Rapid Urban Development Research Articles

Multi-Temporal Analysis of Urban Heat Island Phenomenon Distribution in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (2018-2022) Using ArcGIS Story Map

Abstract Rapid urban development in the Special Region of Yogyakarta over the last 5 years has resulted in significant temperature variations, impacting urban areas. The study, presented through a Story Map, focuses on the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, showcasing temperature changes from 2018 to 2022. Despite a general decline of around 1°C during this period, the year 2022 witnessed a notable 4°C increase in urban temperatures. The dynamics of urbanization, coupled with land use alterations, contribute to the fluctuating surface temperatures. The Story Map serves as a comprehensive medium, incorporating multimedia elements to effectively communicate these variations, the contributing factors, and potential mitigation strategies. The Special Region of Yogyakarta’s urbanization has led to a transformation of its design into a metropolitan area, resulting in increased land conversion and demand for residential purposes. The UHI phenomenon is influenced by factors such as changes in land use, building materials, and human activities. The narrative map provides detailed insights into the temperature changes, emphasizing the significance of addressing UHI in regional and spatial planning. It highlights practical measures like tree planting initiatives and sustainable development planning to mitigate the impact of elevated temperatures. The Story Map, designed to be accessible to a broad audience, serves as a valuable reference for government and planning agencies, encouraging informed decision-making to address the challenges associated with urban climate phenomena in the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

Multi-Scale Urban Natural Ventilation Climate Guidance: A Case Study in the Shijiazhuang Metropolitan Area

The rapid development of urbanization has caused obstructed urban natural ventilation and the contribution rate of urbanization is relatively high. Therefore, there is an urgent need for urban development planning that should respect natural ventilation and local climate to reduce negative impacts. By optimizing the urban construction layout to reduce obstruction and leave a passageway for wind to blow in, the natural ventilation environment could be improved. This paper presents a promising approach for natural ventilation planning at both the city and community scales. Based on the assessment of wind environment, heat island intensity, and ventilation potential, the results revealed that winds blowing from the western and northern mountainous area of Shijiazhuang play a natural ventilation inlet role which can provide clean air. The SSHI and SHI were mainly distributed within the Second Ring Road, which has a large proportion of the low ventilation potential level. Thus, six first-class ventilation corridors and thirteen secondary corridors were recommended, which were set to be adapted to the dominant wind direction. Subsequently, an urban climate analysis map (UCAnMap) was developed considering climate sensitivity, and planning recommendations were provided for different climate zones. The relationship between architectural spatial structure and ventilation efficiency was analyzed; the results revealed that increasing the height of the buildings will decrease the proportion of comfortable wind zones, and the overall ventilation efficiency will weaken, so the average building height of a typical block should be controlled within 45 m, which matches ventilation performance requirements. The ventilation efficiency of the block has a certain negative correlation with the building density, and as the building density decreased by more than 10%, the proportion of the comfortable wind zones could increase by 4–5%.

Spatial–Temporal Variations of the Gross Ecosystem Product under the Influence of the Spatial Spillover Effect of Urbanization and Ecological Construction in the Yangtze River Delta Region of China

Rapid development of urbanization and intense human activities had a profound influence on the ecosystem service functions. As an integrated monetary index for the evaluation of final ecosystem services, the gross ecosystem product (GEP) is widely used in the quantification of ecosystem service value (ESV). This study initially assessed and analyzed the spatial distribution of the GEP at the county-level scale using multisource data spanning 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. Then, the spatial transfer characteristics of the GEP were measured. Finally, the study employed spatial panel econometric models and the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to investigate the spatial effect of urbanization and ecological construction on the GEP. The results indicated that: (1) In 2020, the GEP in the Yangtze River Delta Region was RMB 15.24 trillion, and the GEP per unit area was RMB 42.58 million per square kilometer. It exhibited a cumulative decrease of RMB 298.72 billion from 2000 to 2020. (2) The spatial transfer efficiency of the GEP in urban agglomerations showed a clear decline trend. During the period of 2000–2020, over 96% of county-level units exhibited a decline with RMB 90,076,103.17/km2, indicating a consistent downward trend from the central regions towards the periphery. (3) Based on the decomposition effects of the spatial Durbin mode, urbanization and the ecological construction indicator showed spatial spillover effects on the GEP, but their impact mechanisms varied substantially. Among them, the urbanization rate (UR), population density (PD), and the proportion of impervious land (ILP) had the largest negative effect on the GEP, and a 1% rise in ILP locally resulted in a 0.044% decline in the local GEP and a 0.078% rise in the GEP of neighboring units. And the area of ecological land had a positive effect on the GEP of both local and neighboring areas. Those conclusions can offer evidence in favor of encouraging ecologically responsible building practices and sustainable growth in urban agglomerations.

Coupling coordination of urbanization with ecological environment and influencing factors in Loess Plateau of China.

The ecological damage caused by the accelerated urbanization process has continued to endanger the sustainable development of the Loess Plateau region, and the conflict between economic development and environmental protection has become increasingly critical. It is meaningful to explore the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between urbanization (UZ) and the ecological environment (EE) in the Loess Plateau and the mechanism of its influence to eliminate the locking of the rapid urbanization development paths in ecologically fragile regions, using panel data of 39 cities in the Loess Plateau region from 2010 to 2020. The empirical results have found that the level of UZ shows a fluctuating upward trend while the level of EE fluctuates and decreases. The synthesis CCD is at a barely coordinated level with an apparent upward trend, and the spatial characteristics are represented by "central depression," with low levels in the neighboring cities and high levels in the provincial capital cities. Regarding the driving factors, residents' living, industrial structure, and openness have a favorable impact on CCD, while enhancing the government's regulatory capacity has a negative blocking effect. These findings provide novel insights into the Loess Plateau's regional sustainable development.

Sensitivity Analysis and GIS Tools for Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment. (Application in the Middle Chellif Plain, Algeria)

Contamination due to rapid urban development, industrialization, and agricultural sources is increasingly threatening the groundwater resources of the plioquaternary phreatic aquifer of the Middle Western Cheliff. An intrinsic vulnerability assessment was carried out based on the DRASTIC method on parameters involved in the vertical transfer of pollution from the soil surface. The vulnerability maps obtained showed a high extension of areas of medium vulnerability (54%). On the other hand, areas of low vulnerability occupied about 36%. The high and very high vulnerability was mainly related to low water depth values (8% and 2%, respectively). The results of a sensitivity analysis using the two tests—the single parameter sensitivity analysis and the map removal sensitivity analysis—show that every parameter is, without fail, required for the computation of the vulnerability index. The validation of the vulnerability map produced by the DRASTIC method confirmed the evolution of this sensitivity which decreases towards the S.W. of the plain with nitrate concentrations between 30 and 120 mg/L. Planners can use the produced risk maps as tools to make a preliminary choice of priority locations for various forms of environmental sustainability.

Freshwater water quality criteria for phthalate esters and recommendations for the revision of the water quality standards

With increasing urbanization and rapid industrialization, more and more environmental problems have arisen. Phthalates (PAEs) are the foremost and most widespread plasticizers and are readily emitted from these manufactured products into the environment. PAEs act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and can have serious impacts on aquatic organisms as well as human health. In this study, the water quality criteria (WQC) of five PAEs (dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)) for freshwater aquatic organisms were developed using a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) and a toxicity percentage ranking (TPR) approach. The results showed that long-term water quality criteria (LWQC) of PAEs using the SSD method could be 13.7, 11.1, 2.8, 7.8, and 0.53 μg/L, respectively. Criteria continuous concentrations (CCC) of PAEs were derived using the TPR method and determined to be 28.4, 13.1, 1.3, 2.5, and 1.6 μg/L, respectively. The five PAEs are commonly measured in China surface waters at concentrations between ng/L and μg/L. DBP, DEHP, and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) were the most frequently detected PAEs, with occurrence rates ranging from 67% to 100%. The ecological risk assessment results of PAEs showed a decreasing order of risk at the national level, DEHP, DBP, DMP, DEP, DnOP. The results of this study will be of great benefit to China and other countries in revising water quality standards for the conservation of aquatic species.

Spatial-temporal evolution of driving mechanisms of city resilience: A Sichuan-based case study

The rapid development of urbanization has brought a series of challenges to cities, including a shortage of resources, environmental pollution, social inequality and escalating disaster risks. Cities, especially those in underdeveloped regions, are more vulnerable because they face multiple challenges and pressures. Thus, in developing countries, and in particular in China’s western region, which has experienced more intense urbanization, the implementation of city resilience is especially crucial. Representative of China’s western region, Sichuan Province, was the first province to issue an outline of local practice planning, styled "Beautiful China Construction." Sichuan is thus a pioneering venture in China’s effort to develop city resilience. Presently, however, existing literature on resilience governance has targeted developed regions, which is of limited application in developing countries and regions. Therefore, this study adopts a multi-dimensional and multi-method research design, aimed at bringing to light the key dimensions of city resilience, and analyzing the degree to which these align with China’s “Beautiful Sichuan Policy.” The results reveal that: (1) During the period from 2015 to 2021, city resilience showed an obvious upward trend, stability has been enhanced, relative variability has decreased, there is a radiation effect among cities, and a right-skewed uneven distribution is observed. (2) The spatial distribution of city resilience is unbalanced, with Chengdu and Panzhihua experiencing a relatively high level of resilience, while other areas remain relatively low. (3) City resilience is influenced by many interacting factors. Economic recovery ability, the level of urban development, policies and institutions, and infrastructure development have different degrees of positive impacts. However, sewage discharge levels have different effects on city resilience over time. These research results provide important theoretical support and policy references regarding city resilience construction practice and city resilience research.

Sponge City Development from the Perspective of Sustainability: A Case Study of China

Traditional urban construction methods often result in the inability of rainwater to penetrate and store effectively, increasing the risk of urban flooding disasters. At the same time, due to the rapid development of urbanization, the problem of water shortage has become increasingly prominent. The sponge city policy aims to transform the urban construction mode, make full use of natural resources and ecological means, realize the natural accumulation, infiltration and purification of rainwater, and improve the city's absorption, storage and release capacity of rainwater, so as to reduce urban flood disasters and alleviate the shortage of water resources. This paper takes China as an example to explore the construction of a sponge city from the perspective of sustainable development. This paper analyzes the current situation and existing problems of sponge cities development in China, and puts forward the development prospect of PPP model, in order to promote sponge cities construction and sustainable urban development.

Impact of Plant Layout on Microclimate of Summer Courtyard Space Based on Orthogonal Experimental Design

With the rapid development of urbanization and industrialization, many green spaces have been replaced by urban buildings, resulting in decreased green spaces in courtyard space. Nonetheless, as an enclosed green space integrated with the natural environment, courtyard space plays a vital role in regulating environmental microclimate, so it is necessary to study its microclimate through vegetation greening. Therefore, this study took courtyard spaces in humid and hot areas as an example, and with the help of ENVI-met 5.5.1 software, introduced an orthogonal experimental design to simulate various plant layout models, including tree layout (TL), shrub layout (SL), grass layout (GL), and the interaction of their combined layout, and analyzed the simulation results of temperature, humidity, and wind speed. The results show that first of all, plant layout plays a crucial role in cooling and wind control, and the more uniform the plant layout, the better it is for cooling and ventilation. Secondly, plant layout showed a changing pattern of cooling and wetting in the morning, noon, and afternoon periods. Furthermore, TL had the best cooling and humidifying effect in the morning and midday, and the combined interaction of TL, SL, and GL and of SL and GL significantly affected the wind speed in the courtyard space. During the afternoon, the combined interaction of TL with SL and SL with GL outperformed the single-plant-element type of layout regarding cooling and humidification efficiency. Finally, scattered-form tree layout, single-form shrub layout, and 20% grass layout were the best combinations of plant layout for cooling, humidity reduction, and ventilation. The results provide reference data and an empirical case for the microclimate optimization of summer courtyard spaces.

Measuring the achievement of the environmental pillar in Sustainable Development Goals – A case study of Tuban Regency, East Java

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become an important concept for urban development. The SDGs contain a set of indicators that are utilized to measure the readiness of the city to attain sustainable living. Despite the presence of detailed and technical indicators, the achievement of those indicators is still challenging. Tuban Regency in Indonesia, for example, has not adopted SDGs into its programs. This paper will measure the achievement of SDGs in Tuban Regency, particularly the environmental indicator pillar which is prone to be deserted in a rapid urban development. The study conducts a secondary data collection and quantitative analysis of the existing documents from each city stakeholder in the regency with. The study findings indicate that only 30.77% of the environmental goals have been attained by the Tuban Regency government, while 41.03% of the goals have not been achieved and 28.21% were not measured. This result indicates that more effort and intervention are believed to be needed to further support the implementation of SDGs.

Recent progress of modified CeO2-based materials for photocatalytic environmental remediation and antibacterial activity

The rapid development of industrialization and urbanization has led to serious environmental pollution. As an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy source, solar-driven semiconductor photocatalysis has been widely applied in environmental remediation and antibacterial activity owing to its gentle reaction conditions. The use of CeO2-based nanomaterials in green energy production, CO2 conversion, pollutant degradation, and antibacterial is increasing. The photocatalytic performance of CeO2 can be enhanced by appropriate modification strategies that suppress the rapid recombination of electron-hole pairs. This paper provides a systematic introduction to various modification strategies for CeO2, and reviews the research progress of modified CeO2 materials in photocatalytic CO2 reduction, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, heavy metal removal, photodegradation of organic pollutants, and antibacterial fields, finally offering perspectives on its future development direction.

Mobility census for monitoring rapid urban development.

Monitoring urban structure and development requires high-quality data at high spatio-temporal resolution. While traditional censuses have provided foundational insights into demographic and socio-economic aspects of urban life, their pace may not always align with the pace of urban development. To complement these traditional methods, we explore the potential of analysing alternative big-data sources, such as human mobility data. However, these often noisy and unstructured big data pose new challenges. Here, we propose a method to extract meaningful explanatory variables and classifications from such data. Using movement data from Beijing, which are produced as a by-product of mobile communication, we show that meaningful features can be extracted, revealing, for example, the emergence and absorption of subcentres. This method allows the analysis of urban dynamics at a high-spatial resolution (here 500 m) and near real-time frequency, and high computational efficiency, which is especially suitable for tracing event-driven mobility changes and their impact on urban structures.

THE IMPACTS OF URBANIZATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH ON LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE ASEAN-5 COUNTRIES

Abstract: Urbanization and economic growth are key players in molding the societal fabric of the ASEAN-5 nations, thus directly affecting life expectancy. Hence, this study utilizes the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) approach to investigate the impact of health expenditure, economic growth, urbanization, and CO2 emissions on life expectancy in the ASEAN-5 countries from 1995 to 2020. The findings indicate that increased health expenditure and economic growth positively contribute to enhanced life expectancy in the region, highlighting the importance of healthcare investments and sustained economic development. However, the observed negative impact of urbanization underscores potential health challenges associated with rapid urban development, necessitating strategic urban planning. Policymakers are encouraged to prioritize healthcare budgets, focusing on infrastructure and accessibility, while fostering economic initiatives for indirect health benefits. Mitigating potential health risks linked to urbanization requires investments in healthcare facilities, sanitation, and public health awareness programs. This study offers nuanced insights for policymakers in formulating effective strategies to balance economic development with public health priorities in the ASEAN-5 countries. Keyword: urbanization, economic growth, life expectancy, FMOLS

SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF LAND COVER CHANGES IN DEPOK CITY USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Depok City is an area undergoing significant changes in land cover due to rapid urban development. Additionally, population growth is contributing to these land cover changes. These factors exert pressure on land use changes, with implications for land cover. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a spatial analysis of land cover changes in Depok City. This research employs Geographic Information System (GIS) methods and spatial analysis to examine land cover changes in Depok from 2017 to 2022. The objectives of this study are to identify the land cover conditions in Depok from 2017 to 2022 and analyze the changes in land cover during this period. The data source used is Landsat 8 satellite imagery. These satellite images were interpreted to produce land cover maps for the years 2017 and 2022. Subsequently, these two maps were overlaid to assess changes in land use. The research results revealed seven land cover classes in 2017, with the largest in terms of area being Residential/Built-up Areas (12,383.43 hectares), Green Open Spaces (3,479.66 hectares), Dryland Agriculture (2,218.65 hectares), Services/Industry (885.41 hectares), Paddy Fields (414.59 hectares), Open Land (373.66 hectares), and Water Bodies (239.23 hectares). Spatial analysis indicated a decrease in land cover for Green Open Spaces (238.84 hectares), Dryland Agriculture (122.67 hectares), and Paddy Fields (31.89 hectares). Conversely, an increase in land cover was observed for Residential/Built-up Areas (266.01 hectares), Services/Industry (91.84 hectares), and Open Land (35.55 hectares).

Relationship between phytoplankton community structure and environmental factors in Yinchuan City water

The freshwater ecosystem, formed through the interaction between biological communities and the environment, serves as a vital resource for sustainable human development. Phytoplankton plays a pivotal role in environmental monitoring and ecological assessment, serving as a biological indicator in water quality assessment. However, the rapid urban development poses a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems, leading to environmental changes that alter phytoplankton community structures and degrade ecosystem functions. The research on the phytoplankton community structure and its correlation with environmental factors in Yinchuan remains insufficient. Therefore, it is imperative for Yinchuan's water ecosystem to comprehensively understand the phytoplankton community structure and identify the driving factors influencing the water ecological environment.A survey of phytoplankton was conducted in 40 stations across the Diannong River Basin, Yuehai Wetland, Baohu Wetland, and Hequanhu Wetland in Yinchuan in April 2023. The results revealed the presence of seven phyla and 211 species of phytoplankton in Yinchuan. Bacillariophyta comprised the majority of observed species, followed by Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta, with a smaller proportion of other species distributed throughout. Key influencing factors included total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), dissolved oxygen (DO), and transparency (SDD). Significant disparities were noted in both the Simpson index and Pielou's evenness index of the phytoplankton community.

Rapid carbon emission measurement during the building operation phase based on PSO–SVM: electric big data perspective

With the rapid development of urbanization in China, urban energy consumption increases rapidly, leading to energy shortages and environmental pollution, of which building operational energy consumption carbon emissions (BECCE) account for a large proportion. It has a vital impact on global warming and urban green and sustainable development. Chengdu city in Sichuan Province is taken as the research area in this paper. First, basic information and power data on four types of single buildings, including large-sized buildings, small- and medium-sized buildings, government agencies, and residential buildings, are collected. Second, the characteristics of the four types of buildings are extracted, and the calculation model of BECCE (“electricity-carbon” model) based on particle swarm optimization algorithm–support vector machine (PSO–SVM) is constructed, and the model is trained and verified using the method of five-fold cross-validation. Then, according to the mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and R2 evaluation indicators, the constructed “electricity-carbon” model is compared and evaluated. Finally, the generalization ability of the “electricity-carbon” model is verified. The research results show that (1) the “electricity-carbon” model constructed in this paper has a high accuracy rate, and the fitting ability of the PSO–SVM model is significantly better than that of the support vector regression (SVR) model; (2) in the testing stage, the fitting situation of large buildings is the best, and MAE, RMSE, and R2 are 858.7, 1108.6, and 0.91, respectively; and (3) the spatial distribution map of regional BECCE can be quickly obtained using the “electricity-carbon” model constructed in this paper. The “electricity-carbon” model constructed in this paper can provide a scientific reference for building emission reduction.

Analysis of Urban Heat Island Effect in Wuhan Urban Area Based on Prediction of Urban Underlying Surface Coverage Type Change

The rapid development of urbanization makes the phenomenon of urban heat islands even more serious. Predicting the impact of land cover change on urban heat island has become one of the research hotspots. Taking Wuhan, China, as an example, this study simulated the land type change in 2020 through the Cellular Automata-Markov-Chain (CA-Markov) model. The urban heat island in 2020 was simulated and analyzed in conjunction with the Weather Research & Forecasting Model (WRF), and the simulation results of wind velocity and temperature were confirmed using weather station observation data. Based on this, the land cover and urban heat island of Wuhan in 2030 were predicted. The temperature was found to be well-fit by CA-Markov simulated land use data, with an average inaccuracy of about 2.5°C for weather stations. Wind speed had a poor fitting effect; the average error was roughly 2 m/s. The built-up area was the center of the high temperature area both before and after the prediction, the water was the low temperature area, and the peak heat island happened at night. According to the forecast results, there will be more built-up land in 2030, and there will be a greater intensity of heat islands than in 2020.

Resource Utilization of Solid Waste and Water Quality Evaluation

The rapid development of industrialization and urbanization has inevitably resulted in the generation of innumerable solid wastes and water contamination [...]

A Psychological Study of the Socialization of the Elderly with Their Families

As China's urbanization process accelerates, population mobility is accelerated, and the urban adaptability and old-age care of elderly migrants to cities cannot be avoided. The rapid development of urbanization has changed the population structure in urban and rural areas, which in turn affects the transformation of old-age care models. In order to explore the changes and dilemmas of old-age care for elderly migrants in the process of urbanization, taking "elderly migrants" as the research object, this study explores a series of psychological changes in the process of urban socialization for elderly migrants. The study summarizes the changes and difficulties faced by elderly migrants in their living, livelihood, and social interaction in the process of urbanization, mainly analyzes the specific problems existing at the psychological level, and further analyzes the self-identity of elderly migrants. It is reflected in various aspects such as family contribution, social interaction, cultural inheritance, economic independence, and self-realization. In order to better adapt to the changes in new environment and lifestyle, the study focuses on the needs and psychological changes of elderly migrants, and promotes the attention and research of relevant groups in society.

Spatial-temporal differentiation and influencing factors of carbon emission trajectory in Chinese cities - A case study of 247 prefecture-level cities

Cities, where human energy activities and greenhouse gas emissions are concentrated, contribute significantly to alleviating the impacts of global climate change. Utilizing the China Carbon Emissions Accounting Database (CEADs) to provide carbon dioxide emission inventories for urban areas in China at the prefecture level, this study closely examines the historical evolution trajectories of carbon emissions across 247 urban units from 2005 to 2019. The logarithmic cubic function model was employed to simulate these trajectories, evaluating urban emission peaks and classifying the different carbon emission trajectories. Further, the Geographical and Temporal Weighted Regression model was employed to explore spatiotemporal traits and essential variables that impact the variations in carbon emissions among four identified trajectory types. Our results showed that Chinese urban carbon emission trajectories can be classified into four categories: a) peaking emissions, b) fluctuating growth, c) continuous growth, and d) passive decline. Specifically, 43 cities, primarily in North China, proactively attained their emission peak post-2010, driven by the reduction in secondary industry and energy intensity. 90 cities, largely industrial hubs in the southeast coast and inland, reached an emission plateau around 2015, exhibiting fluctuating growth due to dependencies on secondary industries. 101 cities, predominantly located in western and central regions, demonstrated a clear upward trend in carbon emissions, propelled by rapid urbanization and heavy industry-oriented economic development. Lastly, 13 cities, typically in the northeastern and southwestern regions, experienced a passive decline in carbon emissions, attributable to resource depletion or economic downturns. It is evident that China's city-level carbon peaking has demonstrated some effectiveness, yet considerable progress is still required.