A Spatial Optimization Model for Sustainable Land Use at Regional Level in China: A Case Study for Poyang Lake Region

Wenbo Chen,Lihong Zhao,Haifeng Li,Gerrit Carsjens

doi:10.3390/su7010035

Abstract

Economic growth in China is accompanied by many problems, such as rapid deterioration of the environment and a sharp decline in the area of arable land. China’s current land-use planning system fails to deal with these problems, especially at the regional level. The lack of sustainable spatial allocation at regional level has become a pressing problem. This article aims to: (1) analyze the reason why sustainable land use at the regional level is difficult to achieve under the current Chinese land-use planning system; (2) put forward a regional optimization model for sustainable land use; and (3) explore the usefulness and possibility of the future application of the model in supporting land-use planning. The model has been applied in a case study for the Poyang Lake Region, Jiangxi Province in China. Based on predictions of the demand of land in 2015, three single-objective scenarios were constructed: food production oriented, nature conservation oriented and economic growth oriented. An optimized, multi-objective pattern of sustainable land use was achieved by integrating the three single-objective scenarios. The relevance and applicability of the model were discussed with planning experts and practitioners. The results indicate that the model can contribute to a more sustainable regional land-use planning in China. However, the results also show a need for further research on how to embed wider social and economic aspects in the model.

Highlights

Since the start of economic reform in 1978, China has achieved remarkable economic progress.Today, China is among the fastest growing economies in the world, but this growth has not come without a price
China’s rapid economic growth and urban sprawl are accompanied by resource depletion and environmental deterioration [1,7]
Current land-use policy and planning are ineffective in dealing with the process of rapid urbanization and safeguarding arable land and natural resources [1,7,9]

Summary

Introduction

Since the start of economic reform in 1978, China has achieved remarkable economic progress.Today, China is among the fastest growing economies in the world, but this growth has not come without a price. It was estimated that the damage caused by environmental pollution and degradation of natural resources consumes up to 8% of China’s GDP, roughly equal to the annual growth of the country’s economy [1]. Rapid urbanization and industrialization are exacerbating the environmental problems [2,3,4], especially given the enormous scale of these processes [5]. During the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2000–2005), China lost over 6 million hectares of arable land, amounting to 4.7% of the total in 2000. In 2006, arable land reduced to 121.8 million hectares. A staggering 10% of the arable land is contaminated due to polluted water, excessive fertilizer use, heavy metals and solid wastes. Heavy metals alone contaminate 12 million tons of grain each year, causing a loss of 20 billion Yuan (2.6 billion US$)

Objectives

Results

Conclusion