Greenland Research Articles

The Impact of Innovative City Pilot Policy on Urban Land Green Use Efficiency: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from China

China’s rapid urbanization has spurred significant economic growth, but it has also given rise to challenges such as urban sprawl, ecological degradation, and inefficient land use—issues that impede progress toward green and sustainable development. Land is the spatial foundation for green development, and promoting its green utilization is essential for advancing the high-quality development of urban spaces. As a concrete implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy, the National Innovative City Pilot Policy (NICPP) serves as a crucial driver in fostering high-quality development. In this context, the NICPP and green land use can be seen as two complementary components of achieving high-quality development. This study uses panel data from 266 cities across China and applies a difference-in-differences (DID) model to evaluate the effect of the NICPP on urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE), exploring the underlying mechanisms through the lenses of industrial structure and technological innovation. The results indicate that the NICPP significantly and robustly enhances ULGUE. The effect varies geographically and by city type, with the most pronounced benefits observed in eastern cities, non-resource-based cities, and non-old industrial base cities. Additionally, the NICPP contributes to improved comprehensive output benefits during land use activities and reduced pollutant emissions by optimizing industrial structures and enhancing technological innovation capacity, thereby promoting ULGUE. Therefore, in the future, the focus should be on integrating innovation with strategic policies. These findings carry profound implications for urban development in China and provide important lessons for promoting sustainable urban growth on a global scale.

Colonial Reproductive Coercion and Control in Kalaallit Nunaat: Racism in Denmark’s IUD Program

ABSTRACT In 1967, Denmark launched an intrauterine device (IUD) program in Kalaallit Nunaat targeting Kalaallit girls and women for reproductive control under the banner of “family planning”. Soon, thousands of Kalaallit women and girls had been subjected to IUD insertions, many of them without consent. In this article, we examine the colonial reproductive coercion and control of this IUD program. First, we situate this program in the centuries-long Danish racialization of Kalaallit through colonization and race science, in the history of the Danish welfare state, and in the Neo-Malthusian fear of “global overpopulation”. Then, we read along the Danish colonial archive’s grain and examine news media articles regarding family planning in the 1960s. Here, we demonstrate the discursive emergence of a reductive, racialized, and gendered figure ‘Grønlænderinden’ who ranks lower than the Danish woman in the racial hierarchy. Consequently, we argue that any analysis of the Danish family planning scheme and the IUD program must take the Danish colonial logic’s production of racialized gender into account. We conclude that the IUD program in Kalaallit Nunaat has led to “the loss of a generation of children” and that it should be examined under the auspices of genocide.

The Potential of Low-Tech Tools and Artificial Intelligence for Monitoring Blue Carbon in Greenland’s Deep Sea

Arctic environments are changing rapidly. To assess climate change impacts and guide conservation, there is a need to effectively monitor areas of high biodiversity that are difficult to access, such as the deep sea. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat), like many remote countries with large deep-sea exclusive economic zones (EEZs), lacks consistent access to the funding and logistics required to maintain advanced and expensive technologies for seafloor exploration. To fill this need, video and camera imaging technologies have been adapted to suit the unique requirements of Arctic environments and the social and economic needs of Greenland. Since 2015, a benthic monitoring program carried out by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) has provided the only large-scale, comprehensive survey in this region, including collection and analysis of photos and GoPro video footage recorded as deep as 1,600 m (Blicher, and Arboe, 2021). In line with the “collect once, use many times” principle, GINR is exploring the versatility of these data, which were originally designated for monitoring and evidence-based management. A potential research avenue for these data is polar blue carbon—the carbon stored and sequestered in ocean habitats—including benthic communities that either live on the seafloor (such as corals and sponges) or are transported there by ocean currents (such as algal detritus). This paper outlines Greenland’s affordable deep-sea technology, based on a towed camera system (Yesson, 2023), and its potential application to rapid, standardized artificial intelligence (AI)-based analysis.

Carbon Neutrality Benefit by Developing Underground Space and Overlying Green Land: Calculation Methodology and Case Study

The advancement of ecological civilization has heightened the urgency for urban emission reductions. Currently, there is a significant gap in the quantitative assessment of the carbon neutrality benefit of developing underground space and overlaying urban green land. To address this, this study presents a carbon neutrality benefit assessment model based on building lifecycle theory. The model quantifies the carbon emissions of typical public buildings utilizing aboveground/underground space and assesses the carbon sink impacts of green lands. Notably, it introduces the innovative parameter of characteristic time to evaluate how the comprehensive development of underground space and aboveground urban green land contributes to achieving carbon neutrality. Case analysis of a typical shopping mall in northern China revealed that, in comparison to aboveground buildings, underground buildings exhibit higher energy consumption for construction and lighting; however, they demonstrate superior thermal performance, providing warmth in winter and coolness in summer. Furthermore, urban green spaces of equivalent building area can sequester a portion of the carbon emissions produced by underground buildings, resulting in a lower overall carbon emission profile for the underground space system throughout its lifecycle compared to that of the aboveground space system. Consequently, the development of underground spaces plays a crucial role in advancing carbon neutral objectives. The study also emphasizes the importance of selecting plant communities with enhanced carbon sequestration capacities and developing corresponding green spaces to better meet carbon neutrality objectives. This research offers a novel perspective for evaluating the carbon neutrality benefits of underground space systems, providing valuable design guidance for integrating urban underground and aboveground spaces.

Distribution of microplastics in the soils of a petrochemical industrial region in China: Ecological and Human Health Risks.

Although microplastic pollution is a global concern, information on the distribution of microplastics in petroleum and petrochemical urban soils is limited. In this study, we investigated the occurrence, ecological risk, and human exposure risk of microplastics in different land-use types of soil in Daqing Administrative region, a prominent petroleum and petrochemical industrial base in China. Stereoscopic microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR) were used to study the chemical composition and distribution characteristics of microplastics. We found that the abundance of microplastics in Daqing soil ranged from 714 to 11,122 items/kg, with the highest value in educational land and the lowest in parks and green land. The dominant particle size of microplastics was < 1mm (65.7%), and the shape was mainly fiber (55.1%), with white (28.9%) and black (25.6%) as the predominant colors. The most common polymer types were rayon, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Using the potential ecological risk index (RI) and polymeric risk index (H), we found that all land-use types, except woodland (Level I), were classified into Level V of ecological risk, with the highest risk in industrial land (RI = 14,959.85, H = 588.31). The daily exposure of infants to microplastics was much higher than that of adults. These findings provide valuable data for the pollution and potential risk assessment of microplastics in urban and rural environments, suggesting the importance of taking action to minimize its harmful effects on ecological and human health. In order to control the pollution caused by microplastics, we suggest that people should reduce the unnecessary use of single-use plastic items, such as water bottles, plastic shopping bags, straws, etc. In addition, the government needs to strengthen rubbish collection to prevent plastic waste from leaking into the environment during the period from the rubbish bins to the landfills, and to build recycling systems to increase the recycling rate.

Planting design for urban overpasses based on atmospheric particulate matter retention in Changsha

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) emission from overpasses is serious. To optimize the solution of planting design in the overpass, it is essential to understand the plant’s ability to capture PM. In this study, leaf samples were collected from 11 plant species commonly existing in five overpass greening areas in Changsha, China. The PM retention per unit leaf area (M leaf), PM retention on a unit greening land (M land), and leaf surface microstructure were measured and analyzed. Results showed that the M leaf of Ophiopogon japonicus (1.59 g/m2) exhibited the highest value, and that of Nandina domestica (0.23 g/m2) was the lowest value. The M land of O. japonicus, Fatsia japonica, and Magnolia grandiflora was the highest based on the leaf area index. Leaves with wide gullies and cuticular wax significantly affected the PM retention ability of plants. Plant height played an important role in the PM retention ability in the overpass. Multilayered canopy structures such as arbor–shrub–herb had great potential for PM retention in overpasses. Based on the results, a PM retention design scheme of overpass greening space was proposed. This study provided an optimal solution for providing critical insights and guidance for developing effective PM reduction strategies in urban overpass environments.

Evaluating Green Gentrification in London

In this paper, we discuss the green land in the cities as a potential solution to the greenhouse effect. By discussion on this important issue, the governments are able to understand the relationship between societies and green land, thus improving urban development. Therefore, the government is able to have a better plan of urban green land, and promote social equality.

Quantitative study on the relationship between land use and land cover and diatom community in urban streams.

The study of the impact of urbanization on river ecosystems is an important part of constructing sustainable cities. How to quantitatively study the impact of urbanization on river ecosystems is the difficulty of urban ecological research. This study quantitatively investigated the effects of LULC on water quality and diatom assemblages in urban streams by correlation analysis, multivariate analysis, and path analysis. The results showed that (1) the percentage of LULC type in buffer 600m of reference stream sites is significantly different from that of urban stream sites. In reference sites, the average percentage of green was 94.2%, barren 3.3%, and impervious surface 2.5%. In urban upstream sites, the average percentage of impervious surface was 63.1%, green 32.8%, water 3.3%, and barren 0.8%. In urban downstream, the average percentage of impervious surface was 59.0%, green 36.5%, water 2.7%, and barren 1.8%. (2) One-way analysis results showed that water quality variables were significantly differences among the sites. The correlation analysis results indicated that LULC had a significant influence on water quality. Green had a significant negative correlation with high concentrations of NO3-N, NH4-N, and Cond. but positively correlated with MSUBST. RDA results showed that the selected water quality variables, MSUBST, and LULC types have a significant impact on the spatial patterns of the diatom assemblages. (3) Path analysis results showed that both LULC types and water quality variables exerted significant effects on diatom assemblages. This study first clarifies the quantitative relationships among LULC types, water quality, and diatom assemblages in the Beijing area. And green land was positively correlated with water quality and river ecosystems. We believed that increasing green space in urban core areas is an effective measure for improving water quality and restoring river ecosystems in the urban area.

Assessing and Optimizing the Connectivity of the Outdoor Green Recreation Network in Zhengzhou from the Perspective of Green Travel

With the increasing demand for outdoor recreation and fitness, this study aims to assess the connectivity of the outdoor green recreation (OGR) network from the perspective of green travel and propose optimization framework. The Point of Interest (POI) and Area of Interest (AOI) datasets of OGR spots in Zhengzhou were utilized as the primary research materials. A combination of GIS spatial analysis and Graph index calculation is employed to quantify and diagnose the connectivity of the OGR network based on multi-source data (land cover, topography, and road network). The index system for cost surface establishment was improved and proposed, shifting its focus from previous biological migration and ecological network to human green travel and improving the connectivity of the OGR network. The technical optimization process of the OGR network is explored and presented. The results show that: (1) The scale, number, and distribution of OGR spots and the connectivity of the OGR network are significantly different in urban and rural areas. Numerous small-scale OGR spots and short-distance recreational paths are distributed in urban areas, while a limited number of large-scale OGR spots and long-distance recreational paths are situated in rural areas with better natural resources. (2) Compared with driving travel, the connectivity of the OGR network is poor when walking and cycling. Graph indexes of Dg, BC, and dPC can be used to reflect the connection capability, bridging role, and contribution of each spot to overall network connectivity. (3) The current OGR network is optimized through 30 new spots based on the perspective of green travel and land suitability analysis. The network connectivity will improve by 4%, and the number of recreational paths suitable for green travel increased by 41. (4) The methodologies for quantifying and optimizing OGR network connectivity from the perspective of green travel will offer valuable references for future research in this field.

The Old Norse Toponym Grænland and its Tie to the Trade in Walrus Ivory

Abstract The implausible medieval toponym Grænland ‘Greenland’ is traced to the walrus hunting station in the Disko Bay region of northwestern Greenland and to the dominant island proto-industry, tusk extraction and trade in ivory. Language substitution and related processes take a notional *tannland ‘tusk land’ (perhaps tabooed) through *granland ‘whisker land’ (a second dominant cranial feature of the animal) to grænland, variously ‘fresh, new land’, ‘land of hope’, and, lastly, ‘green land’. Norse trade as far as to central Asia in ivory and other luxury goods such as North American hardwoods is also reviewed.

Environmental sustainability in the prophetic Sunnah

The purpose of this article is to explore the position of the Prophetic Sunnah on sustaining the green environment, encouraging its preservation, and preventing any tampering or vandalism. The article highlights the Sunnah's emphasis on environmental care by underscoring its instructions regarding the sustainability of natural greenery. This study examines the Prophet’s teachings and directives that urge environmental sustainability by promoting planting and cautioning against actions that harm nature, such as cutting down trees or damaging green spaces. It emphasizes that environmental conservation is an integral yet often overlooked part of the Sunnah. Key findings include that the preservation, enhancement, and careful treatment of the environment and its resources are core values in the Sunnah. The Sunnah explicitly discourages the destruction of trees and green land, even in the most challenging times and conditions, and declares any distortion or damage to the green environment as a transgression in Islamic law. The article concludes with several recommendations, foremost among them being the development of a university-level environmental education program aimed at raising awareness, protecting the environment, and preventing its degradation.

A new helcionelloid mollusc from the Cambrian of Green land and Idaho (Laurentia)

Ressericonella gen. nov., a new genus of helcionelloid mollusc, characterized by a narrow shell with a shallowly convex dorsal surface and flat to shallowly concave lateral areas, is described from the Cambrian of Greenland and Idaho. The type species is Helcionella aequa Resser, 1939 from the Langston Formation (Naomi Peak Limestone Member) of early middle Cambrian age (Miaolingian Series, Wuliuan Stage, Albertella Biozone). Ressericonella pipalukae gen. et sp. nov. occurs in the latest early Cambrian (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4, Bonnia–Pagetides elegans Biozone) of southern Freuchen Land, North Greenland. Silicified specimens of Ressericonella pipalukae from North Greenland preserve two-layered shell structure in which an inner layer with a transverse fibrous pattern similar to lamello-fibrillar structure is overlain by an outer layer with fine threads radiating from the apex.

Diversity of eukaryote plankton and phycotoxins along the West Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) coast

The West Kallaallit Nunaat (Greenland) coast, characterized by a variety of fjords, bays, and channels influenced by glacier melting and Atlantic and Arctic waters, is one of the most affected ecosystems by climate change. Here, we combine oceanography, optics, microscopy, high throughput sequencing, microalgal strain establishments, and state-of-the-art analytical methods to fully characterize the diversity, community composition, and toxin repertoire of the eukaryotic plankton members of the coast of the West Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). Results indicate that the West Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) coast is a complex and oceanographically challenging system, where the superimposition of water masses of different origins, the penetration of light and its repercussions, generate mainly vertical, rather than horizontal heterogeneity in nutrient concentration and plankton biomass. Nevertheless, our molecular data reveal a strong homogeneity and a high diversity in the plankton community along the Greenland coast. We confirmed the presence of five phycotoxin groups: domoic acid and paralytic shellfish toxins were most abundant along the transect from Qeqertarsuup Tunua (Disko Bay) to the northern Baffin Bay, while spirolides, yessotoxins and pectenotoxins were predominant in Nuup Kangerlua (GodthaabFjord) and Qeqertarsuup Tunua (Disko Bay). Concentrations of these phycotoxins correlate differently to temperature, salinity and nutrients, reflecting the ecological differences of their producers. Patterns of paralytic shellfish and spirolide toxins suggest the presence of genetically distinct populations of Alexandrium along the Western Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). Phytoplankton strains isolated during this oceanographic campaign resemble, in most cases, the toxin profiles of the respective field stations. Overall, this work shows the diversity and community composition of the plankton at the Western Kalaallit Nunaat coast and reveals a distinct spatial distribution of phycotoxins, with certain toxin groups restricted to specific areas.

An assessment of how street view imagery and remote-sensing data of green and blue spaces can explain variations in housing prices: a case study in Suzhou, China

ABSTRACT Urban blue and green spaces have significant influences on housing prices. In this study, we employed three data sources of blue and green space data sources (street view images, remote-sensing indicators, and land use data) and compared the variations of the three data sources of data in housing prices in Suzhou, China. The Spearman correlation showed street view data and remote sensing data reflect different perspectives of blue and green spaces. In terms of green spaces, street view greenery demonstrated the highest explanatory power for housing prices. This finding suggests that residents favour street greenery than Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and green space land use data. Regarding blue spaces, Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) exhibited the highest explanatory power for housing prices. This can be attributed to the fact that NDWI effectively captures water bodies around residential areas. The findings of this study have significant implications for urban planning and real estate development.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Class III Peroxidase Gene Family in Physcomitrium patens and a Search for Clues to Ancient Class III Peroxidase Functions

Plant class III peroxidases (PRXs) catalyze generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidation of various compounds including lignin precursors. PRXs function in cell wall metabolism, defense, and stress responses. However, gene redundancy and catalytic versatility have impeded detailed functional characterization of PRX genes. The genome of the model moss Physcomitrium patens harbors a relatively small number (49) of PRX genes. Conserved architecture of four exons and three ‘001’ introns, found in some algal PRX genes and in the PpPRX family, suggests that this architecture predated divergence of the green algal and land plant lineages. The PpPRX family expanded mainly through whole-genome duplications. All duplicated pairs but one were under purifying selection and generally exhibited similar expression profiles. An expanded phylogenetic tree revealed a conserved land plant-wide clade that contained PRXs implicated in stress responses in non-lignifying cells, providing a clue to ancient functions of land plant PRXs. Functional clustering was not observed, suggesting convergent evolution of specific PRX functions (e.g., lignification) in different plant lineages. With its small complement of PRXs, P. patens may be useful for functional characterization of land plant PRXs. Several PpPRXs were proposed for further study, including PpPRX34 and PpPRX39 in the ancient land plant-wide clade.

Analysis and prediction of land surface temperature with increasing urbanisation using satellite imagery

The unplanned growth of urbanization in towns and cities has led to variations in Land Surface Temperature (LST) as the green lands are converted into impervious structures without land cover management. In this study, an effort is made to study the transformational change in natural land cover area over the years and its impact on LST in Ernakulum District of Kerala, India. As per the current statistics from one of the reports on “Observed Rainfall Variability and Changes Over Kerala State”, by Indian Metrological Department in January 2020 shows that there is a significant decreasing trend in rainy days in many districts of Kerala which has resulted in highest temperature records in recent years. To understand the change in temperature trends in the district, Landsat data is collected for four different years 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 that maps Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) pattern for vegetation cover and built-up areas. It is important to interpret LULC maps as converting the vegetative land in built-up areas leads to multiple reflecting surfaces and temperature trapping which serves as the most direct way to understand the influence of global warming. The major merit of this research is (i) to interpret the temporal changes in LULC for categorizing the images in different land covers, (ii) to analyze Urban Thermal Field Variance Index (UTFVI) to quantify the urban heat island (UHI) effect in the region, (iii) to assess change in temperature by analyzing the spatio-temporal variations in mean temperatures for different land cover classes, and (iv) to analyze the trend of LST wrt to vegetation spectral index i.e., Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) and spectral building index i.e., Normalized Difference Building Index (NDBI) to predict the percentage change in temperature in successive years using the widely used regression model. The computational simulation findings show that the percentage area of vegetated land decreases from 47.91 % to 29.04 % and the LST change analysis observed for years from 2005 to 2020 is 2.55 °C. For built up land, the percentage area is increased from 6.50 % to 15.27 % and the change in LST observed from year 2005–2020 is 4.82 °C which is a significant rise in temperature. The overall accuracy achieved for four respective years comes out to be 93, 89, 90, and 92 %. It has been observed from the analysis, that there is a change in temperature over the period of time from 2005 to 2020 b 3.45 °C. This is due to unplanned use of land cover classes that show considerable change in LULC maps that can be seen in the simulated results for a given study area. If the rate of change in area appeared to constantly change in this manner, then there is a possibility of further increase in land surface temperature and that will contribute in increase of temperature. The rise in mean LST from year 2020–2025 would be 0.5 °C and 1.0 °C for year 2030.

Evaluation Zero Runoff Concept in High-Rise Buildings

The increasing need for land in urban areas has led to a reduction in green open spaces, limiting water infiltration and increasing surface runoff. Office areas in South Jakarta currently under construction exacerbate these issues due to limited green land. This study evaluates the application of the zero runoff concept by analyzing two key aspects: surface runoff and building wall contributions. Hydrological simulations were conducted to assess planned flood conditions at outlets before and after the construction of tall buildings (offices), with water management strategies involving infiltration wells, infiltration ponds, rainwater reservoirs, and detention reservoirs. Two scenarios were analyzed: the first based on the 95th percentile rainfall volume and the second on flood contribution volumes. Each scenario considered three water runoff management systems: normal outlets, orifice outlets, and pump-assisted drainage. The results show that under the 95th percentile volume, the zero runoff concept is achievable with a capacity exceeding 100% for both scenarios. However, when accounting for flood contributions, only surface runoff with normal outlet conditions meets the zero runoff criteria, achieving a capacity of 112%. Simulations using three models: 1A, 2A, and 3A, demonstrate that pre-construction conditions, characterized by green open spaces with dense vegetation, significantly influence runoff management. These findings emphasize the importance of eco-drainage strategies, such as infiltration wells and retention ponds, in mitigating urban runoff and achieving sustainable water management in high-density areas.

A cross-scale indicator framework for the study of annual stability of land surface temperature in different land uses

Urban Land Surface Temperature (LST) is crucial in surface urban heat island (SUHI) and microclimate studies. Currently, research has focused on seasonal LST differences across land uses, but annual LST fluctuations (ΔLST) within the same land use and their drivers remain underexplored. To explore the impact of land characteristics and urban elements on seasonal LST differences, we propose annual LST stability. We constructed a new indicator framework based on Land Use and Land Cover (LULC), supplemented by Land Morphology (LM) and Land Properties (LP), for cross-scale ΔLST research. We identified land use ratios and key characteristics of urban plots with high stability. The results show an interactive effect of the green land ratio to other land on ΔLST. For residential and office land, the green space ratio (GSR) is key to annual LST stability. Residential land needs a GSR of more than 24 %. The floor area ratio (FAR) for residential and office land has a significant nonlinear effect on annual LST stability, with FARs of 1.8 for residential land and 1.5 for office land being most detrimental to the LST stability. For practical implications, we conducted cluster analyses on residential, office, and green lands, providing strategies to improve stability. These conclusions help balance land economic benefits with urban climate resilience and guide urban planning and design to address the challenges of heat and cold waves.

Optimal Layout of Urban Green Space System Based on the Coupling Model of Spatial Reconstruction

In the layout of urban planning, the rational design of green land includes the optimal choice of landscape and vegetation, which needs to solve the conflict of local/global optimal solution and understand the rationality of urban green layout with multi-objective natural language. According to the demand for multi-objective optimal solutions in urban green land planning, we study the target deep learning algorithm based on space vector mutation operation. In this paper, we propose to search for a local optimal solution based on Diversity Indicator Double and Niched Local Search Evolutionary Algorithm diversity fitness and filter the information of objective space and decision space through the niche method. It intends to avoid the imbalance between the diversity of goal space and decision space caused by the wrong distance information. By improving genetic diversity, we take the complex changes of gene vector reaction in generating offspring as the research focus. Based on the improvement of multi-objective non-dominated genetic variation, we search for the optimal transfer function relationship in the primary stage of variation to achieve the goal. For high-dimensional planning with constraints, we first select the coupling model to reduce the dimension, and then combine the spatial reconstruction data clustering to complete the clustering. Priority is given to the optimal selection of the output of the non-dominated solution set obtained in each stage to improve the algorithm’s performance. Experiments show that the proposed algorithm, combined with the use of different mutation strategies, outperforms the current mainstream algorithms in solving multi-objective problems of natural language understanding, especially in solving complex relational problems, which is 10.2% and 15.6% higher than other algorithms. The frequency of parameter operation can be updated in real-time, which strengthens the convergence effect of the algorithm. It is proved that the research content of this paper has better application potential in multi-objective spatial decision-making. The research content of this paper can not only achieve intelligent layout optimization for urban green space system but also carry out reasoning for large-scale spatial layout. The effect is higher than the current mainstream algorithm and plays a role in promoting science and technology for future urban construction and long-term planning.

Analyzing the spatial scale effects of urban elements on urban flooding based on multiscale geographically weighted regression

In the context of rapid urbanization and the frequent occurrence of extreme rainfall in cities, the risk of flooding in the future will further increase, and the problem of urban flooding cannot be ignored. Urban elements exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity, which largely determines the spatial distribution differences in urban flooding. Therefore, it is important to clarify the scale of influence of different urban elements and explore their scale effects on urban flooding to accurately assess the risk of urban flooding. Taking Zhengzhou City, China, as the study area, this study analyzed the urban elements associated with urban flooding, quantified the scale of the influence of urban elements on flooding using multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR), and further explored the spatial scale effects of urban elements on urban flooding. The results showed that MGWR can better fit the spatially non-uniform distribution of urban flooding and that the scale of the influence of urban elements on urban flooding can be reflected by the bandwidth of MGWR. The results of MGWR indicated that the bandwidths of elevation, number of drainage outfalls (NDO11Abbreviations: RRP, Rainfall return period; DDR, Distance to river; NDO, Number of drainage outfalls; ILMFCP, Input level of materials for flood control projects; PRL, Proportion of residential land; PCL, Proportion of commercial land; PIL, Proportion of industrial land; PPSL, Proportion of public service land; PRA, Proportion of road area; PGL, Proportion of green land; PD, Population density; MI, Manpower input; GDP, Gross domestic product; ILER, Investment level in education and research.), distance to river (DR), Gross domestic product (GDP), proportion of residential land (PRL), and proportion of commercial land (PCL) were small, and their influence scales were localized. In contrast, the influence of rainfall return period (RRP), slope, proportion of industrial land (PIL), proportion of public service land (PPSL), proportion of road area (PRA), proportion of green land (PGL), input level of materials for flood control projects (ILMFCP), population density (PD), manpower input (MI), and investment level in education and research (ILER) were at global scales. The most influential factors for urban flooding were RRP, PD, and MI. Slope, DR, and PRA had less influence on urban flooding. This study helps improve the effectiveness of urban flood prevention and mitigation efforts.