional analysis on the industrial heritage along the Shijiazhuang section. (1) The temporal characteristics indicate that the heritage, which was established in 1896, is mainly composed of the three major industries of pharmaceuticals, textiles, and steel. (2) The spatial pattern shows an axial distribution of “dense in the west and sparse in the east”, with Xinhua District, Chang’an District and Luquan District as the agglomeration cores. (3) By constructing an evaluation system that includes four types of factors: natural environment, transportation conditions, heritage value and service facilities, the suitable areas of the corridor with “three cores and one surface” were identified. Finally, the strategy of “dynamic width control + themed cluster protection” was proposed, which provides a new idea for the protection of linear industrial heritage.

Plants are the primary source of traditional remedies around the world. The Baglung District of Nepal has a huge potential for medicinal herbs used ethnobotanically to treat different diseases. We had studied and evaluated the status and uses of medicinal plants with the aim of documenting the ethnomedicinal flora of Jaimini and Bareng municipalities of Baglung District. Key Informant Interviews (KII) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used in five wards to gather data between November 2021 and October 2022 utilizing open-ended, semi-structured questionnaires. Traditional healers were consulted regarding the stated traditional uses, and the results were cross-validated against previously released research. The SPSS software and MS Excel 2013 were used to aggregate and evaluate the data. Pie charts, graphs, and tables are used to display the data. Altogether, 219 medicinal plants are used by the people of both municipalities. The shrubs and herbs occupy a major percentage in Bareng and Jaimini, respectively, whereas Family Fabaceae and Asteracea represented the maximum no. of species in these municipalities. The mostly used part for the treatment was leaf (25% in Bareng and 19% in Jaimini). Medicinal plants were majorily used to cure illnesses related to digestive system mostly in the form of paste. Low-value plant diversity was rich in both municipalities. Locals were also concerned about its conservational practices. The current study's findings will serve as the foundation for future research into medicinal plants in the study region. In conclusion, plant species must be conserved, and future generations must be educated to learn information that would otherwise extinct.

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.

This study employs field surveys of plant diversity and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assess plant diversity and evaluate landscape quality in the Hutuo River Urban Forest Park. A total of 257 plant species belonging to 64 families and 184 genera were recorded, and they show a multi-layered tree-shrub-herb structure that is characteristic of warm temperate urban forests. An evaluation framework for the plant landscape was established that integrates ecological community structure, plant diversity, landscape aesthetics, recreational space planning, and cultural attributes. The results show that ecological structure and species diversity contribute the most to overall evaluation scores, underscoring the central role of ecological attributes in landscape assessment. While the current plant landscape demonstrates integrity in vertical layering and richness in species composition, deficiencies remain in seasonal continuity, cultural expression, and winter ornamental value. These findings highlight both the ecological strengths and developmental gaps of the park. This study provides a scientific foundation for the conservation of plant resources, the improvement of landscape quality, and the promotion of ecological sustainability in urban forest parks.

The A-level tourist attractions are an important carrier for the development of the tourism industry. As the most fundamental tourism supply, studying their spatial distribution pattern and driving forces is of great significance for promoting the process of regional tourism industrialization. This study used the tourism resource abundance index, nearest neighbor distance index, and geographic detector model to study the spatial characteristics and driving forces of A-level tourist attractions in China. The results showed that the A-level tourist attractions in China exhibit significant spatial clustering, but there are significant regional differences. They are mainly distributed on the southeastern side of the Hu Huanyong Line. Overall, the average of tourism resource abundance index is 71.74. The proportion of cities above that average is relatively low, and they form local high-value clustering areas mainly in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, Yangtze River Delta, and Chengdu-Chongqing regions. The spatial distribution patterns of various types of scenic spots also exhibit agglomeration characteristics, but their agglomeration scales and spatial patterns exhibit obvious regional differences. The spatial distribution pattern of A-level tourist attractions in China is a result of the combined effect of regional socio-economic factors and scenic environmental factors. Among them, the explanatory power of regional socio-economic factors is stronger than that of scenic environmental factors. Among the scenic environmental factors, resource endowment has the strongest explanatory power, and there are significant differences in the dominant factors influencing the distributions of different types of A-level tourist attractions.

As global efforts to achieve carbon neutrality accelerate, understanding how digital economy development contributes to urban carbon reduction is crucial for achieving sustainable development. This study examines the impact of digital economy expansion on carbon emission intensity in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, a key economic hub in China. Using panel data from 41 cities (2011-2021) and a moderated mediation model, we analyze how industrial upgrading and Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) mediate this relationship. Our findings confirm that the digital economy significantly reduces carbon intensity both directly and indirectly through these two pathways. In addition, government investment in science and technology positively moderates this effect by strengthening the carbon reduction impact via industrial transformation. Spatial heterogeneity analysis reveals that these effects are more pronounced in cities within the “one core, five circles, and four belts” framework and in non-resource-based cities, highlighting regional disparities. These results underscore the need for targeted policy measures, including enhanced digital infrastructure, green finance mechanisms, and regional collaboration to maximize the decarbonization benefits of digitalization. By integrating digital and low-carbon strategies, policymakers can drive high-quality, green urban transformation.

Effectively enhancing the efficiency of the regional tourism economy is a key issue in advancing high-quality tourism development in Northeast China and implementing the Northeast China Revitalization Strategy. Based on a tourism efficiency indicator system, this study employed an SBM super-efficiency model to calculate the tourism efficiency in Northeast China from 2003 to 2022 and analyzed the characteristics of its spatiotemporal evolution. A Tobit model was subsequently used to investigate the influencing factors, which can inform targeted measures to promote the high-quality development of the tourism industry. The results reveal that the tourism efficiency is relatively low overall, and it has been shaped by many factors other than policies. (1) Tourism efficiency in Northeast China remains relatively low overall. Over time, it exhibited a spiralling upward trend that moved through three developmental stages: the stable stage, the stage of rapid growth, and the stage of fluctuations. Spatially, there are two high-efficiency clusters, the Changchun-Harbin urban agglomeration and the Southeast Liaoning urban agglomeration. However, the agglomeration effect waned accordingly as tourism efficiency gradually shifted from a polarized pattern toward a more balanced distribution. (2) While policy plays a role, tourism efficiency in Northeast China is also significantly shaped by factors such as resources, location, industry, science and technology, and education. Its correlation with the level of economic development has been comparatively minor, and there are marked differences in the factors influencing tourism efficiency across the region. According to the research conclusions, a joint development system for the regional tourism economy should be constructed at the macro level. At the micro level, efforts should focus on enhancing market competitiveness through “push-pull” strategies, while each province should pursue differentiated development models tailored to its unique characteristics.

In 2020, China clearly put forward the “double carbon” goal of striving to achieve its carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Energy companies are the main source of carbon emissions and key players in reducing emissions, so they shoulder a pivotal responsibility in achieving this strategic goal. At the same time, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) concepts are highly compatible with the “dual-carbon” goal. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to explore the impact of ESG on energy companies to realize the “dual-carbon” goal. In this study, we analyzed the impact of ESG on the total factor productivity of energy companies and its mediating effect from the perspectives of investor preference and financing constraints. The results of this study show that good ESG performance of energy companies can enhance their total factor productivity through the positive effects of investor preference and financing constraints, and the extent of the effects was found to vary among companies with different equity natures, regional situations, and different backgrounds of the directors, supervisors, and senior executives. In view of these effects, energy companies should enhance their total factor productivity by strengthening investor preference and alleviating financing constraints; and they should also learn from each other’s ESG development models to promote the overall ESG level of the energy industry.

Ski tourism has become a hotspot in the tourism industry due to its high revisit rate. Accurate assessment of its experience quality is crucial for enhancing tourists’ revisit intentions and promoting the high-quality development of the ski industry. Based on the expectation-disconfirmation theory, this study comprehensively applies the LDA model, Text-CNN model, and Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) to examine 103503 online reviews from 55 ski resorts across nearly 10 ski seasons (2015/2016-2024/2025) in China. It constructs evaluation indicators for ski tourism experience quality and conducts an evaluation and comparison of the experience quality in the four major ski tourism areas: Northeast, North, Northwest, and East of China. The results indicate: (1) 16 influencing factors on ski tourism experience quality were identified, including the newly recognized factors of Ski Instructor Quality and Peer Interaction; (2) In terms of the evolutionary characteristics of experience quality, Established ski regions (Northeast and Northwest) show slow experience improvements, while emerging regions (North and East China) exhibit rapid progress; (3) Overall, North China leads in experience quality, followed by Northeast, Northwest, and East of China; (4) In comparing influencing factors, Natural Scenery, Emotional Perception, and Peer Interaction are common advantages across the four ski tourism areas, while Price Perception is a shared disadvantage. This study systematically evaluated the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of experience quality in major ski tourism areas of China, providing theoretical basis and practical insights for precise improvement of tourism experiences in various regions.

This study takes the children’s animation IP “Brave Brother Ah Niu” as a case study, where the animation IP refers not merely to a single work, but rather to a core content asset capable of multi-dimensional development and possessing long-term commercial value, such as a well-known character, story, or worldview. This case is used to explore the path for children’s animation IP to empower the deep integration of cultural tourism based on Bourdieu’s field theory. In response to the current challenges of fragmentation, superficial symbolization, and capital feedback disruption in development, a three-field transformation framework of “cultural production-media practice- industrial consumption” is constructed, and an integration mechanism of “empowerment-translation-feedback” is proposed. This study provides a replicable theoretical model and practical path for the Ah Niu IP and similar regional children’s animation IPs to overcome the bottleneck of cultural tourism integration, achieve cultural inheritance, and enhance the industrial value.

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.

Fostering a dynamic sports culture relies heavily on sporting events and community engagement. In the pursuit of a robust sports culture, organizing sports events and encouraging public involvement are of utmost significance. A deep comprehension of understanding how sports events shape consumer interest holds both theoretical and practical value. This study focuses on the audience of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, considering both from online and offline. Through meticulously constructing a comprehensive framework that encompasses spectator experience, demonstration effect, and media influence, and collecting 679 valid surveys nationwide, it adopts the partial least squares method-structural equation model (PLS-SEM) for in-depth analysis. The study finds that the ‘traffic’ generated by sports events directly influences consumers’ purchase intentions in three ways: spectator experience, demonstration effect, and media influence. Among these, the demonstration effect has the most significant impact, and perceived value plays a partial mediating role. Based on the findings, several practical recommendations are proposed to further unlock the cultural and economic value of large-scale sporting events. This study not only provides empirical support for understanding the mechanisms through which mega-events stimulate consumer behavior but also offers strategic insights into enhancing the social influence and commercial value of sports in the digital era.

Escalating anthropogenic pressures are profoundly transforming natural landscapes, resulting in significant declines in vegetation cover and rising habitat fragmentation. These disruptions, driven by increasing human activities such as mining, agriculture, industrialization, and urbanization, confine numerous species to fragmented and degraded environments. This study quantitatively assesses spatio-temporal changes in forest cover and fragmentation in the Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts of Odisha, India, from 2000 to 2024, employing landscape metrics based on Landsat TM and OLI satellite imagery. Our findings reveal a notable decline in forest coverage, which decreased from 30.69% in 2000 to 24.55% in 2024, while non-forest areas expanded from 69.31% to 75.45%. Fragmentation analysis indicates a significant deterioration in forest health, characterized by increasing edge effects and shrinking core habitats—both of which serve as indicators of substantial disturbances within forest ecosystems. Notably, while the number of forest patches increased by 18.6% (rising from 2736 to 3239), the total forest area continues to diminish. The Largest Patch Index (LPI) experienced a substantial reduction of 41.2%, declining from 7.37 to 4.33. Nearly 107654 ha of the core area were lost over 24 years, and the Core Area Percentage of Landscape (CPLAND) decreased from 25.1% to 19.1%. This trend suggests that larger, contiguous forest landscapes are fragmenting into smaller, isolated patches, which impedes wildlife movement and ecological processes. The analysis particularly highlights the Joda and Koida blocks, which are heavily impacted by mining activities and exhibit the most significant alterations in land use and land cover. Additionally, a trend analysis map generated using the Mann-Kendall test visually corroborates these findings, illustrating that the lowest values are concentrated in the most fragmented areas. It underscores the urgent need for stricter regulations governing anthropogenic activities. The implementation of effective forest conservation strategies aimed at preserving the ecological integrity of the region's forests is recommended to enhance the resilience and sustainability of these vital ecosystems.

Within the framework of China's pursuit of green and low-carbon development, Inner Mongolia is characterized by significant carbon emissions, a substantial share of energy-intensive industries, and disparate development levels across its cities, so it faces substantial challenges in attaining the objectives of carbon peak and neutrality. Utilizing the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model, this study investigated the drivers and regional differences in carbon emissions. Drawing upon Tapio’s decoupling framework, the decoupling status between economic growth and carbon emissions among cities was analyzed in phases. We introduced the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) machine learning algorithm to construct a classification model that correlates carbon emission drivers with decoupling states, elucidated by the Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) interpretable model, and performed a spatial analysis of regional differences to assess the significance of industrial energy intensity for achieving strong decoupling in each prefecture-level city. The outcomes revealed two main results. (1) Spatially, regional differences in the influence of driving factors can be classified into four categories: energy intensity-dominant, double-effect negative driven, coexistence of positive and negative effects, and economic growth-driven. (2) Temporally, regional differences in the impact of industrial energy intensity on strong decoupling can be categorized into three types: overall positive, marked fluctuation, and stage stability. Consequently, tailoring emission reduction policies based on regional differences will be instrumental for expediting the achievement of the “dual carbon” targets.

As rural B&Bs gain popularity amid growing demand for personalized tourism experiences, understanding the multifaceted drivers of customer decision-making is becoming critical. Existing research often examines individual factors, leaving a gap in comprehending complex causal pathways. This study used online travelogue data, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) to examine the factors and combination pathways influencing customer behavioral intentions in rural B&Bs. The results indicate that customer behavioral intentions in rural B&Bs are influenced by multiple factors including the natural environment, material space, cultural space, quality of service, experience of home, entertainment education, culinary delights, surrounding environment, and value-added services. In addition, four main types of customer behavioral intentions in rural B&Bs were identified: Environmental immersion, Educative entertainment, Service experience, and Comprehensive perception. This study contributes to our understanding of customer behavioral intentions in rural tourism settings both practically, by offering actionable strategies for B&B operators, and theoretically, by enhancing the existing framework for studying them.

Agricultural new quality productive forces are the key foundation for realizing high-quality agricultural development. This study constructs the evaluation indicator system of agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs) from three dimensions: agricultural laborers, agricultural labor objects, and agricultural labor resources. The equal weight method, entropy method, and CRITIC method are comprehensively applied to measure ANQPFs in China from 2011 to 2021. The Dagum's Gini coefficient, variance decomposition, kernel density estimation, Markov chain, and obstacle degree model are used to analyze regional differences, structural differences, dynamic evolution, and obstacle factors of ANQPFs. The findings show that: (1) There is an upward trend in ANQPFs in the national and the three major regions during the study period, while there are significant differences in ANQPFs by regions, which are characterized by a decreasing distribution from the east to the central, and then to the west. (2) The overall differences in ANQPFs have tended to widen, with inter-regional differences being the main source. (3) Agricultural labor object differences and agricultural labor resource differences are the main structural sources of ANQPFs development differences in China, with agricultural labor resource differences replacing agricultural labor object differences as the top source of ANQPFs differences after 2016. (4) The ANQPFs of the national and three regions show the distribution dynamics of “overall increase, absolute differences widen”, and there is the phenomenon of “club convergence” in ANQPFs. (5) The number of Taobao villages, rural entrepreneurial activities, the number of agricultural science and technology patents per capita, and expenditure on agricultural science and technology activities are the main factors obstructing the development of ANQPFs.

This study employs the coupled coordination gravity model to explore the spatial relationship between high-quality development and ecological environmental protection in the Yellow River Basin, using ecosystem service value (ESV) as a key perspective. The research begins by introducing the ecological and developmental context of the Yellow River Basin alongside relevant theoretical foundations. Subsequently, data from nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin from 2011 to 2022 are analyzed. ESV are calculated using established methodologies, and an index system for high-quality development is constructed and evaluated. The coupled coordination gravity model is then applied to analyze the data. The results indicate that the value of ecosystem services in the basin has fluctuated upward over the study period. Spatial development in high-quality development indices is evident across provinces, with Shaanxi and Ningxia achieving the highest levels of coupling and coordination, while Inner Mongolia exhibits relatively lower levels. Based on these findings, policy recommendations include continuing ecological restoration projects, enhancing policy support for central and western regions, fostering synergies between ecological and economic development, and promoting deeper regional cooperation.

In 2022, Chinese policymakers emphasized the importance of leveraging the country’s domestic energy resource endowments and implementing a phased and well-planned carbon peaking strategy by following the principle of “establishing the new before phasing out the old”. To explore the carbon reduction potential and path optimization in resource-based regions undergoing energy structure adjustments, this study employed the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System (LEAP) to simulate and analyze both a baseline scenario and a comprehensive policy intervention scenario from 2021 to 2050. This study focused on the typical resource-based region of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and developed a customized “LEAP-Inner Mongolia” model. The findings reveal that: (1) Under the comprehensive scenario, energy demand is notably reduced by 2050, with total carbon emissions cut by 70.96% compared to the baseline scenario; (2) The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) analysis suggests a persistent rise in emissions under the baseline scenario, while a carbon peak is achieved as early as 2029 under the integrated scenario; and (3) There are limitations of isolated policy instruments so a synergistic approach that integrates power generation structure optimization with improvements in energy efficiency is necessary. Accordingly, we propose a multi-pronged policy portfolio that includes the synchronized development of clean energy and efficient end-use systems, industrial low-carbon transformation, accelerated adoption of new energy vehicles, and improved inter-regional coordination. These recommendations can offer systemic insights for guiding low-carbon transitions in resource-based areas.

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.

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.

Promoting the high-quality growth of ice and snow tourism in China requires understanding the patterns of industrial development and anticipating the emerging trends. The developmental history and features of China’s ice and snow tourism are systematically examined in this paper, which also refines the evolutionary patterns of the industry’s growth and looks at the emerging trends. The conclusions are threefold. (1) This paper divides the developmental history of China’s ice and snow tourism into the budding exploration phase, the initial growth phase, the rapid development phase, the Winter Olympics driving phase, and the high-quality development phase. During the budding exploration phase, the initial market foundation for ice and snow tourism was established. In the initial growth phase, the ice and snow tourism industry began to take shape. The rapid development phase was characterized by ice and snow sports tourism. The foundation of the ice and snow tourist industry was established during the Winter Olympics driving phase. The high-quality development phase is now being guided by the principles of ecological civilization and the sports power strategy and the tourism powerhouse strategy. (2) The spatial layout of ice and snow tourism has changed from a localized and dispersed distribution to one of comprehensive development mainly centered in the Northeast, North China and Northwest represented by Xinjiang province. The evolution of ice and snow tourism technology presents localized, diversified, and high-end characteristics. The evolution of the industry presents vertical extension of the industrial chain, horizontally integrated development, and the comprehensive development of resorts. The evolution of the ice and snow tourism market has been characterized by the diversity of tourist demands, a northward flow of tourists from southern regions, and standardization of quality inspection. (3) There are four emerging trends in the development of China’ ice and snow tourism, including new productivity to propel the intelligent, sustainable, and localized transformation of winter sports equipment and venues; climate change to accelerate the evolution of regional ice-snow tourism landscapes; innovations in digital technology to change ice-snow tourism consumption scenarios; and innovations in consumption patterns to reshape supply-side development.

Unreasonable land use practices have led to the imbalance of ecosystem functions and a continuous decline in the supply capacity of ecological products. Ecological restoration zoning serves as an effective spatial solution. Traditional approaches to delineating ecological restoration zones often rely on a single perspective, such as ecological security or risk assessment, while neglecting the interrelationships between ecological security elements and risk-inducing activities, as well as the adaptive capacity of ecosystems themselves. This study focused on the Guangzhou Metropolitan Area, and integrated multidimensional ecosystem services (water, soil, air, biodiversity, carbon) with circuit theory to construct an ecological security pattern featuring optimal corridor widths. Meanwhile, ecological resilience and the intensity of human disturbances were quantified and overlaid to jointly determine the priority order of ecological restoration zones. The results revealed three key aspects of this system. (1) A total of 55 ecological source patches were identified under this framework, covering a total area of 9062.0 km². This study detected 130 ecological corridors with a total length of 653.6 km, and they were classified into 18 high-resistance, 70 medium-resistance, and 42 low-resistance corridors, primarily distributed in the central region. In addition, eight ecological pinch points were identified as critical nodes for restoration. (2) Ecological resilience in the Guangzhou Metropolitan Area shows a spatial pattern of “high in the east and west, low in the south”, although it generally remains at a moderately low level. In contrast, the impact of human disturbances displays a pattern of “high in the central and southern regions, low in the northeast and west”, with a moderately high intensity overall. (3) The Guangzhou Metropolitan Area was zoned into five categories: priority restoration areas, key restoration areas, general restoration areas, secondary restoration areas, and routine restoration areas. The total area of the priority restoration zones is 1051.80 km², and these zones are mainly distributed across districts and counties such as Duanzhou, Gaoyao, Gaoming, Dinghu, Fogang, Conghua, and Zengcheng. By establishing a technical framework of “ecological security pattern-ecological risk assessment-ecological restoration zoning”, this study rationally prioritized restoration efforts, thereby providing actionable insights for advancing ecological civilization and guiding ecological conservation management in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Ecotourism is an important field focusing on balancing ecological conservation and community development within national parks. By promoting the small-scale utilization of natural resources, it facilitates conservation on a broader scale. However, balancing the relationship among nature conservation, economic development, and local community development remains to be addressed. To understand the relationships among ecological conservation, community development, and tourism growth in national parks, this study proposed an ecotourism sustainability assessment framework based on the sustainable development theory. The framework encompassed the following dimensions: Nature Environment, Social Culture, Community Economy, Recreation Technology, and Public Management, which can be further divided into 18 indicators. Performance assessment results showed that the overall ecotourism development performance (3.5526) of the Wuyishan National Park was at an upper level but fell short of the ideal. From the perspective of strategy optimization, at the dimensional level, Recreation Technology should be prioritized, followed by Public Management, Community Economy, Social Culture, and Nature Environment. At the indicator level, efforts should focus on enhancing biodiversity, strengthening local cultural identity, implementing ecological compensation, advancing the application of smart technologies, and improving supervision frameworks. This study proposed solutions to balance the relationship among nature conservation, economic development, and local community development.