Development Of Urban Agglomerations Research Articles

Exploring Subjective Attitudes Towards Public Transport of Intercity Travel and Their Relationships

With the continuous development of urban agglomerations, higher demands are placed on intercity public transport travel services. To improve these services, it is necessary to comprehensively understand the views and evaluations of travelers. Taking the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration in China as the object, this study explores subjective attitude indicators from self-administrated survey data and examines the relationship among perceived accessibility, preference, and satisfaction for intercity public transport using a structural equation model. The results show that perceived service quality has a direct positive impact on perceived accessibility and satisfaction. Perceived accessibility and preference significantly affect satisfaction. In addition, perceived accessibility mediates the effect of service quality on satisfaction. This study provides valuable insights from a policy perspective to improve the subjective evaluation of intercity public transport travelers while emphasizing the importance of subjective variables in transport system evaluation and advocates for their subdivision to more comprehensively improve travel experience.

Nature-based solutions for fast-growing city regions: A new spatial equilibrium model for complementary urban green space planning

Urban green spaces assume a pivotal role in city-level nature-based solutions for sustainable development. Parks, street greening, and community greens play a significant role in regulating the urban microenvironment, enhancing subjective well-being, and increasing regional attractiveness. Additionally, urban greenbelts have the capacity to control urban sprawl, thereby influencing housing prices and population distribution. However, the exisiting urban models have typically addressed greenbelts and other green spaces in isolation, resulting in fragmented planning strategies. This study aims to establish a novel spatial equilibrium model that accurately assesses the socio-economic effects resulting from the combined impact of various urban green spaces. This model encompasses green infrastructure components and carefully balances their appeal against the consequent rise in housing costs. The proposed model can elucidate the latent synergistic interactions among multiple urban green policies, which enables urban policymakers to access the multifaceted impacts of greening policy combinations. and suggests that combining different urban greening policies can mitigate the negative effects of a single policy type, such as population redistribution. A case study based on empirical data from Shanghai, China, has been employed to identify the additional value associated with diverse urban green spaces. The scenario analysis suggests that combining different urban greening policies can alleviate the negative impacts of urban population relocation. These findings furnish urban planners and policymakers with novel insights to develop the distribution strategy of urban green spaces via judicious policy integration. Consequently, the proposed model furnishes a novel academic standpoint on the role of urban green spaces within the context of nature-based solution for sustainable development of metropolitan conglomerates and nascent urban agglomerations amidst the evolving post-COVID-19 environment.

The essence and importance of monitoring of a large metropolitan area's strategic development

Subject. This article discusses the issues of socio-economic development of areas and improving the well-being of the population. Objectives. The article aims to determine the most important areas of monitoring the achievement of the development goals of large urban agglomerations. Methods. For the study, I used the general scientific research methods. Results. The article finds that budget monitoring is a key aspect of monitoring the strategic development of a large urban agglomeration. Conclusions. The results of the study can be used in the practical activities of local self-government bodies in the field of strategic development.

Spatial network characteristics and economic effects of element flow in the Lanxi urban agglomeration.

The spatial characteristics of element flow and its spillover are important topics in economics, sociology, and geography, and significant to the promotion of the coordinated development of urban agglomerations. To study element flow in the Lanxi urban agglomeration and its effect to economic development, the spatial network characteristics and economic spillover effect were studied using the methods of spatial network analysis, the spatial Durbin model, and spatial effect decomposition. The results showed that (1) the scale of element flow in the Lanxi urban agglomeration is in an unbalanced distribution state, the scale of element flow in Lanzhou and Xining is higher than that in surrounding cities, and the connection between surrounding cities is also higher than that between other cities; (2) the network structure of element flow in the Lanxi urban agglomeration is relatively intensive, with Lanzhou and Xining as the center of element concentration, which indicates an obvious 'center periphery' structure, and gradually spreads from the core area to the surrounding areas; and (3) the element concentration level of the Lanxi urban agglomeration has a significant positive spillover effect, which plays a significant role in driving the development of surrounding cities. Other factors, such as the social consumption level, have significant direct effects, whereas the industrial structure and residents' income have significant direct and spillover effects, and are the main factors that affect the coordinated development of the regional economy.

Sustainable management of land use patterns and water allocation for coordinated multidimensional development

The sustainable and integrated management of resources is a crucial approach to achieving sustainable regional development in the face of limited land and increasingly scarce water resources. This paper proposes a multidimensional optimization model to jointly optimize land use patterns and water resource allocation under the conditions of maximizing economic benefits and minimizing social differences, ecological loads, environmental pollution, and carbon emissions. The optimization model is solved using the affiliation function method and then combined with random forest (RF) and cellular automata (CA) models to further obtain the optimal spatial layout of land use. This paper takes the Mid-Yangtze River City Cluster as an example and optimizes the land use pattern and water allocation in the region in 2020 and 2030. The results of the study show that the optimized water and land resource allocation scheme performs better than the status quo in all dimensions. The optimized economic benefits, social effects, ecological effects, environmental effects, and overall sustainability in 2020 are increased by 45.97%, 22.89%, 10.07%, 24.65%, and 42.73%, respectively. By 2030, overall sustainability reaches 0.69. The developed modeling framework helps to elucidate the internal linkages between land use and water allocation, and it provides decision-makers with diversified approaches to land and water resource management and adjustment for different cities in different periods, which promotes the sustainable development of urban agglomerations.

Toolkit for Integrated Assessment of Socio-Economic Development Scale of Urban Agglomerations

The formation of urban agglomerations in the Russian Federation is currently one of the most significant forms of spatial development both at the national and regional levels. The need to strengthen agglomeration processes is dictated by the provision of polarised socio-economic development of different territories of the country. Urban agglomerations in the Russian Federation receive legal status at the federal and regional levels. Institutional support for agglomerations is the development of an appropriate legal framework and financial mechanisms aimed at the infrastructural development of territories, improving the quality of human capital, scientific and technological development, etc. At the same time, recently the public authorities at the federal and regional levels have started to pay attention not only to large and largest urban agglomerations defined in the Strategy for Spatial Development of the Russian Federation, but also to smaller urban agglomerations. A special intensification of institutionalisation of the status of urban agglomerations is observed in the normative legal acts of many constituent entities of the Russian Federation. However, the methodological aspects of formation and development of urban agglomerations in the regions are not elaborated. The analysis of existing theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of agglomeration processes also revealed the lack of methods for analysing the scale of complex socio-economic processes of urban agglomerations. Therefore, the need to form a methodology for assessing the scale of agglomeration development in the regions of the Russian Federation determined the relevance of the study. The aim of the study is to develop an indicator of the scale of socio-economic processes of Russian urban agglomerations. To achieve this aim, the existing methodologies of urban agglomerations research, presented in the approaches of Russian and foreign scientists, were analysed. The analysis allowed us to systematise the existing methodological approaches into two groups: the features of spatial development of agglomerated systems and the characteristics of their economic condition. The advantages and disadvantages of the existing methodologies are presented, on the basis of which a methodological toolkit for the scale of agglomerated systems is developed. The conclusion is made about the possibility of using the proposed indicator by public administration authorities in the development of normative legal acts of strategic planning in the field of spatial and socio-economic development of regions, in scientific and analytical research in the field of regional economy. The methods of content and comparative analysis, mathematical formalisation, expert assessments, modelling, observation and synthesis were used to solve the research problems.

Towards Intercity Mobility System – Insights into the Spatial Interaction Gravity Model and Determination Approach

The current development of urban agglomeration greatly promotes the intercity connection and elevates the significance of intercity mobility system. However, intercity mobility often exhibits extreme spatiotemporal imbalances due to the diverse urban characteristics. This poses a huge challenge for traffic management and reveals the necessity on understanding the urban attractiveness for intercity mobility, which is represented as spatial interaction gravity in this study. While recent works have explored relevant aspects, they failed to provide insights into temporal variations in spatial interaction gravity or capture the determining factors from multiple perspectives. To fill this gap, this study proposed a two-phase framework to measure the urban spatial interaction gravity and developed determination approaches utilising the large-scale location-based services (LBS) dataset. Specifically, the inverse gravity model was adopted for the measure within multiple urban agglomerations and city sets during weekdays, weekends and holidays. Then, we developed the fitting equations of spatial interaction gravity by incorporating the correlated features associated with social, economic, network accessibility and land use. The findings present spatial interaction gravity across different periods and substantiate the distinct determination effects of features, with a high fitting accuracy. They provide promising supports for the intercity mobility prediction and pre-emptive traffic management.

Using Zipf’s Law to Optimize Urban Spatial Layouts in an Urban Agglomeration Area

Using Zipf’s Law to Optimize Urban Spatial Layouts in an Urban Agglomeration Area

Multi-Scenario Simulation and Eco-Environmental Effects Analysis of Land Use/Cover Change in China by an Integrated Cellular Automata and Markov Model

Land use transitions play a critical role in ecological environmental restoration, but they are also plagued by ecological environmental problems caused by excessive land resource development. In this study, we propose a methodological framework for unveiling the nexus profile of land use/cover change (LUCC) and eco-environmental effects. This study explored the spatiotemporal evolution patterns of LUCC over a long time series based on high-precision land use data from 1990 to 2020. Then, the ecological values (EVs) of various cities were calculated to obtain the ecological contribution rate of different land use types in the process of change. Finally, the future development trends of land use and ecological environmental quality were predicted under multiple scenarios using the cellular automata–Markov model, and scientific policy recommendations were proposed. The results showed that the expansion trajectory of the construction land in the urban agglomeration mainly expanded inwards along the mouth of the Pearl River, and the conversion of cultivated land to construction land was the most significant type of land use change. The overall ecological environmental quality of the study area showed a downwards trend, with Shenzhen exhibiting the largest decrease in EVs. Cultivated land contributed significantly to improving regional ecological environmental quality, while the land use transition types with relatively large contributions to environmental quality deterioration were conversions to construction land. Under the scenario of coordinated protection, the degree of cultivated land area reduction was significantly reduced, and the area of forestland showed a positive growth trend, with the expansion trend of construction land being reversed. These research findings can enrich the theoretical research on the sustainable development of urban agglomerations and provide reliable data support for policy-making.

Spatiotemporal Changes in China’s Tourism Industry Development

As a strategic pillar of the Chinese economy, high-quality development of the tourism industry has become a pressing demand in the contemporary era. Following the new developmental concept advocated by the Chinese government, this study has constructed a comprehensive set of indicators for high-quality tourism development. A thorough spatial analysis of the developmental quality of China’s provincial tourism industry from 2000 to 2021, as well as the developmental conditions of various subsystems, was conducted by employing the entropy–value–TOPSIS method, Dagum Gini coefficient, and ESTDA approach. The research has found that (1) the overall quality of China’s tourism industry has significantly improved, (2) the determinants of differences in tourism-development quality in China transitioned from endowment advantages to innovation capabilities. (3) positive spatial-agglomeration effects are evident in the developmental landscape of China’s tourism industry, (4) the quality of regional tourism development is closely related to the economic development of urban agglomerations, (5) China’s tourism industry demonstrates resilience and capacity for restructuring in the post-pandemic era.

Efficiency of green and low-carbon coordinated development for mega urban agglomerations: an empirical study

As a critical engine for national economic growth, mega urban agglomerations have significant scale effects and economic and environmental spillover effects. This paper aims to study the green and low-carbon coordinated development of mega urban agglomerations to evaluate the country’s level of ecological civilization and its green and low-carbon development. The traditional research on green and low-carbon urban development tends to homogenize the redistribution theme, leading to significant errors in spatial allocation. This results in a lower accuracy of spatial distribution calculations for green development. Additionally, the research is constrained by data precision and methodology, making it challenging to measure the spatial differences in green and low-carbon development within urban clusters at the block level. This limitation hinders the ability to conduct detailed studies on the efficiency variations of green and low-carbon development in urban clusters. To achieve this aim, the study adopts the DPSR framework of the economic, resource, social, and ecological environment complex system and focuses on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in China. The study uses the entropy method, Gini coefficient method, and non-expected output super-efficiency SBM model to analyze the spatial effects and development efficiency of green and low-carbon development in this region from 2006 to 2020. The study results indicate that: (1) the overall level of green and low-carbon development in the Greater Bay Area is on the rise, with Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Zhuhai showing more stable development than other cities. Foreign direct investment and fixed asset investment in science and technology have significantly promoted green and low-carbon development. (2) The spatial differences in the region’s level of green and low-carbon development have narrowed trends, mainly due to differences between regions. However, well-developed cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen have taken the initiative to lead the development of other cities, fully leveraging their advantages in science and technology, geographical location, and other resources to promote the improvement of the external orientation of other cities. (3) The overall development efficiency of green and low-carbon in the Greater Bay Area is on the rise, with Guangzhou region showing overall stability, and Shenzhen region and Zhuhai region experiencing multiple ups and downs in their development. The three sub-regions show significant differences, but the balance and coordination of development have significantly improved. Finally, this study provides theoretical support for the future green and low-carbon development of urban clusters. It is advantageous for integrating the mainstream policy analysis framework of environmental economics with the complex adaptive systems of urban clusters. The research expands the boundaries of existing theoretical studies and offers new methodological approaches for interdisciplinary research. The study achieves a balance between the opportunity effects of green and low-carbon development and environmental policy constraints in super large urban clusters, effectively enhancing resource utilization efficiency in these clusters.

Measurement and spatial correlation analysis of high-quality development Level: A case study of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration in China

Against the backdrop of slowing economic growth and increasing environmental pressure, the Yangtze River Delta city cluster, as one of the largest city clusters in the world, has become more driven in its pursuit of high-quality development. We constructed a system of 24 evaluation indexes and used entropy-weighted TOPSIS to calculate and study the high-quality development index of urban agglomerations in the region. First, the level of high quality development (HQD) of the Yangtze River Delta city cluster generally improved from 2010 to 2021, with 2017 was the best year, while 2010 was the worst year. Second, in the multidimensional evaluation of HQD, Jiangsu excels in innovation and people's livelihood with 0.524 and 0.534, respectively; Shanghai (0.531) excels in coordinated development; Zhejiang excels in green and economic development with 0.557 and 0.484, respectively; and Anhui lags behind in all aspects. Third, the development process of HQD in the Yangtze River Delta region is uneven, and the level of HQD development varies greatly among the city clusters in the province. The measurement results show that Shanghai (0.511) has the highest score, followed by Zhejiang (0.484), Jiangsu (0.440) and Anhui (0.435). Fourth, spatial correlation analysis shows that Shanghai and Jiangsu are mainly distributed in the double-high region, Zhejiang is distributed in the high-low region, while Anhui is concentrated in the low-low region. The results of this study help us understand more deeply the characteristics and challenges of high-quality development in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomerations and provide a scientific basis for more precise urban development policies.

The confrontation and symbiosis of green and development: Coupling coordination analysis between carbon emissions and spatial development in urban agglomerations of China

Chinese cities face challenges of uneven development, high carbon emission intensity, and low efficiency in urbanization processes. Achieving harmonization and equilibrium between urban development and carbon emissions is crucial for sustainable development. This paper analyzes the development trajectory from 2013 to 2021 of four urban agglomerations in China: Northeast China (NEC), Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Pearl River Delta (PRD). It identifies and calculates the urban spatial development patterns and carbon emissions, comparing the spatial-temporal variations in carbon emissions under different urban development patterns. The study also explores the coupling coordination relationship between these two aspects at various stages. The findings suggest that urban spatial development and carbon emissions are often uncoordinated in shrinking cities. In terms of coordination within urban agglomerations, BTH and NEC show suboptimal development, characterized by overall lag and polarization; YRD exhibits the best development, being consistently stable and balanced; PRD is generally improving, though with some cities lagging. Planning departments should revise urban and environmental policies to optimize spatial structures and infrastructure, aligning with regional development and promoting synergy in urban agglomerations. This research provides theoretical and empirical support for China to formulate relevant policies aimed at green, coordinated, and sustainable urban development.

THE MAIN STAGES OF FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS IN KAZAKHSTAN

The article studies the main stages of formation and development of urban agglomerations in Kazakhstan. The general scientific dialectical method of cognition allowed to determine the stages of formation of urban agglomerations in general and the factors affecting their economic development. The system approach allowed to consider urban agglomerations as a set of interconnected and interdependent territories with a certain centre, i.e. as systems. The comparative approach enabled identifying common components of urban agglomerations’ development stages. Studies have shown that urban agglomerations are a product of human activity. Urban agglomeration development varies according to the stage of development of a state, territory, national characteristics and other factors. It is a complex process influenced by a variety of factors, including economic, political, social, technological, innovative, cultural, environmental and other factors. Three stages of urban agglomeration development can be distinguished in Kazakhstan. These stages reflect the various regulatory and economic transformations that Kazakhstan’s urban agglomerations have undergone. Keywords: urban agglomeration, specific territory, core, districts, formation, development, urbanization.

Coupling and Coordination Relationship of Economic–Social–Natural Composite Ecosystem in Central Yunnan Urban Agglomeration

Exploring the spatio-temporal differentiation characteristics and coupling coordination relationship of the composite ecosystem of urban agglomerations is of great significance for promoting the synergistic sustainable development and integration construction of urban agglomerations. This paper is based on LUCC (Land Use and Land Cover Change) data, a DEM (Digital Elevation Model), and temperature, precipitation, and other multi-source data, using the central Yunnan urban agglomeration as an example and constructing a multi-dimensional evaluation index system highlighting development quality and efficiency. The entropy weight method was first used to determine the comprehensive weights to evaluate the regional economic and social development level. Then, the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) model was used to quantitatively calculate and analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the four key ecosystem services, evaluating the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of the natural subsystem. The coupling coordination model was used to quantitatively analyze the evolution of the coupling coordination of the composite ecosystems in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration during the period of 2010–2020, and to reveal its development law. The results show the following: ➀ During the study period, the socio-economic subsystems in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration demonstrated an outward radiative growth from Kunming City, marked by underdeveloped sub-centers and prevalent low-level areas. ② Trends in ecosystem services varied, with water and soil conservation showing fluctuating increases, carbon sequestration remaining stable, and habitat quality declining. The critically important integrated ecosystem services zone of the natural subsystem is mainly located in the northeastern region and southwestern edge of the study area. ③ In 2020, the coupling coordination degree of the composite ecosystem was 0.9492. This showed that economic, social, and ecological subsystems are highly coupled, with consistent overall development trends and strong interactions. ④ The increase in the degree of harmonization amounted to 7.82%, with lagging subsystems varying in the degree of harmonization in subregions. This study can provide a scientific foundation for the development of policies for the Central Yunnan urban agglomeration, promoting regional sustainable development and optimizing the spatial pattern of the national territory.

Managing urban agglomeration processes in Russia in the context of agglomerative and socio-economic development

Studies on urban agglomeration typically focus on the management of urban agglomerations as special types of spatial organization. The problem of finding an adequate management model which accounts for the level of spatial connectivity and socio-economic development of a given territory remains in the background. This article identifies urban agglomeration management models in Russia which account for the agglomerative and socio-economic development of a given territory. A methodology for assessing urban agglomeration processes is presented which, unlike existing methodologies, includes an assessment of agglomeration maturity and an assessment of the socio-economic development of urban agglomerations. This methodology is based on conceptual platforms within spatial development theory; new economic geography; and agglomeration theory and cluster development. The methodology was tested on the data of Chelyabinsk Region agglomerations. The study determined that the Chelyabinsk and Gorniy Ural agglomerations are socio-economically developed and highly agglomerated, while the Magnitogorsk agglomeration shows high socio-economic development and low agglomeration. The conurbations are underdeveloped in both areas. The paper gives several recommendations on methods for choosing urban agglomeration management models. The developed methodology can be used to assess agglomerations across Russia and to choose the most adequate management model for a territory depending on its agglomerative and socio-economic development.

Institutional Regulation of the Development of Urban Agglomerations in the Regions of Russia

The formation of urban agglomerations is a key priority in Russia's spatial development agenda. However, the scientific literature primarily focuses on the largest urban agglomerations, neglecting those with populations of less than 500 thousand people. This article aims to analyze the features and challenges of the institutional regulation of second-tier Russian urban agglomerations, such as Vologda, Arkhangelsk, Tambov, Kaluga, Norilsk, Surgut, Khanty-Mansiysk, and Yuzhno- Sakhalinsk. It has been observed that the legal status of urban agglomerations at the federal level is not clearly defined. Moreover, some regional strategic planning documents fail to address the intensification of agglomeration processes, focusing solely on larger urban areas. Inconsistencies within regions in terms of the number, composition, and configuration of urban agglomerations have been identified, such as in KhMAO-Yugra and the Vologda region. The lack of coordination among municipal strategies and regional planning documents, as seen in Arkhangelsk, Norilsk, Khanty-Mansiysk, and Vologda, is also a pressing issue. The article suggests that both a "top-down" approach, led by government authorities as in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and a "bottom-up" approach, involving active local authorities and business structures as in Surgut, can be utilized to support the development of second-tier urban agglomerations. The findings of this study could be beneficial for state authorities and local self-governments seeking to enhance policies for urban agglomeration development in Russia.

Evaluation of regional integration in urban agglomeration area from the perspective of urban symbiosis

Integrated development of urban agglomeration is a process involves both interactive elements flow between cities and cohesive function advancement within each city. However, existing researches struggle to effectively evaluate urban integration considering both urban interaction and urban function. Taking Yunnan Central urban agglomeration (CYUA) as a case study, we adopt the framework of symbiosis theory to analyze integrated degree of urban agglomeration by combining urban interaction and function. Urban vitality, urban spilled function, intermediate intervention of urban interaction, urban functional distance were detected to identify urban symbiotic modes and project into evaluating urban integration. The results show that, (1) focus on the symbiotic environment, a spatial pattern of “one core and multiple weak” is exhibited, the key role of downtown Kunming is obviously identified; (2) focus on the symbiotic modes, suboptimal condition of urban symbiosis is observable based on the dominant symbiotic mode and its dynamic; (3) CYUA is still in the embryonic stage of integration. To mature the urban agglomeration, more attention should be paid on strengthening urban interaction by constructing interactive channel, adjusting urban function by analyzing regional industrial link, and finally improving urban symbiotic mode based on the optimization of symbiotic environment and interface.

Government Intervention and the Quality of Urban Agglomeration Development: Analysis Based on Market Perspective

Government Intervention and the Quality of Urban Agglomeration Development: Analysis Based on Market Perspective

Necessity and Urgency Study on Promoting Regional Economic and Social Integration in China: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration

Urban agglomerations mirror the highest level of spatial organization in urban development. They are characterized by one or more mega-cities serving as central hubs within a delineated region, upheld by three or more major cities. With advanced transportation, communication, and other facilities as the foundation, these agglomerations establish close spatial and economic ties, achieving a high degree of urbanization and integration. Against the backdrop of global and anti-globalization forces leading to shifts in foreign situations, coupled with domestic economic downturns resulting from changes in pandemic policies, the imperative to form an integrated regional economic society has become increasingly prominent. This study takes the construction and development of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) as an example, examining the necessity and urgency of promoting regional economic and social integration through the proportional changes in the three major industries of each city. As the earliest and representative urban agglomeration in national planning, the YRDUA serves as an illustrative model. The findings indicate that applying the experiences of regional economic and social integration in the YRDUA to the entire country is representative and offers valuable insights.