Urban Land Use Efficiency Research Articles

The Impacts of Urban Population Growth and Shrinkage on the Urban Land Use Efficiency: A Case Study of the Northeastern Region of China

In the context of rapid urbanization, urban population differentiation has become increasingly pronounced. Regional development strategies based on growth scenarios often lead to continuous expansion, regardless of urban population status. Such “one-size-fits-all” models exacerbate resource waste and negatively impact urban land use efficiency (ULUE). This study aims to explore the mechanisms by which urban population growth and shrinkage (UPGS) affect ULUE, with the goal of enhancing ULUE and promoting sustainable urban development. We analyzed 34 prefecture-level cities in China’s three northeastern provinces. First, we identified UPGS using population data. We then employed a three-stage SBM-DEA model to measure ULUE from 2000 to 2020. Spatial analysis methods were used to examine the spatiotemporal characteristics and correlations between UPGS and ULUE. Additionally, mediating effect models and spatial Durbin models were utilized to empirically test the impact processes, mechanisms, and spatial heterogeneity. Our findings reveal that: (1) Over the past 20 years, urban population shrinkage in northeastern China has intensified, and significant regional disparities in urban development are evident. (2) Population growth positively influences ULUE, while population shrinkage inhibits its improvement. (3) Economic development, technological innovation, and industrial structure upgrading are key factors in enhancing ULUE in this region, while the impact of public services on ULUE varies significantly at different stages of urban development. (4) Economic development, technological innovation, and industrial structure upgrading exhibit spatial spillover effects, whereas public services are constrained by regional limitations, resulting in minimal spatial spillover effects. To foster coordinated regional development, this study proposes policy recommendations, including strengthening support for resource-dependent cities, optimizing the allocation of public resources, and promoting technological innovation and industrial diversification.

Analysis of the Spatiotemporal Differentiation and Influencing Factors of Land Use Efficiency in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration

Optimizing urban land use is of significant practical importance for promoting economic development, enhancing the standard of living for individuals residing in metropolitan areas, enhancing urban infrastructure and public services, driving urban transformation and upgrading, and attaining synchronized progress of the economy, society, and environment. This paper uses the super-efficiency SBM model to measure the urban land use efficiency (ULUE) of 13 cities in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration from 2005 to 2020 and explores the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of ULUE in this urban agglomeration using analysis of spatial data and application of geographic detector methods. The results show that (1) from 2005 to 2020, the ULUE of the BTH urban agglomeration had an initial rise followed by a decline; however, the overall efficiency score is above 1, suggesting an overall effective state; (2) a distribution pattern with Beijing as its core was established, exhibiting greater ULUE in the northern region and poorer efficiency in the southern region, with significant correlation characteristics in efficiency values between adjacent cities; and (3) capital input, labor input, social welfare, and ecological environment are all influencing factors that promote the improvement in ULUE in the BTH region, and the interaction of any two factors explains the ULUE in this region better than a single factor. The empirical research results can provide useful references for improving the input–output ratio of land units and further spatial planning and policy formulation in the BTH region.

Assessment of Chinese urban land-use efficiency (SDG11.3.1) utilizing high-precision urban built-up area data

Assessment of SDG11.3.1 indicator of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a valuable tool for policymakers in urban planning. This study aims to enhance the accuracy of the SDG11.3.1 evaluation and explore the impact of varying precision levels in urban built-up area on the indicator's assessment outcomes. We developed an algorithm to generate accurate urban built-up area data products based on China's Geographical Condition Monitoring data with a 2 m resolution. The study evaluates urban land-use efficiency in China from 2015 to 2020 across different geographical units using both the research product and data derived from other studies utilizing medium and low-resolution imagery. The results indicate: (1) A significant improvement in the accuracy of our urban built-up area data, with the SDG11.3.1 evaluation results demonstrating a more precise reflection of spatiotemporal characteristics. The indicator shows a positive correlation with the accuracy level of the built-up area data; (2) From 2015 to 2020, Chinese prefecture-level cities have undergone faster urbanization in terms of land expansion relative to population growth, leading to less optimal land resource utilization. Only in extra-large cities does urban population growth show a relatively balanced pattern. However, urban population growth in other regions and cities of various sizes lags behind land urbanization. Notably, Northeast China and small to medium cities encounter significant challenges in urban population growth. Our comprehensive framework for evaluating SDG11.3.1 with high-precision urban built-up area data can be adapted to different national regions, yielding more accurate SDG11.3.1 outcomes. Our urban area and built-up area data products provide crucial inputs for calculating at least four indicators related to SDG11.

Impact of Free Trade (Pilot) Zone Establishment on Urban Land Use Efficiency—Empirical Evidence from Cities in China

The establishment of the Free Trade (Pilot) Zone (FTZ) is a new attempt by China to embark on modern sustainable urban planning and governmental territorial management at the development stage of a high-quality economy. As urban lands serve as the limited resource foundation for civic production and livelihoods, enhancing land use efficiency becomes a key measure to facilitate metropolitan economies of high quality. Utilizing panel data from prefecture-level cities spanning from 2005 to 2021, this study constructs a multi-period difference-in-differences model to explore the impact of FTZs on urban land use efficiency (ULUE). The results indicate that FTZs can significantly enhance urban land use efficiency, with a more pronounced policy effect observed in central cities, inland cities, and cities with higher urbanization rates. Furthermore, the FTZs also demonstrate spatial spillover effects on urban land use efficiency. This study holds great significance for relevant government departments in formulating policies to optimize land resource allocation, promote FTZ development, and foster high-quality urban planning and territorial management.

Systematic coupling and multistage interactive response of the urban land use efficiency and ecological environment quality

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have greatly contributed to boosting regional economic growth and mitigating the problem of poverty, but blind expansion of cities and towns has not only caused the inefficient use of urban land resources but also caused the deterioration in the urban ecological environment. Within the current context of emphasizing high-quality development, achieving synergy between the efficient use of urban land and ecological environmental protection is an urgent task for promoting new urbanization construction. In this study, cities in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River (URYR) were adopted as the research object, a theoretical analysis framework for the urban land use efficiency (ULUE) and ecological environment quality (EEQ) was established, the ULUE was measured by using the Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model, the coupling coordination and interactive corresponding response relationship between the ULUE and EEQ were analyzed, and the influencing factors of the coupling coordination between these two systems were explored by using the random forest model. The following conclusions can be obtained: in 2020, compared with those in 2006, both the ULUE and EEQ were improved, and the two systems exhibited interactions and significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) between the ULUE and EEQ could facilitate maintaining the original state, and the transfer of the CCD exhibited a significant spatial correlation with the state of neighbouring cities. The effect of the ULUE on the EEQ indicated nonlinear characteristics, while the effect of the EEQ on the ULUE was manifested as inhibition initially and then promotion. The random forest regression results showed that the population density, landscape agglomeration and connectivity, market conditions, government intervention, and industrial institutions are the key influencing factors of the CCD. Finally, this study provides policy implications for innovative urban land use modelling, environmental regulation, and industrial transformation and upgrading.

Study on the Spatiotemporal Evolution of Urban Land Use Efficiency in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region

The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region (BTH) is one of the crucial areas for economic development in China. However, rapid urban expansion and industrial development in this region have severely impacted the surrounding ecological environment. The air quality, water, and soil resources face significant pressure. Due to the close relationship between land utilization, population, investment, and industry, effective land use is a key factor in the coordinated development of the region. Therefore, clarifying the patterns of urban land use change and revealing its influencing factors can provide important scientific evidence for the coordinated development of the BTH region. This study aims to improve urban land use efficiency (ULUE) in the BTH region. Firstly, based on the input and output data of land elements for the 13 cities in the BTH region, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method is used to quantify the ULUE of the BTH urban agglomeration and analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of ULUE. Input indicators includes capital, labor, and land. Output indicators includes economy, society, and environment. The results show that the overall ULUE in the BTH region has increased, albeit with notable fluctuations. Between 2000 and 2010, ULUE rose swiftly across all cities except Beijing and Tianjin, where changes were minimal. Post-2010, cities exhibited varied trends: steady growth, slow growth, sustained growth, step-wise growth, and initial growth followed by decline. Spatially, before 2010, the BTH showed a “high in the northeast and low in the southwest” pattern, transitioning post-2010 to a smoother “core-periphery” pattern. Mid-epidemic, high ULUE values reverted to the core area, shifting southward post-epidemic. Secondly, panel data analysis is conducted to explore the factors influencing ULUE. The results indicate that fiscal balance, the level of openness, the level of digitalization, industrial structure, and the level of green development are significant factors affecting ULUE. Finally, strategies are proposed to improve ULUE in the BTH region, including national spatial planning, industrial layout, existing land use, infrastructure construction, optimization of local fiscal revenue, and improvement in the business environment, aiming to enhance ULUE and promote the coordinated development of industries in the BTH region.

Analyzing sustainable development in Chinese cities: A focus on land use efficiency in production-living-ecological aspects

Efficient utilization of land resources is fundamental for achieving sustainable urban development. Utilizing the urban land use efficiency (ULUE) framework for production-living-ecological (PLE) functions, this study establishes three key indicators to evaluate the sustainable development status of each dimension. The indicator system was applied to 433 Chinese cities to analyze the temporal and spatial changes in urban sustainable development from 2000 to 2020. Research findings reveal significant disparities in sustainable urban development levels across Chinese regions from 2000 to 2020, following a consistent trend: Eastern > Western > Central > Northeast. The ULUE for living and production functions in Chinese cities experienced an obvious decline from 2015 to 2020. This indicates that urban land expansion in most Chinese cities surpassed population growth, accompanied by a noticeable reduction in economic growth rates. Since 2010, the ULUE for ecological function has improved significantly in Eastern region, reflecting a shift in development priorities towards a green approach rooted in ecological conservation principles. However, the ULUE in Northeastern cities has declined, placing this region at a competitive disadvantage due to the dual challenges of declining population and economic recession. Since 2015, urban land expansion in Central Chinese cities has significantly outpaced other regions, resulting in extensive land use, posing challenges to resource planning and management. Smaller cities, in contrast to their larger counterparts, face a lower overall sustainability level and encounter more acute challenges related to population migration and economic transition. The analysis offers valuable insights and policy recommendations to enhance sustainability in developing regions.

Study on urban land use in Henan Province under the background of high-quality development

With the rapid development of the economy and continuous urban expansion, the sharp increase in land demand under the existing land scale and the limited supply of land resources have led to a serious intensification of contradictions. Improving land use efficiency, especially construction land use efficiency, has become an inevitable direction for future development. This is also a challenge faced by the comprehensive and sustainable development of China’s urban economy and society. Among other benefits, evaluating the efficiency of urban construction land use can maximize the distribution of land resources, improve the overall advantages of construction land, and encourage land management. This paper establishes and illustrates the evaluation based on three aspects: economic benefits, social benefits, and ecological benefits, to establish an index system for the evaluation of urban construction land use efficiency in Henan Province. In this paper, the coordination trend and efficiency of land use in urban construction in Henan Province are analyzed, discussed, and evaluated.

Morphology changes and the expansion of major port cities in the Philippines from 1990 to 2020

Research concerning urban expansion has been conducted worldwide in the context of global urbanization, yet comprehensive and systematic research on urban growth and morphological changes in Asia is lacking. In this study, the land use, population, and economic development of nine major port cities in the Philippines from 1990 to 2020 were analyzed. The urban land density inverse S function was used to conduct an in-depth analysis of changes in urban spatial morphology. The urban growth patterns were studied by landscape expansion indexes were studied. The results showed that the land area of nine port cities increased by 246.7 km2. Infill expansion in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Bacolod accounted for >60 % of the newly added urban land and has led to a more compact urban form; edge and outlying expansion in General Santos, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, and Iloilo accounted for >80 % and has led to dynamic changes involving compactness and dispersion. Urban boundaries and terrain limit the development of slow and medium-speed expansion cities; the combination with surrounding cities into megacities can be considered in the future. In contrast, rapidly expanding cities need to improve their compactness and efficiency of urban land use.

Urban land use efficiency and its driving factors in ecologically fragile areas: the case of northwest China

ABSTRACT Urban land serves as the medium for urban economic and residential activity. The degree of intensive and efficient use of urban land and the coordinated growth of the economy and society are significantly impacted by utilization efficiency. Northwest China’s temperature, geography, water, and soil characteristics make less of the region suited for urban development. Thus, it is imperative to investigate Northwest China’s urban land use efficiency (ULUE). This study applies the efficiency loss model to highlight the discrepancy between the optimal and actual values of each input-output variable of the ULUE, and uses the Super-SBM model to compute the ULUE of 39 cities. Additionally, the internal driving elements of the ULUE are examined using the Global Malmquist-Luenberger (GML) index. This study discovered that Northwest China had a low ULUE, with a modest upward trend seen between 2004 and 2018. The overall shape of the region was similar to an ‘N’ curve, with high efficiency values concentrated in the southeast of the region in 2018. When considering the agglomeration impact of urban agglomeration, these results are dependable. Moreover, the efficiency loss model discovered that pollution and wasteful resource usage were the main reasons behind the drop in ULUE in Northwest China. Finally, the GML index and its constituents revealed that the main force behind ULUE’s growth in Northwest China is technological developments. This research provides important policy implications for reducing the gap between eastern and western regions, supporting high-quality development in northwest China, and protecting and intensively using urban land.

How does the green efficiency of urban land use evolve in the urban agglomeration of China's middle Yangtze river?

AbstractThe urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze river (MYRUA) is the second largest national urban agglomeration in China, with an excellent ecological foundation. As the construction of urban agglomerations accelerated towards both extension and connotation, land prices of various cities rose, and the contradiction in the demand and utilization of land resources became acute. Therefore, exploring the spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanisms of land green utilization efficiency within MYRUA had positive significance. This article focused on 28 prefecture‐level cities in the MYRUA and measured their urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE) from 2006 to 2018 using the super slack‐based measure model with undesirable output (Super‐SBM‐U). Then, the improved Fixed Malmquist–Luenberger index was developed to improve the accuracy of dynamic efficiency analysis. Further, the internal and external driving factors were explored using the index decomposition and the spatial error model with fixed effects. The results showed that the land use mode of the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River was relatively green, but efficiency gaps still existed. Although the green total factor productivity of the whole cluster has improved by 3.30% a year on average, the excessive pursuit of technological innovation has led to the stagnation of urban land management in various cities, and there are numerous inherent contradictions in urban development. But at the same time, feasible economic development directions, industrial upgrading, high‐quality employees, land marketization, and positive environmental behaviors are conducive to the green and sustainable development of ULGUE. This article depicted the internal land use characteristics of the MYRUA from the perspective of spatiotemporal evolution and efficiency, providing a theoretical reference for the green development and coordinated management of urban agglomeration land.

How does urban land use efficiency improve resource and environment carrying capacity?

Considering the constraints on urban land expansion, improving the efficiency of existing urban land becomes a key factor in promoting resource sustainability and environmental protection. This paper examines the impact mechanism and threshold effect of urban land use efficiency (ULUE) on resources and environment carrying capacity (RECC) using panel data covering 282 Chinese cities from 2007 to 2018. The empirical results show that: (1) ULUE enhances RECC in China, and the rationalization and advancement of industrial structure are important transmission mechanisms; (2) The impact of ULUE on RECC is heterogeneous, showing significant differences in different regions, periods, administrative levels, and resource endowments; (3) With industrial rationalization and industrial advancement as threshold variables, ULUE exhibits a “gradient-style” enhancement with significant threshold characteristics in improving RECC. These findings can provide practical guidance for various land policies.

Spatial and temporal inequity of urban land use efficiency in China: A perspective of dynamic expansion

In the face of conflicting land-resource supply and demand, land-use efficiency is critical for sustainable urbanization. In this study, we unified the consistent boundaries of land, population, and economic development, identified urban expansion patterns (infilling, edge expansion and leapfrogging), and precisely estimated urban land-use efficiency (ULUE) in 260 Chinese cities from the perspective of dynamic expansion during 2000–2015. With the consideration of the dynamics of outward expansion and internal development of urban land, the results showed that China's main expansion pattern gradually shifted from edge expansion with lower ULUEs to infilling with higher ULUEs. Over the 15-year period, ULUEs in all expansion areas increased from 0.065–0.18 to 0.093–0.31. Inequity remained significant in terms of expansion patterns, built-up layers, regions and urban sizes. ULUE increased more quickly in the super-large cities of the central and western regions, whereas it increased more slowly in the northeast and even decreased in expansion built-up area formed during 2005–2010 (EBUA (2005–2010)). Importantly, ULUE decreased in most cities with edge expansion. Based on the findings, we concluded that the urbanization of China was progressing toward sustainability but still had room for improvement, and we suggested that policymakers should pay more attention to the complex, systemic nature of urban development.

Spatiotemporal evolution and determinants of urban land use efficiency under green development orientation: Insights from 284 cities and eight economic zones in China, 2005–2019

Green development is essential for improving urban land use efficiency (ULUE) as it seeks to optimize resource utilization and minimize waste and pollution. However, a long-term evolution of ULUE and its determinants under the context of green development are less discussed in existing studies. Drawing on remote sensing and statistical data and utilizing the super efficiency slack-based model (SBM) and the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model, this study evaluates green development-oriented ULUE and its spatiotemporal associations with determinants across 284 cities and eight economic zones in China from 2005 to 2019. We found that the green development-oriented ULUE in China generally increased in 15 years (from 0.404 to 0.55), with higher levels in coastal and northwestern regions than in central regions. Besides, per capita GDP, investment in technology and science, and degree of openness generally contributed to ULUE (over 75% observations showed positive coefficients), while investment in real estate had a negative impact on ULUE. The impact of industrial structure on ULUE experienced a transition from positive to negative in northern and eastern cities, with the highest coefficient decreasing from 0.194 in 2005 to −0.032 in 2019. Population density contributed to ULUE in southern and northwestern cities during 2005–2010 (coefficients ranging from 0.008 to 0.198), while it negatively influenced ULUE in most cities since 2015 (coefficients ranging from −0.009 to −0.283). The correlation between nighttime light, per capita road, and ULUE showed noticeable south-north differentiation. Our study provides valuable guidelines for Tailor-made strategies of efficient urban management towards sustainable urbanization.

Influential Effect and Mechanism of Digital Finance on Urban Land Use Efficiency in China

With the acceleration of urbanization, the carrying capacity of urban land resources is increasingly being challenged. Thus, urban land use efficiency (ULUE) has been a crucial issue in sustainable development, and digital finance (DF) has been thought to be an effective solution for solving this dilemma. Based on panel data from 283 cities in China spanning from 2011 to 2020, this study first utilized the super-efficiency SBM model to assess ULUE across China. Then, the panel Tobit model was employed to empirically examine the overall impact of DF on ULUE, while the intermediary effect model was utilized to analyze the indirect impact of DF on ULUE. Additionally, the threshold effect model was employed to investigate the non-linear characteristics of the impact of DF on ULUE. The findings indicate that: (1) DF can enhance ULUE, with the dimension of application depth of DF exerting the most significant impact, followed by the dimensions of coverage breadth and digitization degree of DF; (2) DF can boost ULUE by promoting industrial structure upgrading (ISU); (3) the promotional effect of DF on ULUE exhibits regional variations, with a stronger impact observed in the western region and provincial capital cities, but weaker effects noted in the eastern and central regions as well as non-provincial capital cities; (4) with the improvement of economic development and DF, the impact of DF on ULUE exhibits a slightly increasing nonlinear trend. The research findings presented in this paper offer valuable insights for enhancing ULUE in emerging economies.

Assessment of coordinated development between urban land use efficiency and ecological carrying capacity: Case study of the cities in Inner Mongolia

With the rapid economic development, the imbalance between the economy and the environment is evident for Chinese cities. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) between urban land use efficiency (ULUE) and ecological carrying capacity (ECC) represents resource-intensive societies and is a significant tool for assessing sustainable development. Therefore, scientific evaluation of the coordinating relationship between ULUE and ECC is essential for optimizing the quality of urbanization and improving the state of the ecological environment. However, current studies on the CCD of ECC and ULUE lack quantitative assessment of the effect of ECC subsystems on overall CCD and have not yet evaluated the urban development stages. In this paper, taking 12 cities in Inner Mongolia as an example, a framework for CCD evaluation that includes comprehensive index analysis, coupling coordination quantification, coupling type identification, and coordination influence evaluation was created. This paper attempts to clarify the distinctions throughout cities and to propose distinctive development suggestions. The results indicate that the ULUE of Inner Mongolian cities has risen significantly, whereas their ECC levels fluctuate, growing at a slower rate than ULUE. As the level of coordination between the two systems increases, it changes from “basic disorders” to “basic coordination”. In terms of spatial distribution, the CCD in Inner Mongolia has a pattern of “high in the northeast and low in the southwest”. The pressure subsystem primarily performs a reverse blocking role in the CCD between ULUE and ECC, while the rest of the ECC subsystems exhibit different patterns over time. Additionally, the stages of urban development were investigated based on the temporal variations in ECC and ULUE, and several focused suggestions were provided.

Analysis and Evaluation of the Benefits of Rural Land Remediation Planning in China

Compared with land improvement performance evaluation and post evaluation, the essence of the former is to conduct predictive analysis and evaluation of events that have not occurred, while the latter can directly use indicator data that has occurred for analysis. This article conducts corresponding benefit analysis and evaluation of comprehensive land consolidation work through qualitative and quantitative evaluation, closely focusing on the goals and tasks of national land consolidation planning and provincial land use overall planning, and coordinating and arranging projects such as land consolidation, reclamation and development, and urban-rural construction land increase and decrease linkage. By utilizing urban land consolidation models such as old city renovation, we aim to improve the efficiency of urban land use and increase the effective area of urban construction land. In accordance with the requirements of the new rural construction, efforts will be made to strengthen land consolidation, concentrate on promoting land leveling and the construction of farmland water conservancy, field roads, and field protective forests, and effectively promote the scale and industrialization of agriculture; Efforts will be made to promote village renovation and form a new rural pattern with relatively concentrated housing and beautiful environment.

Coupling Coordination and Spatiotemporal Analysis of Urban Compactness and Land-Use Efficiency in Resource-Based Areas: A Case Study of Shanxi Province, China

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have had a range of effects on urban form and land use, especially in resource-based cities. Previous research has predominantly focused on the analysis of urban compactness or land-use efficiency individually, overlooking their interplay. In this study, we propose a coupled and coordinated research framework for urban compactness (UC) and urban land-use efficiency (ULUE). We analyze the UC and ULUE, as well as the degree and types of coupling and coordination (CCD) between them, in 119 counties and districts rich in coal resources within Shanxi Province. The findings reveal a declining trend in UC in Shanxi Province over time, with coal-resource-based cities exhibiting lower compactness than non-coal-resource-based cities. ULUE has shown stable development during the study period. The CCD between UC and ULUE exhibit spatial and urban typological heterogeneity. Further analysis demonstrates that the CCD types mainly manifest as the lagging development of UC. This research provides a foundation for achieving harmonious development between urban spatial structure and land-use structure and offers new perspectives for the sustainable development of resource-based urban regions.

Urban land policy and urban land use efficiency: An analysis based on remote sensing and institutional credibility thesis

Ethiopia has an urban land lease policy in place to facilitate the transfer of land for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. Because of the lease policy, many cities have experienced significant expansion through massive conversion of agricultural land. Although the lease policy has been in place for nearly three decades, little is known about its effectiveness in promoting sustainable urban land use. This paper examines the effects of the lease policies on urban land use efficiency (ULUE). Building on the institutional credibility thesis, this paper investigated the performance of land institutions using the urban land use efficiency approach. Remote sensing data was used to investigate urban land use efficiency through spatiotemporal analysis of land use change. Analysis of satellite imagery was performed using ArcGIS. Moreover, quantitative and qualitative data from secondary sources were studied. The study findings show that in almost all study areas, urban land use efficiency is low, which is mainly reflected in the forms of land hoarding, land banking, illegal land grabbing, informal settlement, land use fragmentation and urban sprawl. A significant portion of the land transferred for various urban uses has remained vacant or underutilised for years, in direct violation of the provisions of the lease policy. This means that the lease policy has hardly been enforced to ensure efficient urban land utilization. This demonstrates the ineffectiveness (dysfunctionality) of the existing land institutions. It is concluded that some elements of the lease policy have evolved into an empty institution, i.e., a symbolic institutional arrangement that is largely ignored by socioeconomic and political actors.

Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Driving Mechanism of Urban Land Use Efficiency Based on T-DEA Model: A Case Study of Anhui Province, China

As China’s urbanization has shifted from high-speed to high-quality development, Urban Land Use Efficiency (ULUE) has become an important scale for evaluating urban connotative development. However, existing research has paid less attention to errors caused by different urban environmental factors and random disturbances in ULUE. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to eliminate the impact of environmental factors and random disturbances on ULUE measurement results by placing different cities under the same environmental conditions. First, a three-stage DEA envelopment analysis (T-DEA) model is introduced to calculate the ULUE of 16 prefecture-level cities in Anhui Province from 2001 to 2020. On this basis, the kernel density estimation model, gravity center model, and geographic detector models are used to study the spatial and temporal evolution and driving factors. The results show that (1) the ULUE increases nonlinearly with time, with an increase of 12.74%; (2) the overall peak of ULUE is on the rise, and changes from a single peak to a multi-peak, indicating that ULUE is constantly improving and that there is multi-level differentiation between different cities; (3) during the study period, the center of gravity of the ULUE value moved 22.66 km to the northwest; the overall moving distance was small, and the moving rate was slow; and (4) the influence of the interaction of double driving factors on ULUE is significantly greater than that of a single driving factor, and the factors of urban built-up area and degree of openness, as the key driving factors affecting ULUE, also have a degree of duality. In addition, to achieve efficient urban land use and to coordinate the environmental differences faced by different cities, the government must formulate systematic policies and development strategies considering the spatial characteristics of urban land use efficiency and the complexity of the driving factors.