[Objective] This study aims to explore the mechanisms through which the national park system pilot policy promotes county-level economic development by influencing entrepreneurial activity, thereby providing new ideas and approaches for coordinating ecological protection in national parks and local economic development. [Methods] Based on signaling theory, a mediation mechanism model of “national park system pilot → entrepreneurial activity → economic development” was constructed. Taking the Giant Panda National Park System Pilot, which concluded in 2020, as a quasi-natural experiment, this study used panel data from 270 counties in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu from 2008 to 2020 and applied a difference-in-differences (DID) model to examine the direct policy effects, mediating effects, and their heterogeneity. [Results] (1) The Giant Panda National Park System Pilot significantly promoted county-level economic development, and the results remained valid after robustness tests. (2) Affected by the ambiguity, instability, and contradiction of the pilot policy signals, the mediating effects of entrepreneurial activity became significant only in the third year of the pilot. Although the effects were weaker than the direct driving effects of fiscal measures on the economy, they showed a gradually strengthening trend, indicating that signal quality was gradually improving. (3) In terms of heterogeneity, the influence of the pilot policy signals on entrepreneurial activity varied across industries. Entrepreneurial activity in industries consistent with conservation objectives was significantly stimulated, while activity in industries inconsistent with conservation objectives was significantly suppressed, reflecting the effectiveness of policy signal guidance and achieving the purpose of signal transmission. In addition, the mediating effect of entrepreneurial activity was more pronounced in pilot counties with favorable location conditions and higher levels of rural digitalization. [Conclusion] From the perspective of signal quality, it is necessary to clarify the participation mechanisms of market entities through national park legislation and operational system construction, so as to improve the clarity and stability of policy signals, shorten the market response cycle, and continuously stimulate entrepreneurial activity. From the perspective of signal transmission purpose, it is necessary to optimize the channels, content, and frequency of policy release, strengthen accurate policy interpretation and entrepreneurship training, and build a digital platform for corporate environmental behaviors in national parks, so as to alleviate information asymmetry and guide entrepreneurial activity towards green industries. To empower local market entities in national parks and enhance their capacity to respond to policy signals, it is crucial to continuously advance rural digitalization to compensate for locational shortcomings and stimulate broader participation of market entities in the sustainable development of national parks.
[Objective] This study explores the mechanisms and differentiated effects through which regional innovation system construction promotes the enhancement of new quality productive forces in resource-based cities, which is crucial for guiding their transformation and developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions. [Methods] Based on panel data from 114 resource-based cities from 2009 to 2022, this study regarded the National Innovative City Pilot Policy as a quasi-natural experiment. Drawing on the theory of new quality productive forces and the techno-economic paradigm of innovation economics, this study constructed a three-dimensional measurement indicator system for urban new quality productive forces, covering “revolutionary breakthroughs in science and technology, innovative allocation of production factors, and transformational upgrading of industrial structure.” The staggered difference-in-differences method was adopted to empirically test the impact of the innovation pilot policy on the development of new quality productive forces in resource-based cities. [Results] (1) Innovation pilot policies significantly promoted the development of new quality productive forces in resource-based cities overall. (2) Innovation pilot policies promoted the development of new quality productive forces in resource-based cities by strengthening the administrative mechanisms represented by government fiscal expenditure on science and technology and innovation attention, enhancing the market mechanisms represented by enhanced marketization and industrial agglomeration, and activating the community mechanisms represented by the vitality of innovation-related social organizations and industry-university-research collaboration. (3) Innovation pilot policies improved the level of new quality productive forces in growing, mature, and regenerative resource-based cities, but had no significant impact on declining resource-based cities. This was because strengthened administrative mechanisms, ineffective market mechanisms, and weak community mechanisms caused incentive distortions, inducing firms to engage in strategic innovation behaviors that prioritized quantity over quality. [Conclusion] Administrative, market, and community mechanisms are all indispensable to the construction of urban innovation systems. In addition to strengthening public support for innovation system construction, resource-based cities should strengthen market mechanisms and activate community mechanisms, thereby developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions and achieving the transformation from resource-based cities to innovative cities.
[Objective] Farmland marginalization is the process in which farmers withdraw from cultivation or reduce inputs, leading to a decline in net returns from farmland. This study aims to reveal the behavioral decision-making mechanisms of peri-urban farmers during the process of farmland marginalization and to provide a micro-level basis for optimizing the top-level design of farmland protection policies, which is of great significance for promoting the effective connection between farmers and modern agriculture. [Methods] Based on the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model, this study used survey data from 543 farmer questionnaires collected in typical peri-urban villages of the Pearl River Delta in 2023, and employed structural equation modeling to empirically analyze the decision-making process and influencing mechanisms of farmland marginalization behavior among peri-urban farmers. [Results] (1) Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness significantly and positively influenced marginalization decision-making. The former was constrained by explicit economic costs and potential losses of agricultural income, while the latter was driven by improvements in household income and children’s educational conditions. (2) Behavioral attitudes and subjective norms jointly drove marginalization intention, and recognition of off-farm income, recognition of children’s urban schooling, and other farmers’ evaluations served as the core driving forces. (3) Behavioral intention exerted a significantly greater effect on marginalization behavior than perceived behavioral control, with the decline in multiple cropping index and the reduction in production inputs being the key factors. [Conclusion] Farmland marginalization behavior of peri-urban farmers is characterized by “preserving area through single-season cropping” and “maintaining food rations through reduced inputs” at the implicit level, while at the explicit level it is dominated by farmland abandonment caused by industrial pollution and land use changes driven by industrial and commercial capital, distinguishing it from labor-outflow-induced farmland abandonment by farmers in mountainous areas. It is recommended to construct a “cost constraint-income incentive” coordination mechanism, optimize the allocation of urban and rural educational resources, cultivate new types of agricultural business entities, and implement differentiated governance strategies for farmland marginalization tailored to differences among farmers.
Agricultural carbon neutrality has become an important global issue in addressing climate change and promoting green, low-carbon, and high-quality agricultural development. This study retrieves literature on agricultural carbon neutrality published from 1986 to 2025 in the CNKI database and the Web of Science Core Collection. Using visualization tools VOSviewer and CiteSpace, it systematically reviews research progress in this field from the perspectives of publication volume, research institutions, core authors, research topic clustering, and evolutionary trends, and further analyzes key issues, practical challenges, and future trends. The results indicate that research trajectories in agricultural carbon neutrality in China and abroad exhibit significant stage-wise transition characteristics, generally undergoing three phases: initial exploration, steady development, and rapid growth. Among them, English-language publications have entered a rapid growth phase since 2014, whereas Chinese-language publications have experienced explosive growth following China’s proposal of the “dual-carbon” goals in 2020. China and the United States are the primary contributors to knowledge development in this field. Knowledge production is dominated by a small number of core institutions in this field, and the collaboration network among core authors is characterized by the coexistence of wide dispersion and localized clustering. Current research topics mainly focus on the conceptual and theoretical analysis of agricultural carbon neutrality, influencing factors, emission reduction pathways, accounting methods, and carbon sequestration and emission reduction technologies, demonstrating a diversified evolutionary trend. Meanwhile, agricultural carbon neutrality faces prominent practical challenges, including ambiguous system boundaries, the lack of unified standards for accounting indicator systems, and immature mechanisms for coordinated development. Future research should focus on four areas: constructing a theoretical framework for agricultural carbon neutrality based on a life-cycle perspective, establishing standardized agricultural carbon emission accounting systems and high-precision databases, deepening research on the synergy between food security and carbon neutrality goals, and strengthening the assessment of the economic benefits of low-carbon technologies along with the design of market-based incentive mechanisms. These efforts will improve the theoretical system and upgrade the practical paradigms of agricultural carbon neutrality research, thereby providing scientific support for global climate governance and the green transformation of agriculture.
[Objective] Against the dual drivers of the global energy technology revolution and China’s “dual carbon” goals, this study examines the spatial pattern evolution of China’s hydrogen energy industry and the influencing mechanisms of multidimensional factors, providing empirical evidence for optimizing industry spatial layout and advancing low-carbon energy transition. [Methods] Using data from China’s hydrogen energy enterprises from 1998 to 2023, this study characterized their spatiotemporal dynamic evolution, employed a random-effects panel Tobit model to identify the key factors influencing spatial pattern evolution, and analyzed their evolution modes. [Results] (1) China’s hydrogen energy industry has gradually developed clusters in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, Bohai Rim, and Sichuan-Chongqing-Hubei regions. The number of enterprises generally showed a spatial distribution pattern of decreasing from coastal to inland areas, exhibiting a high degree of spatial clustering. (2) The evolution of different segments of China’s hydrogen energy industry chain showed spatial differences. The upstream hydrogen production segment expanded from eastern China to resource-rich areas in central and western China; the midstream storage and transportation segment shifted from a dispersed layout to regional agglomeration; and downstream applications remained concentrated in eastern core areas while expanding toward a multi-center pattern in central and western China. (3) The effects of multidimensional factors on the spatial layout of hydrogen energy enterprises exhibited significant heterogeneity across the industry chain. Economic foundations and technological innovation generally exerted positive effects. Resource endowments played a particularly important role in shaping the location of upstream hydrogen production. Transport accessibility continuously strengthened its influence on the midstream and downstream segments, and market potential and policy incentives exerted more significant effects on downstream applications. [Conclusion] The spatial evolution of the hydrogen energy industry is not a homogeneous trajectory. Rather, it results from the dynamic matching between regional comparative advantages and the locational requirements of different industry chain segments. Industrial layout should follow the principles of differentiated agglomeration and chain coordination, promoting the effective integration of regional advantages with the division of labor along the industry chain.
[Objective] This study aims to explore the spatial differentiation characteristics of China’s new quality productive forces, thereby providing theoretical support for their development according to local conditions. [Methods] Based on the connotation and dimensions of new quality productive forces, this study classified them into three types: high-tech, high-intelligence, and green productive forces. From the perspective of geographical nature, a theoretical framework for the agglomeration and evolution of new quality productive forces was constructed. Using industrial POI data from 2013 to 2022, combined with spatial agglomeration degree measurement, hotspot analysis, and the geodetector method, this study systematically investigated the spatial patterns, evolutionary processes, and influencing factors of the agglomeration of China’s new quality productive forces. [Results] (1) The agglomeration of China’s new-quality productive forces exhibits a significant non-equilibrium pattern of “dense in the east and sparse in the west”. High-tech productive forces advance in a “continuous” manner, high-intelligence productive forces radiate in a “fan-shaped” pattern, and green productive forces make breakthroughs in a “multi-point” manner. (2) The agglomeration of new quality productive forces formed geographical boundaries marked by the “Daxing’anling-Baise Line” and the “Xilingol League-Chongzuo Line,” presenting a pattern of “hot in the east and cold in the west”, which is different from the traditional division of regional patterns by the “Hu Huanyong line”. (3) The driving forces of the agglomeration evolution of new quality productive forces exhibited a progressive transition from the first geographical nature to the second and third geographical natures, ultimately converging toward the synergistic effects of industrial scale, green innovation capacity, and innovative human capital. [Conclusion] The evolution of the spatial pattern of China’s new-quality productive forces agglomeration is not a homogeneous expansion process, but rather the result of the progressive transformation of the three geographical natures and the collaborative driving of industrial scale, green innovation capability, and innovative human capital. Based on this, future spatial governance should follow the principles of differentiated geographical nature adaptation and industry, innovation, and green collaboration. By strengthening the coupling of inter-regional innovation networks, we can promote the balanced evolution of the spatial pattern of new-quality productive forces, and provide a path reference for the spatial governance of emerging productive forces in other developing economies.
[Objective] As new quality productive forces represent a new driving force for high-quality economic development, exploring the mechanisms of their influence on ecological well-being performance is crucial for advancing ecological civilization construction and improving people’s well-being. [Methods] Based on a theoretical analysis of the mechanisms through which new quality productive forces influence ecological well-being performance, this study used the entropy method and the Super-EBM model to measure new quality productive forces and ecological well-being performance in 285 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2013 to 2022. It characterized their spatiotemporal evolution patterns and further applied fixed-effects models, mediating effect models, and the spatial Durbin model to empirically examine the mechanisms through which new quality productive forces influence ecological well-being performance and their spatial spillover effects. [Results] (1) From 2013 to 2022, the level of new quality productive forces in China’s prefecture-level cities generally exhibited an upward trend, with a belt-like spatial pattern of “high in the east and low in the west”. The ecological well-being performance generally showed a trend of “initial decline followed by subsequent increase”, with a spatial pattern characterized by an uneven cluster-like distribution. (2) New quality productive forces had a positive promoting effect on ecological well-being performance, and this conclusion remained valid after control variables were gradually added. Green innovation and digital transformation served as two important mediating pathways. (3) New quality productive forces exhibited significant positive spatial spillover effects on ecological well-being performance, indicating that they effectively improved ecological well-being performance in both local and neighboring regions. (4) Spatial heterogeneity tests revealed that the positive effect of new quality productive forces on ecological well-being performance was stronger in peripheral cities than in central cities,and was more pronounced in regions with low environmental regulation and low financial development levels than in those with high environmental regulation and high financial development levels. [Conclusion] New quality productive forces play an important role in improving China’s ecological well-being performance and exhibit significant spatial spillover effects. Therefore, the empowering effects of new quality productive forces should be leveraged according to local conditions. Additionally, the upgrading of green technological innovation and digital transformation should be advanced, aiming to continuously improve people’s well-being and achieve synergy between economic development and environmental protection.
[Objective] In the process of modernizing China’s spatial governance, mismatches among administrative levels, governance authority, and development scale have increasingly constrained local governance effectiveness. Administrative upgrading is an important institutional instrument for adjusting governance scales and restructuring authority-responsibility structures, while the conversion of economically developed towns into cities represents a typical practice of such reform. This study aims to reveal the underlying logic through which such institutional changes affect local development and regional governance, thereby providing references for administrative division optimization and local governance transformation. [Methods] Taking the town-to-city conversion of Longgang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province in 2019 as a case study, this study developed an administrative-region niche model, combined spatial evolution measurement with interview-based research, characterized the dynamic changes in Longgang’s administrative-region development characteristics and regional competition-cooperation relationships from 2014 to 2024, and analyzed the restructuring of governance authority induced by administrative upgrading and its transmission mechanisms. [Results] (1) The town-to-city conversion promoted economic growth and urban spatial restructuring in Longgang. From 2014 to 2024, GDP and total fiscal revenue increased by 115.3% and 58.1%, respectively, construction land showed a net increase of 12.83 km², and the expansion pattern gradually shifted toward intensive infill development. (2) Based on the combination of niche breadth and niche overlap, Longgang shifted from the low breadth-high overlap type (L-H) to a high breadth-high overlap type (H-H), and returned to the L-H type in the later stage. Its development capacity first expanded and then converged, and competition-cooperation relationships were formed with Pingyang and Cangnan. (3) The town-to-city conversion enhanced Longgang’s self-governance capacity. The expansion of fiscal autonomy provided material support for economic growth, while stronger planning autonomy offered institutional support for spatial expansion. [Conclusion] Administrative upgrading strengthens local capacities for resource coordination, spatial organization, and regional coordination by restructuring administrative levels and governance authority. This institutional arrangement has implications for regions with large population and economic scales where existing administrative authority cannot meet governance needs, although its actual effectiveness remains dependent on conditions such as industrial foundations, fiscal support, and regional coordination.
[Objective] Left-behind children in rural areas face multiple challenges, including emotional, educational, health, and caregiving problems, due to their parents working outside their hometowns. These challenges may lead to multidimensional poverty and potential intergenerational transmission. Investigating the influencing factors of multidimensional poverty among these children is a practical necessity for consolidating and expanding the achievements in poverty alleviation. [Methods] Based on the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) panel data, this study constructed an evaluation indicator system for poverty among rural left-behind children from four dimensions: education, health, living conditions, and parental concern. The A-F method, global and local spatial autocorrelation, a random forest model, and a spatial econometric model were employed to explore the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of multidimensional poverty among rural left-behind children in China from 2012 to 2022 and identify influencing factors at the individual-family and regional levels. [Results] (1) From 2012 to 2022, the multidimensional poverty status of rural left-behind children in China improved significantly, but poverty in the parental concern dimension worsened. The spatial distribution of poverty showed a stepwise increasing pattern from east to central to west, with poverty remaining prominent in the western region. (2) At the individual-family level, the duration of parents working outside their hometowns, annual household income, and parental education level were key factors affecting multidimensional poverty among rural left-behind children. The interaction between the duration of parents working outside their hometowns and annual household income was significant. (3) At the regional level, per capita GDP, educational expenditure, and terrain undulation were core driving factors. The interaction between natural environmental factors and socioeconomic factors exacerbated multidimensional poverty among rural left-behind children, and poverty-causing mechanisms exhibited regional differences. [Conclusion] Multidimensional poverty among rural left-behind children in China is a complex outcome of the combined effects of insufficient individual-family support and regional environmental constraints. Future poverty reduction strategies need to establish a multi-scale governance framework. While addressing material poverty, it is essential to prioritize alleviating emotional poverty. Additionally, differentiated regional intervention policies should be implemented according to regional differentiation patterns.
[Objective] The conservation and utilization of rural ponds are important components of beautiful countryside construction and improvement of rural living environment. Systematic research on the morphological differentiation characteristics of rural ponds and their influencing factors is essential for deepening the comprehensive understanding of rural ponds and enhancing the functions of rural systems. [Methods] Based on data from the 2024 National Land Change Survey and socioeconomic data, this study classified rural ponds into irrigation ponds, aquaculture ponds, and landscape ponds according to their dominant functions and values. Morphological characteristics of rural ponds in Shandong, including size, shape, and density, were analyzed using landscape pattern indices, kernel density estimation, and other methods. Additionally, the geodetector was employed to reveal the influencing factors and driving mechanisms of the spatial differentiation of rural pond morphology. [Results] (1) Rural ponds in Shandong Province exhibited significant morphological differentiation. The spatial differentiation of pond size was dominated by irrigation and aquaculture ponds, with size decreasing from northeastern to southwestern Shandong. The spatial differentiation of pond shape and density was dominated by irrigation ponds. Pond shapes exhibited regular strip-like distributions in Jiaodong and western Shandong, whereas complex clustered patterns were observed in central and southern Shandong. High-density pond zones were widely distributed, mainly occurring in clusters in the northwestern Shandong Plain, the southeastern Shandong hilly region, and the Nansi Lake region. (2) The primary cause of spatial morphological differentiation of rural ponds was the coastal-inland locational difference, with regional differentiation among plains, hills, and mountains as the secondary cause. Both played fundamental roles. Socioeconomic development along the lagging-underdeveloped-developed gradient was a persistent driver and played a stage-specific role. [Conclusion] The spatial differentiation of rural pond morphology fundamentally results from the interaction between natural substrate stability and socioeconomic dynamics. The interplay of multiple driving forces collectively shapes the differentiated patterns of rural ponds. Future efforts should explore differentiated utilization methods and optimization pathways for pond resources based on the dominant functions and values of different pond types to provide a scientific basis and practical guidance for advancing rural living environment improvement and sustainable development.
[Objective] Against the backdrop of a new stage of China’s economic development and urbanization, exploring the impact and mechanism of urban shrinkage on land green use efficiency (LGUE) is of great significance for addressing the governance challenges of shrinking cities, achieving resource conservation and intensive utilization, and promoting regional sustainable development. [Methods] Based on panel data from 43 shrinking cities in China from 2014 to 2024, this study measured LGUE using the super-efficiency SBM model. A double machine learning model was introduced to estimate the impact and mechanism of urban shrinkage on LGUE while controlling for observable confounding factors. [Results] (1) Urban shrinkage had a significant negative effect on LGUE, and this finding was supported by multiple robustness tests. (2) Urban shrinkage hindered the improvement of LGUE by weakening industrial structure upgrading and technological innovation capacity. (3) Human capital level and degree of government intervention, as mediating variables, did not exhibit the expected positive effects on LGUE, reflecting skill mismatch and path dependence problems in the governance of shrinking cities. [Conclusion] Promoting industrial structure upgrading, enhancing technological innovation capacity, and addressing resource misallocation related to human capital level and government intervention degree are important pathways for mitigating the negative effects of urban shrinkage and improving LGUE.
[Objective] This study aims to identify vulnerable areas of regional population development and develop corresponding response strategies under the new situation, providing important references for high-quality population development and Chinese-style modernization. [Methods] Taking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as the study area, this study used data from three population censuses conducted between 2000 and 2020, with counties as the basic research units. A comprehensive population development index was established to identify and diagnose vulnerable areas of population development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Furthermore, scientific response strategies for population development in this region under the background of coordinated development were proposed. [Results] (1) Except for the population aging and population dependency ratio, all other population indicators in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region showed improving trends. However, substantial regional disparities existed. Overall, Beijing performed better than Tianjin, Tianjin performed better than Hebei, and municipal districts and county-level cities performed better than ordinary counties. (2) The overall comprehensive population development index of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region was relatively low, with 77.39% of districts and counties having values below 0.6. These areas were mainly distributed in the traditional agricultural areas of the North China Plain and the Yanshan-Taihang Mountains, whereas high-value districts and counties were mainly concentrated in the central urban districts of Beijing and Tianjin and the districts of prefecture-level cities in Hebei Province. (3) More than 72% of the districts and counties in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region exhibited one or more types of weak population development, among which the districts and counties with combined weaknesses in population dependency ratio, population activity, and proportion of highly educated population accounted for the highest proportion. [Conclusion] The overall comprehensive population development index of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region remains relatively low. Weak areas of population development are mainly concentrated in the traditional agricultural areas of the Heilonggang River Basin and the Yanshan-Taihang Mountains. Under the framework of coordinated development, it is recommended that the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region strengthen top-level planning for population development and implement differentiated strategies tailored to different types of vulnerable areas of population development according to local conditions.
[Objective] This study aims to reveal the correlation mechanisms between the multidimensional capabilities of livelihood resilience and the elimination of the risk of returning to or falling into poverty among “monitored households” and to identify the differentiated configurational pathways, thereby providing a reference for implementing targeted assistance tailored to individuals and households and promoting the stable elimination of such risks. [Methods] Based on the poverty monitoring data collected in 2023 from 18943 “monitored households” across 139 townships in eight poverty-alleviated counties in Huaihua City, Hunan Province, this study comprehensively applied the entropy-weighted TOPSIS model, the Logit regression model, and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to characterize the differences in livelihood resilience levels and risks of returning to or falling into poverty among “monitored households” and to explore the influencing mechanisms and configurational pathways of risk elimination. [Results] (1) The risk elimination rate of returning to or falling into poverty among “monitored households” in the sample area reached 79.78%, with significant heterogeneity across household types and spatial distribution. Marginal households vulnerable to poverty had the highest risk elimination rate (94.36%), while households facing sudden severe difficulties had the lowest rate (66.92%). Among the 127 townships in Huaihua City with risk elimination rates exceeding 50%, 69 suburban townships generally achieved rates above 80% due to convenient transportation, preferential policies, and strong industrial adaptability. (2) The elimination of the risk of returning to or falling into poverty among “monitored households” was jointly driven by the synergistic effects of the multidimensional capabilities of livelihood resilience. The livelihood resilience of households with eliminated risks (0.313) was higher than that of households without eliminated risks (0.282), and the core difference lay in skill acquisition and transformation capability, which was the “core driving factor” of risk elimination. The external resource integration capability enabled the conversion of resource endowments into livelihood risk-buffering capacity through policy assistance. However, basic resource accumulation capability cannot transform into actual livelihood benefits due to the “elite capture” in cooperatives. (3) The pathways for eliminating the risk of returning to or falling into poverty differed among different types of “monitored households”. Unstable poverty-alleviated households required dual empowerment through skill training and proactive employment to activate their endogenous motivation. Households facing sudden severe difficulties relied on diversified emergency policies to quickly restore their self-sustaining capacity. Marginal households vulnerable to poverty needed to resolve the mismatch between resources and benefits through livelihood capital compensation and industrial transformation. [Conclusion] The heterogeneity of multidimensional livelihood resilience capabilities is the core cause of differences in eliminating the risk of returning to or falling into poverty among “monitored households”. Local governments should implement differentiated assistance measures for different types of “monitored households”.
[Objective] Driven by the “dual carbon” goals, green oil and gas field development urgently requires the construction of novel energy systems with a high proportion of renewable energy integration. However, such systems commonly face challenges including strong uncertainties in wind and solar power outputs and load demands, complex multi-energy coupling, and difficulties in balancing economic performance and low-carbon objectives. Therefore, this study proposes an optimal capacity configuration method for a wind-solar-hydrogen multi-energy complementary system that effectively balances economic performance, carbon emissions, and renewable energy penetration. [Methods] An integrated decision-making analysis framework of “system modeling—multi-objective optimization—scheme selection” was established. First, based on annual wind and solar power output and load data, kernel density estimation was employed to characterize source-load uncertainties, and Latin hypercube sampling combined with scenario reduction techniques was applied to generate typical daily scenarios for three seasons (heating season, transition season, cooling season). Furthermore, a multi-objective optimal capacity configuration model was constructed with three objectives: system cost, carbon emissions, and renewable energy penetration. The NSGA-Ⅲ algorithm was adopted to solve the Pareto front, and the multi-attribute decision-making method was utilized to select the optimal configuration scheme. Finally, the proposed model and method were validated through a case study of an oil and gas field in the Tarim Basin. [Results] The proposed system achieved collaborative optimization of economic performance, environmental performance, and renewable energy penetration. Compared with traditional energy supply schemes based on coal-fired power, gas-fired power, and grid power, the carbon emissions of the proposed system decreased by 78.64%, 62.30%, and 50.91%, respectively. Scenario analysis showed the complementary functions of carbon capture, concentrated solar power (CSP) stations, and hydrogen energy equipment. Carbon capture served as the core technology for deep decarbonization, and carbon emissions increased sharply by 62.57% after carbon capture facilities were removed. CSP stations played a vital role in mitigating fluctuations and enhancing renewable energy consumption. Hydrogen energy equipment provided flexible support. Sensitivity analysis indicated that technological advancement could reduce the total system cost by 25.34%, and the system exhibited strong resistance to fluctuations in carbon prices. [Conclusion] The technical combination of renewable energy, hydrogen energy, and carbon capture provides an effective pathway to reconcile green and low-carbon development with economic performance in oil and gas fields. The analytical framework proposed in this study provides decision-making support for capacity optimization of complex high-dimensional multi-objective systems and facilitates the green transition of oil and gas fields.
[Objective] Rural energy transition is a key pathway for promoting rural revitalization. A systematic assessment of the economic growth effects of rural energy revolution pilots helps identify the advantages of rural renewable energy resources, explore effective pathways for energy transition to empower county-level economic development, and provide a theoretical reference for deepening the implementation of rural energy revolution pilot policies. [Methods] Taking Lankao County, Henan Province, the first pilot county for rural energy revolution in China, as the study area, this study constructed a quasi-natural experiment. It empirically examined the effects of rural energy transition on county-level economic growth and its underlying mechanisms using the synthetic control method (SCM) and the synthetic difference-in-differences method (SDID). Additionally, based on the goals and tasks of comprehensive rural revitalization, an extended analysis was conducted from three aspects of “thriving agriculture”, “beautiful countryside”, and “prosperous farmers”. [Results] (1) The rural energy revolution significantly promoted county-level economic growth, and this conclusion remained valid after multiple robustness tests. (2) Mechanism analysis indicated that the rural energy revolution not only improved employment levels by expanding employment scale and increasing non-agricultural employment, but also stimulated market vitality by promoting capital inflows and encouraging the entry of business entities, thereby providing sustained momentum for county-level economic growth. (3) Extended analysis revealed that rural energy revolution significantly improved agricultural labor productivity and agricultural total factor productivity, increased rural residents’ per capita disposable income, and narrowed the urban-rural income gap to some extent, thereby achieving the development goals of “thriving agriculture” and “prosperous farmers”. However, it did not show a significant effect on ecological environment improvement. [Conclusion] The rural energy revolution pilot is an effective practice for driving rural energy transition, promoting county-level economic growth, and supporting rural revitalization. In the future, efforts should be based on county-level energy resource endowments to actively advance rural energy transition, transform advantages in renewable energy resources into advantages in industrial development, and cultivate new drivers of county-level economic growth.
[Objective] New-type workers are the driving force in cultivating new quality productive forces, and smart cities represent a new form of urban development characterized by efficient and high-quality operation supported by modern information technology. This study examines the impact of smart city development on the inflow of new-type workers, aiming to explore effective pathways for attracting new talents and achieving high-quality development under future urban development models. [Methods] Based on the 2018 National Dynamic Monitoring Survey of Migrant Populations and city-level data from 2000 to 2018, this study established a conditional Logit model to systematically analyze the impact of smart city development on attracting new-type workers. [Results] (1) Smart city development significantly enhanced cities’ attractiveness to new-type workers. (2) This effect exhibited heterogeneity at both the city and individual levels. Cities in the eastern region and larger cities designated as smart cities were more favorable to attracting new-type workers, while younger, inter-provincial, and unmarried new-type workers were more inclined to migrate to smart cities. (3) A mechanism analysis revealed that smart city development attracted the inflow of new-type workers by providing high-quality employment opportunities, high-standard ecological environments, high-quality living conditions, and intelligent learning scenarios. (4) Further analysis indicated that as the level of smart city development increased, cities became increasingly attractive to new-type workers. Moreover, smart city development not only facilitated the inflow of these workers but also encouraged them to stay. [Conclusion] The high-quality employment and living environments created by smart city development effectively address the diverse demands of new-type workers for development opportunities and provide support for their lifelong learning. This dual empowerment of “environment-capability” serves as a key driving force for attracting the inflow of this group to migrate to these cities and encouraging their long-term residence. Moving forward, it is necessary to advance high-level smart city development tailored to local conditions, continuously enhance workers’ dynamic adaptability, and facilitate high-quality economic and social development.
[Objective]Accounting for the value of ecological products(VEP)for specific regional units is a key foundation for the market-oriented allocation of ecological resources.However,the existing VEP accounting framework remains at an exploratory stage,and empirical studies in representative regions are urgently needed.[Methods]The dike-pond system of Jinsha Island in Foshan City,an agricultural heritage site in the Pearl River Delta,was selected as the research object.A VEP accounting framework applicable to specific regional units was developed,and accounting for gross ecological products(GEP)and VEP was conducted.The VEP during the accounting periods of 2019 and 2023 were systematically evaluated,and value changes and the influence pathways of comprehensive land consolidation were analyzed.[Results](1)From 2019 to 2023,the GEP of the Jinsha Island dike-pond system increased from 0.871 billion CNY to 1.031 billion CNY,while the five-year VEP rose from 0.807 billion CNY to 1.618 billion CNY.The growth rate of VEP(100.36%)was much higher than that of GEP(18.45%),indicating a significant leveraging effect of comprehensive land consolidation projects on the market-oriented VEP.(2)In terms of spatial distribution,the high-value areas of GEP shifted from scattered distribution to concentrated contiguous distribution,while the medium-and high-value areas of VEP changed from sporadic distribution to widespread distribution,suggesting that land consolidation reshaped the spatial pattern of VEP.(3)Comprehensive land consolidation influenced VEP through three pathways:spatial integration and transformation generated scale effects that enhanced material provisioning value;ecological restoration optimized the natural ecological foundation and improved production efficiency;and landscape beautification drove explosive growth in cultural service value.[Conclusion]Comprehensive land consolidation is a key factor driving the optimization of VEP.It is recommended that future land consolidation planning prioritize projects for enhancing cultural service functions,promote the branding of characteristic products,and explore natural resource asset portfolio supply models based on VEP accounting.This study provides a theoretical basis for market-oriented mechanisms for the realization of VEP and offers practical references for sustainable management of ecological resources in similar regions.
[Objective] This study addresses the challenge of scaling down ecological product value realization from policy to practice, using Sichuan Province as a case. [Methods] Based on a dual-dimensional framework of ecological constraint and economic support with multi-source data (2020-2024), the CRITIC-TOPSIS and obstacle degree models were applied to evaluate suitability and diagnose constraints at township scale across five regions. [Results] Significant spatial divergence yields four types: High-Ecology Low-Economy in Northwest Sichuan and Panxi; Low-Ecology High-Economy in the Chengdu Plain and Southern Sichuan; High-Ecology High-Economy scattered in western Chengdu Plain and the Anning River Valley; and Low-Ecology Low-Economy in central Sichuan. Urban development constraints are pronounced in the Chengdu Plain, Northeast, and Southern Sichuan, with location and market disadvantages in Southern and Northeast Sichuan. Ecological constraints manifest as restoration pressure in Northwest Sichuan and geological risks in Panxi, while resource transformation shortcomings are widespread though red cultural tourism in Northeast Sichuan and natural-cultural resources in Southern Sichuan show potential. [Conclusion] For southwestern provinces, identifying regional core difficulties and implementing categorized pathways is essential to facilitate the transition from pilot exploration to precision policy implementation.
[Objective] Under the entrusted agency mechanism for the ownership of state-owned natural resource assets, local governments assume dual responsibilities as owner agents and public regulators. Governance evaluation must therefore address both the comparison of asset allocation performance and the judgment of whether public baseline responsibilities have been fulfilled. Existing composite scoring methods aggregate evaluation matters of different natures into a single score, making baseline risks and procedural deficiencies easily obscured by high performance scores. This study aims to clarify the differentiated conclusion effects assigned to evaluation matters by the dual logic and to develop a corresponding rule-based mechanism for governance evaluation. [Methods] Using normative analysis and rule-based deduction methods, this study adopted “public value realization under boundary constraints” as the normative criterion. It constructed a hierarchical aggregation rule consisting of qualification review, boundary judgment, and performance evaluation, and demonstrated indicator reorganization and rule application using Beijing’s annual evaluation indicator system as an example. [Results] (1) The owner-agent logic and public regulatory logic assigned three types of conclusion effects to evaluation matters: eligibility, baseline constraint, and comparability. Together with observational matters that did not yet meet the conditions for evaluation effects, the indicators were classified into four types: procedural threshold indicators, constraint indicators, performance indicators, and exploratory indicators. (2) Under the hierarchical aggregation rule, procedural threshold indicators determined eligibility for evaluation. Constraint indicators set upper limits on grades in a non-compensatory manner, performance indicators generated comparative results within the permitted range, and exploratory indicators were listed separately for observation. (3) The Beijing case showed that existing indicators organized by resource type could be reorganized according to their evaluation effects, and that evaluation outputs could be expanded from a single grade to structured results integrating grade determination, risk identification, and cause diagnosis. [Conclusion] Governance evaluation of state-owned natural resource assets should shift from composite scoring to hierarchical rules based on evaluation effects. This approach preserves the rigidity of public baselines while retaining performance discrimination ability, thereby providing methodological support for the institutional coordination between evaluation of owner-agent responsibilities and evaluation of public regulatory responsibilities.
[Objective] This study aims to scientifically evaluate the value realization rate of ecological products, and provide practical guidance for evaluating the effectiveness of “Two Mountains” transformation and clarifying the driving mechanisms by improving, applying, and analyzing the value realization rate of ecological products. [Methods] Based on panel data from 296 prefecture-level and above cities from 2012 to 2023, this study employed the residual value method, expenditure method, and production function method to separately calculate the market values of material supply, regulating services, and cultural services of ecological products in the factor market, government procurement market, and product market. The equivalent factor method was used to calculate the non-market values of ecological products. On this basis, the value realization rate of ecological products was calculated, and the driving factors of the value realization rate on the supply and demand sides were identified. [Results] (1) The value realization rate of ecological products increased with fluctuations, characterized by a relatively low realization rate of regulating value, steady growth in the realization rate of supply value, and a pattern of “scattered distribution of high-value points and clustered distribution of low-value areas” in the realization rate of cultural value. (2) The quality of ecological product supply, total demand, demand balance, and transportation accessibility significantly promoted ecological value realization, while regional terrain undulation had heterogeneous effects on different types of value realization. [Conclusion] During the study period, the full-sample mean value realization rate of ecological products was relatively low, with significant regional disparities and large fluctuations over time. The driving factors on both the supply and demand sides of ecological products should be considered, and value realization models suitable for local resource endowments should be selected.
