Suchergebnisse

"Modeling the Dynamics and Consequences of Land System Change" introduces an innovative three-tier architecture approach for modeling the dynamics and consequences of land system change. It also describes the principle, modules and the applications of the three-tier architecture model in detail. The approach holds strong potential for accurate predictions of the land use structure at the regional level, simulating the land use pattern at pixel level and evaluating the consequences of land system change. The simulation results can be used for the planning of land use, urban development, regional development, environmental protection, and also serve as valuable information for decision making concerning land management and optimal utilization of land resources."--pub. desc

"Modeling the Dynamics and Consequences of Land System Change" introduces an innovative three-tier architecture approach for modeling the dynamics and consequences of land system change. It also describes the principle, modules and the applications of the three-tier architecture model in detail. The approach holds strong potential for accurate predictions of the land use structure at the regional level, simulating the land use pattern at pixel level and evaluating the consequences of land system change. The simulation results can be used for the planning of land use, urban development, regional development, environmental protection, and also serve as valuable information for decision making concerning land management and optimal utilization of land resources."--Pub. desc

Western China has played a critical supporting role for economic development in China over previous decades, by providing cheap labor and abundant natural resources, but it is time to reap some returns. Research shows a strong correlation between urbanization and economic growth and between urbanization level and per-capita income. Therefore, urbanization and associated changes can become a powerful driving force for socioeconomic development, and can provide an opportunity for poverty alleviation and human development. Also, it has the potential to relieve eco-environment pressures of population in Western China. For sustainable urbanization in Western China, there is still a long way to go, and there are both challenges and opportunities. Related to but rapidly increasing urbanization, Western China has the following characteristics: an overall low but rapidly increasing urbanization level, with a strong spatial variety; few urbanized areas, with small size and low density; a relatively weak growth engine function of cities; and few cities have fully fledged urban function and enough attraction to retain high-end human capital. However, Western China also has unique opportunities in terms of promoting urbanization. First, the central government's determination to have the region develop can be the "wind under the wings" for the region. Second, the relatively low current level of urbanization means there is little "minus" or historical legacy and the associated necessity to retrofit, which can be costly. Third, as urban air and water pollution in eastern cities is drawing increasing concern, relatively clean air and water in some secondary cities in the western region can be attractive to the well-educated "human capital." Sustainable urbanization in Western China is a highly complex issue that requires sophisticated management approaches. Despite significant investments and changes already undertaken, severe impacts on the natural environment are already being experienced and some environmental services are at or near a point of severe ecological and health-related disruption. Nonetheless, there are also significant opportunities in this region of enormous natural resource wealth and cultural diversity. What is required is a well-articulated, integrated, consistent and strategic framework and approach involving all levels of government.

Western China has played a critical supporting role for economic development in China over previous decades, by providing cheap labor and abundant natural resources, but it is time to reap some returns. Research shows a strong correlation between urbanization and economic growth and between urbanization level and per-capita income. Therefore, urbanization and associated changes can become a powerful driving force for socioeconomic development, and can provide an opportunity for poverty alleviation and human development. Also, it has the potential to relieve eco-environment pressures of population in Western China. For sustainable urbanization in Western China, there is still a long way to go, and there are both challenges and opportunities. Related to but rapidly increasing urbanization, Western China has the following characteristics: an overall low but rapidly increasing urbanization level, with a strong spatial variety; few urbanized areas, with small size and low density; a relatively weak growth engine function of cities; and few cities have fully fledged urban function and enough attraction to retain high-end human capital. However, Western China also has unique opportunities in terms of promoting urbanization. First, the central government's determination to have the region develop can be the "wind under the wings" for the region. Second, the relatively low current level of urbanization means there is little "minus" or historical legacy and the associated necessity to retrofit, which can be costly. Third, as urban air and water pollution in eastern cities is drawing increasing concern, relatively clean air and water in some secondary cities in the western region can be attractive to the well-educated "human capital." Sustainable urbanization in Western China is a highly complex issue that requires sophisticated management approaches. Despite significant investments and changes already undertaken, severe impacts on the natural environment are already being experienced and some environmental services are at or near a point of severe ecological and health-related disruption. Nonetheless, there are also significant opportunities in this region of enormous natural resource wealth and cultural diversity. What is required is a well-articulated, integrated, consistent and strategic framework and approach involving all levels of government.

AbstractRegional science and economics studies increasingly use the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) night‐time lights data to measure spatial inequality. These DMSP data are a poor proxy in this context because of their spatially mean‐reverting errors, which yield significantly lower inequality estimates than what subnational GDP data show. Inequality estimates from DMSP are also lower than what newer, research‐focused and more accurate satellites show. We demonstrate this bias using county‐level data from China and the United States. The errors in the DMSP data distort estimates of both the level of and trend in spatial inequality.