Urbanization Process Research Articles

An Evaluative Study to Determine the Extent of Shat Al-Arab Corniche Design Conformity with Active Urban Design Principles

The trend of active urban design appeared in the year 2005, and as a result of the increasing factors encouraging inactivity and lack of physical activity, cities began to move towards active urban design to make physical activity part of daily practices in the urban environment, which supports the health of its residents. The research dealt with the concept of active urban design, its principles, and the most important influences on human behaviour that encourage active practice in the urban environment. Then the history of physical activity in the city of Basra and inherited popular sports was reviewed, then the extent to which the urban development processes that took place in Corniche Shatt Al-Arab Street and the surrounding area were achieved was measured. Due to its historical, social and economic importance and the conclusions that accompanied the measurement process related to the most important obstacles facing the city in its path towards a sustainable urban design that preserves the health of its residents.

Are convection‐permitting climate projections reliable for urban planning over Africa? A case study of Johannesburg

AbstractCities are particularly vulnerable to surface water flooding. It is also well‐known that they influence local rainfall themselves, which has important implications for climate change adaptation planning for cities. At km‐scale resolution, convection‐permitting climate models (CPCMs) better resolve cities and should better represent local urban temperature and rainfall modifications. However, using state‐of‐the‐art pan‐African CPCM simulations with the Met Office Unified Model (CP4), we show that for the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, this is not the case. A significant enhancement of rainfall occurs over the city compared with surrounding rural areas, which is not seen in available observations. We demonstrate this is associated with an overestimated urban heat island effect, which leads to additional triggering of rainfall. Urban signals in future rainfall change are small compared with changes in the wider surroundings, the latter of which we expect to be more reliable than in models with parameterized convection. This suggests that deficiencies in representation of urban processes are of secondary importance in terms of future percentage change in rainfall. We recommend urban planners apply relative changes in CP4 as an uplift to observations, where available, or treat absolute future rainfall as an upper estimate if used directly.

Differential Evaluation of Ecological Resilience in 45 Cities along the Yangtze River in China: A New Multidimensional Analysis Framework

The rapid pace of urbanization and global climate change necessitates a thorough assessment of urban ecological resilience to cultivate sustainable regional ecosystem development. Cities along the Yangtze River face an intensifying conflict between ecological preservation and socio-economic growth. Analyzing the ecological resilience of these urban centers is essential for achieving equilibrium in regional urban ecosystems. This study proposes a “system process space” attribute analysis framework, taking into account urban development processes, ecosystem structure, and resilience evolution stages. Utilizing data from 45 Yangtze River cities, we establish a “Driver, Pressure, State, Impact, and Response” (DPSIR) evaluation index system to evaluate changes in ecological resilience levels and evolution trends from 2011 to 2022. Our findings indicate that: (1) The ecological resilience index of Yangtze River cities increased from 0.177 to 0.307 between 2011 and 2022, progressing through three phases: ecological resilience construction, rapid development, and stable development. (2) At the city level, ecological resilience along the Yangtze River exhibits uneven development characteristics. Upstream cities display a significant “stepped” pattern, midstream cities exhibit a significant “Matthew effect”, and downstream cities present a pyramid-shaped pattern. While regional differences in ecological resilience persist, overall polarization is gradually decreasing, intercity connections are strengthening, and there is a growing focus on coordinated regional development. (3) The spatial distribution of ecological resilience in Yangtze River cities demonstrates both continuity and evolution, generally forming a “core-edge” clustered pattern. Based on these findings, we recommend enhancing inter-city cooperation and connectivity, addressing imbalances in urban ecological resilience, and promoting high-quality ecological resilience development along the Yangtze River through tailored development strategies for each city.

Study on the spatial distribution characteristics of traditional villages and their response to the water network system in the lower yangtze river basin

Traditional villages hold significant historical and cultural value as the precious heritage of China’s agricultural civilization. Currently, against the backdrop of increasing urbanization and rapid expansion of urban construction land, the spatial patterns of traditional villages across various regions in China are being encroached upon and damaged, with protection pressures growing daily. As one of the important cradles of Chinese civilization, the Lower Yangtze River Basin (LYRB) has traditional villages closely linked with its water systems, forming a unique human-land relationship and spatial distribution pattern. However, influenced by the rapid urbanization process, the spatial patterns of traditional villages in this region also face a crisis, and the contradiction between protection and development is becoming increasingly prominent. How to balance this contradiction and ensure the reasonable protection and sustainable development of traditional villages has become an urgent issue to address. Therefore, this study focuses on the LYRB. Using ArcGIS tools and combined with mathematical analysis methods, the spatial distribution characteristics and essential influencing factors of traditional villages in this area were screened and analyzed. The objective was to examine the spatial structural relationship between traditional villages, four water system types, and nine sub-basin units, intending to reveal the unique interdependence between the water system and traditional villages in this area. This would provide scientific support for the formulation of scientific conservation strategies. The research results show that: (1) Traditional villages in The LYRB form two core clusters spatially and exhibit substantial spatial accumulation; (2) Water system characteristics are the main factors affecting the distribution of traditional villages; (3) In the LYRB, the spatial distribution of the nine sub-basins is closely related to the spatial distribution of traditional villages, resulting in typical regional spatial differentiation of traditional villages in this area. This study is based on a watershed perspective, and the results highlight the importance of the water system network in the development of traditional villages, revealing a unique spatial dependency relationship between traditional villages and the water network in the LYRB. In order to ensure the comprehensive protection of the traditional village system in this region, it is essential to adhere to the fundamental principles that govern its spatial configuration. A tripartite collaborative protection system based on the watershed should be formulated from the perspective of the overall distribution relationship between the water network and the traditional villages. This system would serve to protect the overall landscape, the water network pattern, and the traditional villages. Establishing an overall pattern view of integrating the water system network and the traditional villages is essential.

Exploration of the Urbanization Process and Its Impact on Vegetation in 125 Resource-Based Cities in China and Comparison with Other Cities

Resource-based cities (RBCs) in China are at a historic juncture in their transformative development. Observing and assessing the role of the resource curse in urban expansion and greening is crucial for the sustainable development of these cities. This study proposes a new framework to extract urban boundary data from 2000 to 2020 in China. Utilizing these data, we analyzed differences in urban expansion intensity and urban vegetation cover between 125 RBCs and 223 non-RBCs. We found the following: (1) While urban areas in China experienced steady growth from 2000 to 2020, the urban area expansion rates of RBCs lagged behind those non-RBCs located in the same geographical areas except in South China, with the lowest annual expansion rate of 1.18% occurring in the Northeast. (2) Although the existing urban areas in some cities show a greening trend, both existing and new urban areas in China are predominantly characterized overall by browning. Surprisingly, RBCs exhibit a stronger greening trend than non-RBCs, particularly in Northwestern China. (3) There is a nuanced interplay and coexistence between resource dependency and urban expansion, with a specific negative correlation when resource dependency is very high or very low. This study provides a novel method and approach for urban boundary delineation. It offers new insights into the developmental characteristics of RBCs, enriching the theoretical framework of resource curse research and supporting the green development of RBCs with robust data.

Spatio-Temporal Evolution and Implications of Urban Residential Space Based on the New Commercial Housing in Xi’an, China, 2006–2022

Since 1998, comprehensive housing marketization has led to a more complex urban residential space structure in China, as evidenced by the changes in new commercial housing. The current stage is critical for China in its pursuit of high-quality and sustainable urban development, with the spatial structure of housing being a key aspect in achieving this goal. In order to clarify the characteristics of the urban residential space in China and grasp the spatio-temporal changes of new commercial housing, this study takes the data of new commercial housing projects in Xi’an, northwest China, from 2006 to 2022 as the basis, and uses the GIS method to explore the characteristics of the spatio-temporal evolution of the urban residential space and to investigate the factors influencing it. The results reveal changes in the number, size, and spatial distribution of new commercial housing in Xi’an. The evolution of residential space is influenced by cultural and social changes, population, and economic factors, in addition to the main influence of national policies. The renewal of urban villages into commercial housing projects is a prominent feature of changes in urban residential space, which saves construction land and improves residents’ living conditions. Finally, the expansion of urban residential space parallels the urbanization process, showing a pattern of ‘external expansion accompanied by internal renewal’, and the evolution process and property rights management are different from those of other countries.

The development of urbanization processes in the Republic of Kazakhstan and abroad: a comparative analysis

Object: The purpose of the study is a comparative analysis of the processes of urbanization development in Kazakhstan and in Russia, covering the chronological framework of almost a century period. Methods: concretization and abstraction; retrospective analysis and classification; comparative analysis; descrip tive method; statistical methods and methods of scientific analysis and synthesis. Findings: The key findings of the study are summarized in the following conclusions: - The special demographic structure of the 1980s was reinforced by the economic restructuring of the 1990s and gave rise to probably the most important problem of the 21st century in Russia and the countries of the former USSR: demographic decline and urban population decline. - At present, the development of former socialist cities is largely determined by market forces and democratically elected governments. However, they are also not fully developed capitalist cities. - The main similarity between the urbanization of Russia and Kazakhstan is the gap between the most developed major cities of federal and republican significance and lagging medium and small cities. - In Russia and Kazakhstan, medium and small towns are often characterized by specialized and less diversified economies. Conclusions: The development of medium-sized and small cities in Russia and Kazakhstan faces the main problems: lack of financing and/or inefficient use; barriers to decentralization; insufficiently effective regulatory framework and lack of standards or their ineffective implementation regarding sustainable and environmentally friendly develop ment.

Integrating nature-based solutions in the urbanization process by urban agriculture: a case of Bhubaneswar city, India

Nature-based solutions are approaches that draw inspiration from and are supported by nature, offering environmental, social, and economic benefits for enhancing urban resilience and sustainability. One of the greatest land use changes affecting the urban landscape is agricultural land conversion which affects the food security. Urban agriculture will not only generate livelihood opportunity for the urban poor but be the urban lung and heat sink, allow solid and water waste disposal and facilitate eco-cultural community bonding. A vast majority of the global urban dwellers live in the small and medium sized cities. However very little study has been done on urban agriculture in these areas although agricultural loss is more pronounced here. The objective of this paper is to examine through remote sensing data, in a time series between 2011 to 2023, the loss in agricultural land in one such smaller city- Bhubaneswar, which lies on a very fertile agricultural belt. This paper examines the decline of agricultural land in comparison to the rise in built up area within the specified timeframe and goes on to suggest a nature-based solution which makes the city self-sufficient in terms of food security. The research methodology involves mapping the spatial distribution of both the supply and demand for ecosystem services and quantifying the impact of Agriculture land use conversion on agriculture production. It concludes by deriving a framework which will identify the policy and governance interventions required so that the SDG goals 2 and 11.3 are realized.

Causal inference of urban heat island effect and its spatial heterogeneity: A case study of Wuhan, China

The accelerated urbanization process has exacerbated the urban heat island effect, leading to significant negative impacts on the physical and mental health of urban residents. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the urban heat island phenomenon is essentially beneficial for providing scientific supports towards improving the urban thermal environment. To address the challenge of effectively depicting the complex interactions among urban environment factors, this study employed the Peter-Clark causal discovery algorithm to analyze the causal structure of urban thermal driving factors, and validated the effectiveness of the 6 key factors directly influencing the surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII). In response to the inadequacy of existing big data causal inference tools in assessing the spatial heterogeneity of causal effects, this study proposed a method for evaluating the causal effects on SUHII and their spatial heterogeneity based on local analysis and geospatial causal principle. The result for 4 different intervention scenarios in this study show that there is obvious spatial heterogeneity in the causal effects of different interventions on SUHII in Wuhan, and that increasing greenery and preserving natural environments is an effective way to mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This approach, provides a new perspective for studying the phenomenon of UHI and insights of potential approaches for mitigating UHI.

Analysis of changes in river connectivity during the urbanization process: a case study of the southeastern plain of Yinzhou, China.

Affected by human activities, the naturally occurring river network in the southeastern plain of Yinzhou has gradually evolved into a natural-artificial composite water system, and changes in river connectivity due to changes in river network systems have caused water security problems, including urban flooding. To clarify the river connectivity change and its relationship with the urbanization process, this paper discusses an evaluation method for river connectivity based on complex networks and cellular automata (CA) from the perspective of complex systems, quantitatively analyzes the spatial-temporal characteristics of the structural and functional river connectivity in the study area during the 1990s-2020s, and reveals the impact of river nodes and chains on the connectivity level under the disturbance of natural or human factors. The results contained the following revelations: ① River connectivity showed a decreasing trend in the initial and rapid development stages of urbanization from the 1990s to the 2010s and a limited increasing trend in the optimization and upgrading stages from the 2010s to the 2020s. ② River network degradation and ongoing connectivity decline are found in the northeastern part of the study area. The highest river connectivity exists in Dongqianhukaifaqu. ③ The number of river nodes and chains should be maintained at approximately 80% for normal river connectivity. The nodes of high degree in the inflow area are listed in the key protection areas. ④ Changes in river connectivity are significantly correlated with the urbanization process. Changes in the functional connectivity level affect the magnitude of a flood. This study provides a theoretical basis for river network connectivity improvement and flood prevention in plain areas.

Improving the accuracy of weighing systems in motion using dynamic neural networks

The paper is devoted to solving the problem of weighing vehicles in motion as part of modern information technologies and automated intelligent systems for managing urban resources and infrastructure. The aim of the work is to improve the accuracy of measurements in systems for weighing vehicles in motion in heavy traffic as part of intelligent urban infrastructure management systems, thereby contributing to the efficiency and sustainability of urban processes. The scientific novelty is the use of models in the form of neural networks with time delays to process data from weighing sensors. The application of this approach makes it possible to improve the accuracy of mass measurement in weighing systems in motion under conditions of intense traffic by taking into account the dynamic and nonlinear properties of the weighing process. The practical usefulness of the developed method lies in the development of new innovative weighing systems as part of modern information technologies and automated intelligent systems for managing urban resources and infrastructure. Testing the method on a simulation model of the WIM process demonstrated advantages in weighing accuracy compared to traditional methods using static and linear models. Experimental data showed a reduction in the root mean square error compared to the traditional method based on Kalman filters, which confirms the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Prevalence and associated factors of chronic kidney disease among Truká Indigenous adults in Cabrobó, Brazil: a population-based study

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries, due to factors such as lifestyle changes and the rise of non-communicable diseases. Populations living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas are subject to a higher burden of CKD. However, the burden of CKD on Brazilian Indigenous people, especially those undergoing an advanced urbanisation process, has not yet been described. This cross-sectional study included 1715 Truká Indigenous adults from Cabrobó, Brazil. CKD was defined according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guidelines classification as a urinary albumin/creatinine ratio ≥30mg/g and/or an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60mL/min/1.73m2. Univariate and multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate factors associated with CKD. Odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure association. Out of the 1654 participants analysed (61 excluded due to missing data), the prevalence of CKD was 10% (95% CI, 8.6%-11.5%), with a higher prevalence in women compared to men (12.4% versus 6.9%, p<0.001). The mean age was 40.5 years, with 55.6% being women. In univariate analysis, female sex (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3-2.7), age ≥60 years (OR, 4.6; 95% CI, 3.2-6.6), cardiovascular disease (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-4.1), and dyslipidemia (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.4) were identified as associated factors with CKD. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified age ≥60 years, female sex, and dyslipidemia as independently associated factors with CKD. The prevalence of CKD among Truká Indigenous adults analysed is high and affects a higher proportion of women. Our study found no association between hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and CKD risk, despite their high prevalence. These findings assist in developing early CKD detection strategies in Brazilian Indigenous communities, supporting disease treatment and prevention. National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)-Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Brazil, and the Maria Emília Foundation.

Research on the Impact and Spillover Effects of Urbanization Process on Grain Production

Food security is an important strategic issue for the country. With the advancement of urbanization, food security needs to be re examined. Based on panel data from 31 provinces (regions, cities) in China from 2011 to 2022, this study analyzed the cluster effect of grain production using Moran index, and explored the impact of urbanization process on grain production and its spatial spillover effects through spatial Durbin model. Finally, the convergence of grain production was studied based on alpha and beta convergence models. The research results show that: (1) there is a significant cluster effect in grain production in various provinces, manifested as high-value clustering and low value clustering; (2) The urbanization rate promotes grain production in the province while suppressing grain production in neighboring provinces, while economic activity suppresses grain production in the province but promotes grain production in neighboring provinces. Overall, the urbanization rate significantly promotes grain production, while economic activities have a significant inhibitory effect on grain production; (3) There is no "catch-up effect" in grain production among provinces and grain functional zones, and the gap is showing a widening trend. This study aims to provide a reference basis for formulating food security policies.

Quantitative assessment of interplay between urbanization dynamics and land surface temperature variations using generalized additive model coupled PDP for sustainable urban planning and management.

The mountainous region of Asir is experiencing rapid and unsystematic urbanization leading to an increase in land surface temperatures (LST), which poses a challenge to human well-being and ecological balance. Therefore, it is necessary to study the interaction between land use and land cover (LULC)-induced urbanization and LST using advanced geostatistical techniques. In addition, understanding the urbanization process and urban density is essential for effective urban planning and management. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between the urbanization process, urban density and the associated LST. Using the Random Forest Algorithm, LULC mapping was conducted for the years 1990, 2000 and 2020. Metrics such as land cover change rate (LCCR), land cover index (LCI), landscape expansion index (LEI), mean landscape expansion index (MLEI) and area-weighted landscape expansion index (AWLEI) were used to understand urbanization processes and LULC changes. Convolutional kernels were used to model urban density, and the mono-window algorithm was applied to analyse LST in the selected years. In addition, the study assessed the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) contribution index to LULC and used Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) in conjunction with Partial Dependence Plots (PDPs) to understand the relationship between urbanization processes, urban density and LST. In a detailed 30-year study, the application of the RF algorithm showed significant shifts in LULC with an overall validation accuracy of over 85%. Urban areas grew dramatically from 69.40 km2 in 1990 to 338.74 km2 in 2020, while water areas decreased from 1.51 to 0.54 km2. Dense vegetation increased from 43.36 to 52.22 km2, indicating positive ecological trends. The LST analysis showed a general warming, with the mean LST increasing from 40.51°C in 1990 to 46.73°C in 2020 and the highest temperature category (50-60°C) increasing from 0.78 to 33.35 km2. The built-up area of cities tripled between 1990 and 2020, with the Landscape Expansion Index reflecting significant growth in suburban areas. The modeling of urban density shows increasing urbanization in the centre, which will expand significantly to the east by 2020. The contribution of LULC to LST and the Urban Heat Island (SUHI) effect was evident, with built-up areas showing a constant temperature increase. GAMs confirmed a statistically significant relationship between urban density and LST, with different effects for different types of urban expansion. This comprehensive study quantitatively sheds light on the complicated dynamics of urbanization, land cover change and temperature variation and provides important insights for sustainable urban development.

Promoting Mental Health of City Residents: Stress Management and The Role of Salutogenic Design

Introduction. Salutogenic, or health-promoting design, suggests that the designed environment should not only provide comfortable living space but also support the health and well-being of individuals. However, the rapid process of urbanization is accompanied by significant changes in people's lifestyles and negatively affects mental health. Thus, it is necessary to study the impact of urban environment on the citizens mental health, as well as to summarize and analyze technologies of health-promoting design in urban environment. Objective. To justify the problem of high prevalence of chronic stress among citizens and to summarize the best practices of applying the principles of salutogenic design in the urban environment to overcome stress and prevent psychological problems. Materials and methods. We conducted a non-systematic narrative literature review in the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, eLibrary.ru. Search request depth covered 20 years from 2003 to 2023. Results. Urban planning based on the principles of salutogenic design is one of the important tools for ensuring the health of citizens, extending beyond the scope of healthcare system. Moreover, addressing chronic stress, referred to as the «epidemic of the 21st century», can be considered a key direction in implementing salutogenic design in urban planning. The main focus areas of salutogenic design in the urban environment are regulating the density of urban development, creating public spaces, providing landscape design and greenery, offering convenient and safe urban navigation and using arts. Conclusions. Stress levels in cities are influenced by various factors. Effective urban planning that incorporates salutogenic design principles can contribute to improving public health and creating a supportive urban environment.

Household Waste Segregation in a Ward of a Budhanilkantha Municipality, Kathmandu, Nepal

The process of urbanization, which is perceived as a sign of progress, results increased number of households and their increased consumption of goods and services. This increases the volume of daily household waste which if not properly managed, can lead to various diseases and epidemics. Segregation of household waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes can make household waste management easier as the biodegradable waste whose proportion is more than 60 % of the daily household waste, can be managed at household or local level. Similarly, a large proportion of non-biodegradable waste can be recycled. This would remove great burden faced by the distant landfill sites where urban wastes are disposed on a regular basis. A study done in a ward of Budhanilkantha Municipality, an urban municipality of Kathmandu valley, which involved 592 households showed that 65% of the total households practiced waste segregation. However, the practice of household waste segregation was not significantly associated with different levels of education status or the monthly income of the family. It was also not significantly associated with the presence of open area around the house.

Challenges of Street Vending Market in Urbanization from Gender Perspective: The Case of Nifas Silk Lafto Sub City, Jemo-01 Area, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Street vending is informal market. There are debates about street vendors, some argue that they cause problems in urbanization activities like pedestrian &amp; traffic congestion, pollution, crime, illegality and should be eliminated and other argue that they are essential for promoting urban economic activities and reduce unemployment. The aim of this study is to identify the main driving causes and challenges of street vending in Nifas Silk Lafto sub-city, Jemo- 01 Site from gender perspectives. Quantitative data collected from 216 questionnaires and qualitative data obtained from 36 key informants and in-depth interviewee. The quantitative data analyzed using, percentage frequency, correlation, Chi-square &amp; Mann-Whitney U test and qualitative data processed using thematic analysis. The result indicate that the driving cause for street vending are, high family poverty (P, 0.001) and easy to enter (P, 0.001) to street vending are more significant in male than female. However, lack of other job option (P, 0.001) is more significant in female. Regarding the consequence of street vending market, traffic congestion and car accident (P, 0.004), encourage illegality (p, 0.003) were the major significant negative consequence of street vending market. Whereas street vending support economic activities and mobilize work force is the positive consequence that the p, 0.034 &amp;lt; 0.05 at 95%. Regarding challenge of vending market, the result found that great challenge for female than male (P, 0.002), according to qualitative analysis, theft, physical harassment, confiscation of goods, health problem were major challenge. In conclusion, street vending market has both negative and positive consequence in urbanization process and different root cause for both male and female.

Territorialising the cloud or clouding the territory? Volumetric vulnerabilities and the militarised conjunctures of Singapore’s smart city-state

This article explores how the volumetric characteristics of cloud computing can create new expressions of territoriality, which in turn can reveal new axes of vulnerability and threat. Whilst recent work in political geography has sought to “locate” the cloud through analyses of data centre geographies and data-driven processes of smart urbanism, we look beyond the material plane and consider the amorphous territorialities of voluminous data instead. As much as these data are acted on by the legal-regulatory mechanics of the state in a bid to territorialise them, so too do these data volumes serve to cloud, and thus obscure, territory. Processes of territorialising and clouding exist in a state of dialectical tension with each other, and reveal the volumetric vulnerabilities of cloud computing. We validate these theoretical claims through an analysis of in-depth interviews with senior stakeholders in Singapore's Smart Nation initiative. In Singapore, defending the city is equivalent to defending the nation, which causes the military to play an outsized role in securing the city-state. We consider how the attack surface of the city becomes a more voluminous construct with cloud computing, how strategies of geofencing attempt to secure the cloud, and how these processes reveal the increasingly militarised conjunctures of everyday life. Overall, these insights reveal a need for political geography to continually evolve its theoretical premises in line with the rapid digitalisation of the world.

Exploring the impacts of urbanization on vegetation growth from the perspective of urban expansion patterns and maturity: A case study on 40 large cities in China

Rapid urbanization replaces vegetation with build-up land, which threatens green spaces and the well-being of residents. In this study, the urban expansion patterns (UEPs) of build-up land from 2000 to 2020 were identified for 40 typical large cities in China, and their urban maturity (UM) was quantified. The different UEPs and UM types were used to analyze the comprehensive impacts of different types of cities on vegetation growth at different urbanization expansion intensity gradients. Finally, the relationship between different driving forces and the urban ecological effects was explored. The results showed that mature cities and the infilling cities experienced vegetation loss while other UEPs and UM levels resulted in increased vegetation growth. In particular, laggard cities and looser UEPs were able to effectively offset the direct vegetation loss caused by urbanization. The UM level had a high driving effect on the urban ecological offset. In the future, the scale and speed of urbanization can be optimized to reasonable levels and the urban ecological restoration should be strengthened to meet the needs of ecological security. This study contributes to explore the effectiveness of the urbanization process and land management.

Research on Sustainable Development Concept and Urbanization

The urbanization process of Tianhuangping Town is a typical example, which shows how to implement the concept of sustainable development in the process of urbanization. While promoting urbanization, the town pays attention to the protection of the natural environment, the rational use of resources, ensuring social fairness and justice, and improving the quality of life of the people. This approach will not only contribute to the realization of economic development, but also help to protect the environment and improve people's living standards. The urbanization process of Tianhuangping town also faces some challenges. Through in-depth research and analysis of the urbanization process of Tianhuangping Town, Anji County, Zhejiang Province, and discussing the application and practice of the concept of sustainable development in the urbanization process of Tianhuangping Town, the author hopes to provide some useful references for the urbanization development in other similar areas.