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In insects, different pigments, such as melanins and pterins, are involved in thermoregulation. The degree of melanisation often varies along geographical gradients, according to the so-called thermal melanism hypothesis, i.e. darker forms are found in colder places because they can warm up more quickly. Similarly, pterins work as heat sinks and thus are expected to be more abundant in colder sites. Cities, which are warmer than surrounding areas (Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect), might also be expected to influence pigmentation, although studies are lacking. Here, we sampled workers of the social paper wasp Polistes dominula (Christ, 1791) (Vespidae) across an urbanisation gradient in an Italian metropolis and used iNaturalist pictures of this species across Italy to study pigmentation patterns at both urban and larger geographical scales. We found a lower yellow intensity of abdominal spots at warmer locations. Scanning Electron Microscopy strongly suggested that yellow colouration is due xanthopterin, known to be the heat sink molecule in other social vespids. Thus, wasps from warmer (i.e., urban) environments are likely to have fewer xanthopterin granules, in line with the lack of need for heat storage due to the local thermal gradient (UHI effect). At the country level, we found that wasps at higher latitudes had smaller yellow spots on the thorax and only two spots instead of four at higher altitudes, in full accordance with the thermal melanism hypothesis. In conclusion, climatic conditions seem to affect insect colour patterns both along urban and wider geographical gradients, although colour changes may affect different body parts and pigments likely according to different needs. • In urban hotter sites, workers show lower intensity of yellow pigmentation (xanthopterin). • Along an urbanisation gradient, there was weak consistence with the thermal melanism hypothesis. • Along the same gradient, there was a likely lack of need for heat storage due to the urban heat island effect. • At country level, latitudinal variations in yellow spots were in accordance with the thermal melanism hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travelers often change their behavior in reaction to adverse weather conditions. This paper seeks to conduct an empirical evaluation of both ordered and unordered discrete outcome frameworks for examining the adaptive behavior decisions of intercity travelers and investigate the varying effects of explanatory factors on different alternatives of adaptive behavior during adverse weather. The data from 754 respondents in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, China are collected by a two-phase survey instrument. To capture the unobserved heterogeneity more effectively, this paper develops three advanced models to investigate the variations in intercity travel behavior during adverse weather. Four alternative adaptive behaviors are determined as outcome variables: maintaining original travel plans, changing only the intercity mode, changing the departure date, and canceling the trip, while potential influencing factors including adverse weather conditions, trip-related characteristics, individual attributes and urban agglomeration attributes are statistically assessed. The results indicate that the unordered models consistently outperform their ordered counterparts, and the incorporation of multilayer heterogeneity enhances the model fit. Furthermore, significant factors and their coefficient values vary across the different adaptive behavior alternatives. Intercity travelers demonstrate a higher probability of changing departure dates or canceling trips during snowy and windy days compared to rainy and foggy days. Trains exhibit higher flexibility and reliability during adverse weather, and access attributes significantly affect intercity travel adaptive behavior. Additionally, the analysis of individual and urban agglomeration attributes uncovers variations in adaptive behavior among individuals and cities. These findings provide profound insights into the complexities and variations of intercity travel behavior during adverse weather, and propose practical strategies to mitigate the detrimental impacts of adverse weather on intercity travelers. • Adaptive behavior of intercity travelers during adverse weather is investigated. • Unordered framework outperforms ordered counterparts in adaptive behavior study. • Multilayer unobserved heterogeneity in the adaptive behavior is accounted for. • The varying effects of explanatory factors on different adaptive alternatives are examined. • Practical strategies are proposed to mitigate negative impacts of adverse weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Field experiment in mandatory recycling scheme tests effectiveness of door stepping. • Majority of households in mandatory recycling schemes separates waste correctly. • Minority of households is responsible for most miss sorting. • Door stepping does not influence behavior of households in mandatory schemes. • Door stepping can improve recycling behavior in voluntary recycling schemes. Household organic waste has great potential for closing nutrient cycles in agriculture. This requires proper waste separation by households. Personal communication at the doorstep potentially improves household waste separation behaviour but it is expensive and findings from existing research are mixed. Based on results of previous studies and from a quasi-experiment with non-equivalent groups design in two German municipalities, this paper argues that efficiency of personal communication depends on its context. It can positively influence behaviour when recycling is voluntary and participation rates are low. However, it has no significant effects if recycling is mandatory. One explanation could be different perceptions of recycling in mandatory and voluntary schemes. In voluntary schemes door stepping can activate the intrinsic motivation of households. In mandatory schemes, all households need to participate irrespective of intrinsic motivation. This research shows that this creates a situation in which a small share of households is responsible for almost all contamination. This can be overcome by considering extrinsic factors that affect recycling behaviour. The paper recommends further research to understand which combination of incentives, sanctions and information is efficient in affecting behaviour change in mandatory recycling schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a trending mobility choice, e-scooters have become popular in many cities. A number of authorities have initiated shared e-scooter trial schemes to assess the feasibility of the vehicles prior to enacting official legalisation. This paper aims to provide an evidence review of shared e-scooters and investigate how existing evidence may inform long-term policies. This carries significant relevance for jurisdictions that are in a conflicting position with e-scooters, such as New South Wales (NSW), Australia whose context motivates this study. The evidence review focuses on three themes derived from experience with shared e-scooters within the broader micromobility landscape, namely: safety; where shared e-scooters fit into the modal landscape; and the environmental impacts. Findings confirm that ensuring the safety of shared e-scooters requires complex solutions, which may include a clear regulatory framework for e-scooters, safety education and skill training, innovative data collection and analysis methods, and an approach to safety management that is user-based, location-based, and time-based. In terms of modal fit policymakers should encourage first and last-mile combinations with public transport, with consideration of user characteristics; while climate impact is strongly correlated to the mode replaced by e-scooter trips. The paper provides insights for policymakers on the regulation and positioning of shared e-scooters. • Many jurisdictions are struggling to determine policies for e-scooters. • Existing e-scooter evidence sheds light on possible long-term policies. • Safety management should consider different users, locations, and times. • First and last-mile combinations with public transport should be encouraged. • Climate impact is strongly correlated to the mode replaced by e-scooter trips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We study the specific impact of the digital economy on the upgrading of urban residents' consumption structure and its mechanism of action. • We analyze the heterogeneity at the level of city development. • The development of the digital economy is conducive to promoting the upgrading of urban residents' consumption structure. • Disposable income and industrial structure upgrading are important internal mechanisms. • Compared to first-tier and second-tier cities, the digital economy has contributed more to upgrading residents' consumption structure in third-tier cities. Based on the panel data of Chinese cities from 2011 to 2020, this paper studies the impact of the digital economy on urban residents' upgrading of their consumption structure. The digital economy promotes the upgrading of urban residents' consumption structure. Moreover, the digital economy has a more significant effect on promoting the upgrading of residents' consumption structure in third-tier cities. The mediation effect proves that increasing disposable income and upgrading the industrial structure are crucial mechanisms. Based on pertinent findings and the development levels of various cities, this paper proposes policies to strengthen the digital infrastructure, improve residents' income, optimize industrial structure, and establish differentiated measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization and the release of carbon emission are two significant features of contemporary economic and social progress in China. However, there are few studies that consider how urbanization policy goals affect carbon emission. This paper aims to study the nonlinear effects of urbanization policy goals on carbon emission in 13 cities of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. In this paper, a multi-dimensional spatial disturbance grey model is proposed. Based on matrix perturbation theory, this paper explores the spatial perturbation bounds of the novel model and verifies that the spatial property of the model is consistent with the viewpoint of the First Law of Geography. Then, the novel model is used to predict the urban carbon emission under different urbanization policy goal scenarios. The results showed that the novel model has spatial regional correlation in spatial region prediction. With the development of urbanization level, carbon emissions show a downward trend in more than 50% of cities from 2022 to 2025. In addition, the improvement of urbanization policy goals will promote the carbon peak time of most cities. The carbon emission intensity will exhibit an inverted U-shaped trend distribution in space. The research results are conducive to providing scientific guidance for the formulation of new-type urbanization policies and helping to achieve the dual carbon goals. • A multi-dimensional spatial disturbance grey model is proposed. • The novel grey model is consistent with the viewpoint of the First Law of Geography. • The spatial distribution of carbon intensity showed an inverted U-shaped pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-demand transit (ODT) has been widely piloted in recent years by many transit agencies in response to changing travel behaviour and preferences among people. Some agencies have adopted ODT to replace underperforming bus routes, as part of a continuous service planning process while others incorporated it within network re-design. All these trends highlight the critical need for transit agencies to have guidance for incorporating ODT into transit network planning both at the strategic, tactical, and service planning levels. Thus, the purpose of this research is to provide a discussion of the key guiding principles to facilitate the development of transit networks with integrated on-demand and scheduled services. To achieve this goal, a thorough review of the states of practice and research was conducted. Findings from the practice review were also reinforced through ODT practitioners' engagement in Canada. This paper provides discussions on the service goals and objectives of an integrated network design and highlights the key planning requirements for developing integrated networks. At the service planning level, the paper provides a discussion on service goals, service design parameters, and scenario development of ODT service. • On-demand transit (ODT) have grown in many cities around the globe, mostly as pilot projects. • Review of the literature and practice shows that planning for ODT is based on best practices , without "built" guidelines. • Principles of planning are discussed within two applications, the network design level, and the service planning level. • Opportunities of integration and mode selection criteria are defined to integrated ODT with existing bus network. • Simulation and analytical tools are useful to complement the principles of planning in the decision-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid advancement of 3D sensors, there is an increasing demand for 3D scene understanding and an increasing number of 3D deep learning algorithms have been proposed. However, a large-scale and richly annotated 3D point cloud dataset is critical to understanding complicated road and urban scenes. Motivated by the need to bridge the gap between the rising demand for 3D urban scene understanding and limited LiDAR point cloud datasets, this paper proposes a richly annotated WHU-Urban3D dataset and an effective method for semantic instance segmentation. WHU-Urban3D stands out from existing datasets due to its distinctive features: (1) extensive coverage of both Airborne Laser Scanning and Mobile Laser Scanning point clouds, along with panoramic images; (2) containing large-scale road and urban scenes in different cities (over 3. 2 × 1 0 6 m 2 area), with richly point-wise semantic instance labels (over 200 million points); (3) inclusion of particular attributes (e.g., reflected intensity, number of returns) in addition to 3D coordinates. This paper also provides the performance of several representative baseline methods and outlines potential future works and challenges for fully exploiting this dataset. The WHU-Urban3D dataset is publicly accessible at https://whu3d.com/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a spatial equilibrium model for a competitive two-city system consisting of a high-income and a low-income city. Using this model, we investigate the effects of intracity and intercity commuting subsidies on such urban performances as spatial structures, residents' utility, and social welfare of cities and the system. The three unilateral subsidy scenarios and two subsidy competition scenarios are investigated individually. Results show that intercity commuting subsidy gives residents incentives to reside in the low-income city and intercity commuting to the high-income city, while intracity commuting subsidies lead to the inflow of population. Subsidy competitions increase residents' utility and mitigate the impacts of unilateral subsidies on the social welfare of the system. A numerical example and case study based on city pairs of Jing-Jin-Ji Urban Agglomeration in China are conducted to examine the proposed model. • Establish a spatial equilibrium model in a competitive two-city system. • Investigate the effects of unilateral intracity and intercity commuting subsidies on urban performances. • Explore the subsidy competitions between cities and compare results with unilateral subsidies scenarios. • Provide a case study based on Jing-Jin-Ji Urban Agglomeration in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne hyperspectral images can be used to map the land cover in large urban areas, thanks to their very high spatial and spectral resolutions on a wide spectral domain. While the spectral dimension of hyperspectral images is highly informative of the chemical composition of the land surface, the use of state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms to map the land cover has been dramatically limited by the availability of training data. To cope with the scarcity of annotations, semi-supervised and self-supervised techniques have lately raised a lot of interest in the community. Yet, the publicly available hyperspectral data sets commonly used to benchmark machine learning models are not totally suited to evaluate their generalization performances due to one or several of the following properties: a limited geographical coverage (which does not reflect the spectral diversity in metropolitan areas), a small number of land cover classes and a lack of appropriate standard train/test splits for semi-supervised and self-supervised learning. Therefore, we release in this paper the Toulouse Hyperspectral Data Set that stands out from other data sets in the above-mentioned respects in order to meet key issues in spectral representation learning and classification over large-scale hyperspectral images with very few labeled pixels. Besides, we discuss and experiment self-supervised techniques for spectral representation learning, including the Masked Autoencoder (He et al., 2022), and establish a baseline for pixel-wise classification achieving 85% overall accuracy and 77% F1 score. The Toulouse Hyperspectral Data Set and our code are publicly available at www.toulouse-hyperspectral-data-set.com and www.github.com/Romain3Ch216/tlse-experiments/ , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Broadband infrastructure significantly boosts urban innovation. • Internet penetration rate and information technology (IT) industry are the two impact channels. • The influence of broadband infrastructure on urban innovation has significant heterogeneity. • Broadband infrastructure has a stronger effect on radical innovation than on incremental innovation. • The impact of broadband infrastructure on urban innovation has spatial spillover effect. Broadband infrastructure plays a key role in supporting innovation. This paper takes the "Broadband China" demonstration policy as a quasi-natural experiment, adopts the data of 284 cities and multi-phase Difference-in-Differences (DID) approach to explore the impact of broadband infrastructure on urban innovation. We find that broadband infrastructure significantly boosts urban innovation, the increase of internet penetration rate and the development of information technology industry are the two influence channels. Heterogeneity tests show that the boosting effect of broadband infrastructure on innovation are stronger in eastern cities, large cities, key cities and cities with better educational resources. We also find that broadband infrastructure plays a stronger role in promoting radical innovation than incremental innovation, and the "Broadband China" demonstration policy produces a positive spillover effect on nearby cities' innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A distribution dynamics approach is employed to examine the converge of TFEE across Chinese PAA level cities. • The findings show a clear convergence in TFEE. • Convergence comes more from efficiency drops in high TFEE cities than from efficiency gains in low TFEE cities. • The environmental protection polices in key cities improved energy efficiency. • Large-sized cities show better performance in energy efficiency than small- and medium-sized cities. Improving energy efficiency is considered the most direct route to reducing carbon emissions on a massive scale. To examine the long-run trend of China's energy efficiency, this paper employs a distribution dynamics approach to analyze the convergence of total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) across 286 Chinese cities between 2002 and 2014. The result suggests the existence of convergence, which comes more from the efficiency declines in the high TFEE cities rather than the efficiency gains in the low TFEE cities. Despite the fact that a few cities have performed well in energy efficiency, the majority of cities have converged to a low-efficiency point. Further analyses show that the inefficiency was attributed to inefficient energy use in small- and medium-sized cities. Our analysis provides strong scientific support for China's ongoing energy conservation and environmental protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Introduced SWM 4.0 by considering Industry 4.0 technologies in waste management. • Reviewed I4.0 role in waste types, processes, and strategies of waste management. • Developed SWM 4.0 framework through smart factories, cities, businesses, and people. Smart Waste Management (SWM) discusses the waste management process for different types of waste while introducing an intelligent approach to controlling the amount of waste. This paper introduces SWM4.0, which applies Industry4.0 (I4.0) technologies in various related events. First, the paper presents a systematic literature review on the role of I4.0 technologies in SWM activities regarding waste types, waste management processes, and 5R strategies. Then, existing solutions supporting SWM4.0 are extracted to develop a framework for exploring the use of I4.0 technologies. This framework includes sharing the four main pillars that contribute to the success of SWM4.0, namely smart people, smart cities, smart enterprises, and smart factories. Furthermore, this review suggests the possibility of unifying and extending existing solutions and identifying the necessary links and interfaces for researchers. For managerial implications, the framework identifies future strategies to fulfill specific SWM tasks and to foster new technological solutions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of the technical cooperation mode in the field of hydrogen energy is of great importance in guiding technological innovation. Based on the social network analysis (SNA) and spatial network method, this paper constructs the technical cooperation graph of China's industry-university-research (IUR) tripartites in the field of hydrogen technology. Based on the performed graphs, it shows the game and evolution of hydrogen technology innovation in three stages, respectively 2000–2010, 2011–2015 and 2016–2019. Meanwhile, this paper calculates the changes of network indicators and found that: (1) the network density showed a downward trend, from the initial 0.062 to 0.003. (2) The degree centrality of the network decreased from 14.7% to 5.7%. (3) The average path length and clustering coefficient indicate that the internal connections within the network were relatively close from 2000 to 2010, and had small-world characteristics. From 2016 to 2019, although the clustering coefficient increased, the average path length also increased significantly, indicating that the internal connections of the network did not become closer. From the network characteristics, the collaborative innovation network of China's hydrogen energy industry continues to expand in scale and scope, and the cooperation relationship is stable. However, it shows the characteristics of low network density and loose cooperation relationship, gradually developing into a scale-free network. Developed provinces and cities in North and East China occupy core positions in the industry-university-research network, while other regions are gradually expanding their cooperation efficiency; however, the overall cooperation frequency is relatively low in Northeast China, and most provinces and cities in South and Northwest China are in edge positions with poor collaboration capabilities. • Network analysis sheds light on China's hydrogen energy tech cooperation via patent. • Collaborative innovation in hydrogen technology evolves through three stages. • Tight internal connections with small-world properties seen in network (2000–2010). • Network's internal connections didn't become closer (2016–2019). • Network transforms from a stable and expanding structure into a scale-free network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is no secret that decision-making around mass transit infrastructure can be highly political. Transport policy research, however, has tended to view political dynamics mainly as barriers. There is a need to better understand how and under what conditions political interests and institutions can enable mass transit projects, especially in cities which are not yet locked into car-centric transport systems. This paper addresses this gap with new inductive evidence from 32 expert interviews on the politics of bus rapid transit (BRT) in low- and middle-income countries. It develops two novel analytical frameworks, one on the politics of system adoption and another on the politics of system durability. The first framework highlights how BRT proposals often pitch broad but shallow political support against narrow yet deep political opposition. This renders them inherently contentious. Proposals move forward when their implementation generates political benefits for powerful decisionmakers. The second framework challenges the conventional view that BRT systems prove durable when their operations perform well. Instead, it posits that systems endure when their operations mitigate or adapt to adverse political feedback. The paper offers a novel holistic perspective on how to understand the politics of BRT, and presents a critical intervention in the BRT literature which has tended to focus on isolated political dynamics, such as the need for a local champion or resistance from paratransit operators. • Political analysis can strengthen policymaking for mass transit development. • BRT proposals often pitch broad, shallow support against narrow, deep opposition. • Proposals move forwards when they generate political benefits for decisionmakers. • BRT operations, in turn, often suffer from adverse political feedback. • BRT systems prove durable when operations mitigate or adapt to political feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments have implemented many regulations to solve traffic congestion and pollutant emissions. Traffic restriction (TR) policy is the most common and widely used traffic regulation. However, it is difficult to alleviate traffic pollution through TR policies. Only a few studies focus on TR policies in multiple cities. In this paper, we classify traffic restrictions by geographical factors and evaluate the impact of different policies based on PSM-DID first. Then, we classify the mixed restrictions and test their effects on air pollution. The results show that TR policy improves air quality regardless of the season. Moreover, the effect of TR policy is not affected by the superposition of the type of traffic restriction. For cities implementing the same TR policy, geographic factors can lead to different outcomes. This finding provides a reference for governments in reducing air pollution. • Traffic restrictions significantly affected air quality in different regions of China. • Cities implemented traffic restrictions have improved air quality in adjacent cities. • Effect of traffic restrictions does not depend on the number of mixed restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessments of the bike-sharing industry traditionally focus on its effects on other markets, municipalities, or general well-being. This paper deviates from this on how the market is organised. Using information on the aggregate number of firms in cities and greater cities across Europe, we found non-proportional changes in market size with respect to changes in market structure. This is crucial information inferring changes in profits, costs, or degree of product differentiation. To distinguish between these three sources, we utilised additional firm-level data on capacity and type of service provided. Our results suggest that the non-proportional increase in market size after an entry is most likely associated with increased intensity of competition and new forms of offered services, i.e. product differentiation. We did not find evidence that newcomers have been entering with substantially larger capacities per capita compared to incumbents. From a policy perspective, entry into the bike-sharing industry has benefited consumers through market expansion and caused a potential decrease in profits. • A non-proportional market size increase after the entry of the second and third firms. • No association for entry barriers; no entries with larger capacity. • Increases likely associated with differentiation: entrants likely dockless or e-bikes. • Entry and competition benefited consumers through market expansion and may decrease profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a mixed method and comparative case study approach, this paper has analyzed the formulation process of mobility policy strategies and plans and their implementation in four Asian cities. The key findings are: (1) there was some evidence on leadership shown by mayors, governors, public transport administrators and police in all four cities; (2) limited stakeholder engagement in the whole process of policy formation to implementation and some forms of donor influence were observed in three capital cities that resulted in follow-up projects or studies; and (3) the implementation of policies and plans faced many challenges relating to leadership, resources, prioritization, and coordination among various organizations. There was much focus on the formulation of mobility policies and plans and the users could not feel a meaningful improvement to urban mobility services despite the implementation of large urban mobility projects. A comprehensive evaluation framework is proposed and used to evaluate the whole process of improving urban mobility from policy formulation to implementation. There seems to be much preference for large urban transit projects vis-à-vis infrastructure for active mobility and low-cost solutions. The research also indicates the need for meaningful public engagement so that the mobility plans take a citizen-centric approach that reflects the needs of the urban residents, rather than taking a modernistic approach with solutions more suitable for middle-income groups. Delays in the implementation of major projects also suggest that more realistic planning, scheduling, and improvement in project management and coordination is necessary. • Reviews and assesses the whole process of mobility polices and plans in Asian cities. • There was some evidence of leadership shown by mayors, governors, public transport administrators and police. • Limited stakeholder engagement in the process of policy formation to implementation and some donor influence observed. • There was much focus on the formulation of mobility polices and plans and without much improvement to mobility services. • A comprehensive evaluation framework is proposed to evaluate mobility polices and plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to study whether politicians manipulate tax policy to extract private rents. We focus on the local personal income tax in the setting of Italian cities, which is a progressive instrument that allows mayors to set different rates to distinct wage groups. We exploit discontinuities in mayors' salaries, that are based on population thresholds, to study whether mayors apply lower rates to their own tax bracket, thereby distorting tax policy. The main results document large rent-seeking activity in tax policy. First, we show that when mayors's salary is exogenously located in the following tax bracket it receives a significantly lower tax rate than the previous one, compared to the control group. Second, we show that this rent-seeking activity is highly detrimental for the public treasury, with a considerable reduction in fiscal revenues. And finally, we document that the individual gain for rent-seeker politicians is rather limited and that there is no evidence of voters' punishment in the next elections. These results suggest that when tax policy is prone to be manipulated politicians do not hesitate to engage in rent-seeking activities even in case of little returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freedom of Information (FOI) is considered a crown jewel of reforms fostering public administration transparency and accountability. However, FOI's symbolic power alone cannot overcome the organizational barriers and obstacles to its effective implementation. This paper presents the results of a field experiment performed in Italy, a late FOI adopter, where an FOI request was sent to the 307 municipalities with more than 30k inhabitants. The experimental design exploits marginal wording variation in the requests to test whether municipalities discriminate between ordinary citizens and high-profile requesters. The experimental evidence suggests that most Italian municipalities reply to FOI requests. The results show two opposite types of discretionary bias: Northern municipalities tend to favor high-profile requesters, whereas Southern municipalities tend to respond to them with a higher degree of attrition. The study investigates the determinants of this difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research progress of observation-based ozone formation sensitivity is reviewed. • Threshold values for Photochemical Indicator methods need to be localized. • Reaction mechanisms and monitoring capability need to be improved for OBM. • Ozone formation sensitivity in China presents the gradual shifting tendency. • Dynamic regulation capability for ozone pollution control needs to be built. Observation-based method for O 3 formation sensitivity research is an important tool to analyze the causes of ground-level O 3 pollution, which has broad application potentials in determining the O 3 pollution formation mechanism and developing prevention and control strategies. This paper outlined the development history of research on O 3 formation sensitivity based on observational methods, described the principle and applicability of the methodology, summarized the relative application results in China and provided recommendations on the prevention and control of O 3 pollution in China based on relevant study results, and finally pointed out the shortcomings and future development prospects in this field in China. The overview study showed that the O 3 formation sensitivity in some urban areas in China in recent years presented a gradual shifting tendency from the VOC-limited regime to the transition regime or the NO x -limited regime due to the implementation of the O 3 precursors emission reduction policies; O 3 pollution control strategies and precursor control countermeasures should be formulated based on local conditions and the dynamic control capability of O 3 pollution control measures should be improved. There are still some current deficiencies in the study field in China. Therefore, it is recommended that a stereoscopic monitoring network for atmospheric photochemical components should be further constructed and improved; the atmospheric chemical mechanisms should be vigorously developed, and standardized methods for determining the O 3 formation sensitivity should be established in China in the near future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Receivers and intermediary establishments typical to urban areas have unique freight behaviour and are understudied, particularly in developing countries. This paper uses establishment-based freight survey data to examine their freight generation patterns in the Chennai metropolitan area, India. Three sets of Simple Linear Regression (SLR) models, three single predictor proportional odds logit models, one multiple linear regression model, and one multiple predictor proportional odds logit model with business size (employment, area, and operational age) and indicators of establishment category as regressors are developed each for both freight production and freight attraction. Partial proportional odds logit models are developed in a few cases to overcome the limitations of proportional odds logit models. The best SLR model varied with the establishment category for freight production and attraction. The establishment area model is the best among single predictor proportional odds logit models. The multiple predictor proportional odds logit models marginally improved the fit over single predictor models. The proportional odds logit model results show that the establishment category has a greater impact on freight generation levels than business size variables. Since earlier studies rarely focused on receivers and intermediary establishments, policymakers may benefit from the developed models and study insights while estimating freight demand and developing freight policies. • Receivers and intermediary establishments' freight generation is studied. • Partial Proportional Odds (PO) logit models are developed for freight attraction. • Area model is the best single predictor PO logit model for freight generation. • Establishment type affects freight generation more than business size variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building footprint information is crucial for comprehending global urban development processes. Deep learning algorithms have shown significant potential in building extraction from high spatial resolution imagery. However, the requirement for large-scale annotated data has been a limitation for applying deep learning methods to city-level or national-level building mapping. The dynamic change and distinct landscape variation of cities in different geographic locations further emphasizes the need for automatic building footprint extraction. In this paper, we propose a Self-supervised Knowledge Transfer (SKTrans) framework for extracting building footprints from unlabeled remote sensing images over large areas. To address building tone differences cross regions and time periods, a tone shift mechanism is introduced to reduce the contrast, brightness, and saturation differences between buildings. Furthermore, considering building style diversity across different cities, a knowledge integration module is proposed to develop a comprehensive depiction including tonal differences, multi-scale variance, structural attributes and semantic confusion between roads and buildings. The effectiveness of SKTrans is demonstrated on three public datasets of WHU, Massachusetts, and Inria. To further evaluate the feasibility of large-scale mapping for automatic building footprint, global generalization experiments cross regions and time periods, which is based on imagery from five countries of different continents were implemented. The comprehensive results demonstrate that SKTrans surpasses existing state-of-the-art methods, supporting the time-series city-level building mapping without labeled dataset. Additionally, the architectural landscape pattern changes can be quantitatively analyzed based on the generalization results to facilitate sustainable urban development. Overall, SKTrans provides a new insight to meet the needs of high-precision label-free building mapping and update from large-scale multi-style remote sensing images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Robust infrastructure is essential to enhance urban productivity and support urban development. • Transportation infrastructure enhances urban productivity by promoting economic agglomeration. • Information infrastructure promotes urban productivity through labor mobility and agglomeration effects. • The promotion effect on urban productivity in eastern regions and megacities is more obvious. • Transportation and information infrastructure have positive spatial spillover effects on urban productivity. Improving total factor productivity is an important driving force for achieving high-quality economic development. Based on the panel data of 256 cities in China from 2009 to 2019, this paper investigates the effect of transportation and information infrastructure on urban productivity. The results show that transportation and information infrastructure promote urban productivity, and the effect in eastern regions and megacities is more obvious. The mechanism analysis shows that transportation infrastructure enhances urban productivity by promoting economic agglomeration, and information infrastructure enhances urban productivity by promoting labor mobility, economic agglomeration, financial agglomeration and industrial agglomeration. The spatial spillover effect shows positive spatial autocorrelation of urban productivity. Transportation and information infrastructure have significant positive spatial spillover effects on urban productivity. China should continue to promote the construction of transportation infrastructure, strengthen investment in information infrastructure, and promote the joint construction, sharing, coordination and integration of transportation and information infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the background, setup, and results of a stated choice experiment investigating the influence of three different intersection based innovations on cyclists' route choice decisions. Next to commonly used route attributes, the following three intersection based innovations were investigated: 'Flo', a bicycle speed advice tool; 'Schwung', a bicycle - traffic light communication tool; and 'BikeScout', an intersection flashing system. The generated stated choice experiment was included in an online questionnaire that was filled out by 608 respondents who evaluated in total 3648 choice tasks. The evaluations were analyzed using a Multinomial Mixed Logit model. The model estimation results show that the commonly used route attributes (travel time, type of bicycle path facility, pavement quality level, motorized traffic speed, bicycle crowdedness, and number of traffic light intersections) have the highest influence on cyclists' route choice decisions. The impact of intersection based innovations on cyclists' route choice decisions is limited. • Most of the respondents indicated that they are not familiar with the included innovations (BikeScout and Flo/Schwung). • Most respondents indicated that they understand the meaning/working of the presented innovations after looking at movie. • Commonly used route attributes have the highest influence on cyclists' route choice decisions. • Impact of intersection related innovations on cyclists' route choice decisions is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newly constructed areas (NCA) are continuously emerging with the development of urbanization, which, however, triggered a series of ecological and environmental issues. Therefore, monitoring NCA is of great significance for sustainable urbanization. Extraction of NCA from remote sensing images involves semantic segmentation of constructed areas and change detection. However, the acquisition of samples for training change detection models is time-consuming. In this study, we proposed a multi-task learning framework including unsupervised change detection and supervised semantic segmentation for NCA extraction. The main contributions of this study are: (1) A deep multivariate alternation detection (DMAD) algorithm was proposed for unsupervised change detection of hyperspectral images. By introducing the optimization objective of Multivariate Alternation Detection (MAD) in the loss functions, the features of changed areas can be extracted more effectively; (2) A multi-task learning framework was proposed for the joint training of DMAD change detection and supervised semantic segmentation, where the two modules were mutually optimized via semantic masks and consistency loss. Based on Orbita Hyperspectral Satellites (OHS) images, we conducted experiments in two cities (Qinzhou and Wuzhou) of Guangxi province. The experimental results indicated that the proposed method can achieve the F1-score better than existing unsupervised change detection methods (e.g., DCCA and DSFA) by an average of 15%, and the OA better than existing semantic segmentation methods (e.g., U-Net and FreeNet) by an average of 1%. The F1-score and Kappa for NCA extraction reached above 0.80 for both study areas. The implementation of this paper will be made available at https://github.com/tulilin/Multitask_NCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

City modeling and generation have attracted an increased interest in various applications, including gaming, urban planning, and autonomous driving. Unlike previous works focused on the generation of single objects or indoor scenes, the huge volumes of spatial data in cities pose a challenge to the generative models. Furthermore, few publicly available 3D real-world city datasets also hinder the development of methods for city generation. In this paper, we first collect over 3,000,000 geo-referenced objects for the cities of New York, Zurich, Tokyo, Berlin, Boston, and several other large cities. Based on this dataset, we propose AETree, a tree-structured auto-encoder neural network, for city generation. Specifically, we first propose a novel Spatial-Geometric Distance (SGD) metric to measure the similarity between building layouts and then construct a binary tree over the raw geometric data of the building based on the SGD metric. Next, we present a tree-structured network whose encoder learns to extract and merge spatial information from the bottom-up iteratively. The resulting global representation is reversely decoded for reconstruction or generation. To address the issue of long-dependency as the level of the tree increases, a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Cell is employed as a basic network element of the proposed AETree. Moreover, we introduce a novel metric, Overlapping Area Ratio (OAR), to quantitatively evaluate the generation results. Experiments on the collected dataset demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms baseline models, such as LayoutTransformer and LayoutVAE, in terms of key metrics. Specifically, the proposed model achieves a Jensen–Shannon Divergence (JSD) of 0.0033, compared to 0.0041 and 0.0061 for LayoutTransformer and LayoutVAE, respectively. Similarly, for the Overall Accuracy Rate (OAR), the proposed model scores 1.66, significantly better than 28.24 and 19.01 for the baseline models Furthermore, the latent features learned by AETree can serve downstream urban planning applications. Project webpage is available at https://ai4ce.github.io/RealCity3D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cyclists' reactions to weather. • During COVID-19, cyclists in transit-oriented cities reacted stronger to weather. • In student cities, the weather elasticity did not change during pandemic. • Results of 2.2 million hourly bicycle count observations from 69 counting stations. Cycling can only unfold its full potential for environmental sustainability, livable cities, and health if people cycle under most seasonal and weather conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people preferred cycling over public transit, in order to avoid infection. This change may also have affected the weather–cycling association: the pandemic mainly attracted new, fair-weather cyclists; and it may have encouraged cyclists to continue cycling, even under less favorable conditions. In this paper, we explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the association between weather and cycling. We analyze data from bicycle counting stations in Germany, combined with city- and hour-specific weather information and a continuous measure of pandemic intensity. The data set contains more than 2.2 million hourly bicycle count observations from 69 counting stations, covering the years 2017–2021. Results from the most transit-oriented cities in the sample, Berlin and Munich suggest that the cycling volume was more dependent on weather conditions at times of high pandemic intensity. This suggests that the pandemic put new people in the saddle, but these additional cyclists were largely fair-weather cyclists who only cycled when the weather was sufficiently nice. For policy, this could set two targets. First, encourage the new pandemic-cyclists to stay on the bike and, second, support them in transitioning into year-round cyclists eventually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeastern Turkey perished by the M w 7.8, Kahramanmaras earthquake on February 6, 2023, at 01:17 UT (04:17 LT). The Kahramanmaras-centered event, hit by the break of the East Anatolian Fault Line, is felt in Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and Cyprus on the border of Turkey. Together with Syria, it causes loss of lives and severe damage in 10 cities. This work is dedicated to the people of the region. The study discusses the causality of anomalies by conducting ionospheric anomaly research via the interpolated TEC map obtained from the CODE according to the coordinates of the epicenter of the earthquake (latitude, longitude). The TEC amplitudes are observed by evolving the time-domain TEC map into the frequency-domain with the Fourier transform. The peaks of the amplitudes allow preliminary information for the anomaly days. For the anomaly, the TEC (TECU) boundaries are drawn by the statistical specification. The TEC map outside these boundaries is marked as an anomaly. The causality of abnormalities is tried to be read through the triad of the geomagnetic storm(s) , solar activity , and the earthquake effect. One can find seven anomaly days in the paper. January 30, February 2, 3, 11, 15, 16, and 21 are the anomaly days. The essay probably detects the anomaly before 3 days related to the Southeastern earthquake. • Reads the causality of the earthquake in southeast Turkey (Mw 7.8), through the ionosphere-earth crust relationship. • Notices potential anomalies by presenting the time-domain TEC atlas in the frequency domain with Fourier spectral analysis. • Considering all possible TEC anomaly essentials detect the precursors of the earthquake 3 days before the event day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobility as a service (MaaS) is an emerging framework that integrates multiple transport services into a single and intuitive platform. This paper contrasts the urban passenger transport markets in developed versus developing economies to understand the challenges of integrating mobility services using the MaaS framework, with a focus on decarbonization and sustainability as societal goals. In addition, we conducted a Life Cycle Assessment of carbon emissions and energy requirements of travel alternatives in the city of Santiago, Chile, to shed light on the effects of multimodality as an environmental tool. A summary of findings follows. Data sharing and open data are new in developing countries, and thus more investment in data infrastructure is required so that MaaS can leverage digital technology and network optimization. If the scalability of MaaS is an open question in developed countries, it is more so in developing countries, owning to institutional and financial constraints that are present in the latter. The lack of public subsidies to support formal public transport is a key limitation for the implementation of MaaS schemes and multimodal frameworks in the developing world. Regarding formality, in countries with an informal public transport sector, a potential implementation of MaaS will be spatially constrained to those locations where public transport operates formally and frequently (BRT and rail lines), limiting its spatial coverage and posing social equity issues. In countries with scarce or no public funds available for the transport sector, MaaS could be used as a catalyst for a broad environmental and equity-seeking transport pricing reform which requires a direct involvement of public sector in both regulation and financial backing. We conclude that the formalization and general improvement of the public transport sector, the regulation of shared-mobility platforms including the formalization of the work of drivers, and the setting of proper pricing and subsidization instruments in the direction of internalizing the social costs of motorized traffic, are all prerequisites for any MaaS system that aims to improve economic efficiency, social equity, and sustainability. • Assess MaaS as a framework for decarbonization in developing world. • Discuss governance and equity issues in implementing MaaS. • Identify carbon policy for different cities to achieve sustainability. • Conduct a life cycle assessment to inform carbon strategies. • Scalability is a key challenge in both developing and developed worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The swift urbanization and ensuing challenges in global cities require a transition towards "intelligent" urban management. This change is motivated by the necessity to enrich the quality of life, tackling crucial issues such as transportation. How can municipal authorities effectively utilize smart city principles and technologies to enhance efficiency and sustainability in urban living? This query plays a vital role in steering urban policies and city governance towards a more sustainable and intelligent future. The paper suggests a survey-based research perspective unprecedented on "disruptive" transportation, offering a longitudinal examination (2010–2023) of cross-national comparison (ITA-UK) using a relatively large sample (No. 450 total) and divided into No.150 –UK 2023, No.150 –ITA 2023, and No. 150 Italy 2010 respectively. The sample base considers the two Capitals (London and Rome) for diversity, population size, and ongoing projects related to "smart" urban developed. Intending to offer a valuable analytical tool for policymakers, scholars, managers, and professionals, the paper primarily explores the evolutionary progression of sustainability concepts inherent in the smart city paradigm and their fusion with transportation; after the cross-national comparison is essential for highlighting mindset disparities that influence future planning endeavors for future urban transportation sector. The key findings revolve around cultural, ideological, ownership disparities and individualistic tendencies that contribute to a resistance to change. The empirical analysis demonstrates an advancement for Italy compared to previous years, but still cautious particularly concerning the adoption of shared mobility alternatives, which also presents a viable solution for increasing the adoption of electric vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Granada Basin (Spain) is a Neogene sedimentary depression with irregular geomorphology and deep depocenters. It is located in the most seismically hazardous part of the Iberian Peninsula with an historically experienced extremely destructive earthquakes, followed by periods of low to moderate seismicity. In 1980s the Chevron Oil Company collected a set of 30 deep seismic reflection sections in this Basin of which only the results on paper are kept. Due to the fact that many of these seismic profiles are currently located in urban areas and the economic cost of carrying out a similar exploration, it was decided to recover these old data and apply a post-stack treatment to improve their quality. The purpose of this study is to show the applied reprocessing flow and, with the new sections, to present a spatial model of the basin. The first stage of recovery and enhacement of seismic sections has consisted in three phases: first, high-resolution scanning of paper copies to TIFF images followed by the transformation of TIFF images to SEG-Y format; second, poststack processing workflow to increasing resolution and lateral coherence of these seismic lines; and third, it has been used a machine learning algorithm, among others, increasing the spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and coherence of the seismic signals. In addition, basement horizons, as well as three sedimentary sequences, were identified in all seismic sections and interpolated to create a three-dimensional basement model composed by normal faults, horst and grabens related to the seismotectonic behavior of the basin. As an overall assessment, this work is an example of the usefulness of 'recycling' legacy seismic data, which nowadays are usually in archived boxes, but at the time required a great economic and acquisition effort. [Display omitted] • Reprocessing of old seismic sections using Machine Learning within the workflow processing. • Updating basement model from reprocessing legacy seismic sections. • The velocity model has been updated to show changes in depocenters depth, such as Cubillas, 300 m deeper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a study of the behaviour of already debt-ridden local governments in response to the Made in China 2025 policy, this paper explores whether local governments prioritized State interests over local interests, when their financial involvement was required. Deploying a panel data analysis for more than 280 prefectural-level cities, this paper finds that, despite having been subject to an "Administrative Subcontract" arrangement under which the Central Government appoints top local officials, local economic/debt interests were prioritized over national policy implementation under fiscal decentralization. Instead of promoting infrastructure development, the Made in China 2025 policy provided an opportunity for local governments to raise capital via Local Government Financing Vehicles (LGFV) primarily for debt refinancing, despite the State's numerous attempts to control the growth of local government/LGFV debt. Some policy implications concerning i) the effectiveness of national policy implementation on local levels under "Administrative Subcontract" and ii) the debt situations of prefectural-level Chinese cities and their effects on China's economy in general are then discussed. • National policy required local government investment under fiscal decentralization. • Local leadership faced with dilemma between career prospects and mounting debt. • Prefectural-level cities prioritized local interests over State interests. • The Made in China 2025 policy triggered further accumulation of local debt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial reform serves as a crucial measure for implementing structural reforms in the supply side of finance, with the aim of improving the financial system and financial services. Undoubtedly, it can enhance the competitiveness and sustainable development capabilities of cities. However, little is known about whether and how the financial reform pilots (FRPs) implemented in China since 2012 have affected urban resilience. Therefore, this paper treats FRPs as a quasi-natural experiment and uses the DID model to investigate the impact of financial reforms on urban resilience. Subsequently, heterogeneity effects, transmission mechanisms, spatial spillover effects and superimposed policy effects are also further discussed. Empirical results demonstrate that: (1) FRPs can enhance urban resilience and this fact has been confirmed by various robustness tests. (2) Regarding sub-resilience, FRPs can substantially improve economic, social, and infrastructure resilience without any obvious effect on ecological resilience. (3) Technological innovation and industrial agglomeration are vital channels through which FRPs affect urban resilience; and the resilience-enhancing effects of FRPs are more prominent in core cities, cities with advanced development of internet finance, and higher levels of marketization. (4) FRPs exhibit positive spatial spillover effects and enhance the resilience of surrounding cities. Meanwhile, FRPs and broadband China pilots (BCPs) have a positive cumulative effect on improving urban resilience. Overall, this paper illuminates the importance of financial reform in fostering urban resilience, and provides valuable recommendations for financial reform and the development of resilient cities. • FRPs can significantly enhance urban resilience. • FRPs have differential impacts on sub-resilience. • Technological innovation and industrial agglomeration are vital impact channels. • The effectiveness of FRP policies is related to urban characteristics. • FRPs exhibit positive spatial spillover effects and superimposed effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the response of Athens, Greece, to the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to its un(der)documented immigrant populations. It argues that both the national and local levels of governance exhibited a "paradigmatic pragmatism" in their approach to the crisis. The study employs an interpretivist lens and utilises qualitative in-depth interviews and document reviews. By examining Athens as a case study, the paper highlights the significance of the urban scale in migration policies, emphasising the role of governance models, past migration experiences, and civil society. The development of a parallel vaccination program for un(der)documented immigrants is examined as a notable example of the pragmatism of both governance levels and local citizenship practice. The study aims to contribute to the understanding of local-level immigrant policies and the role of cities in the context of citizenship politics. By drawing lessons from major crises like the pandemic, it aims to inform the development of more inclusive migrant policies and effective governance structures while promoting new perspectives on membership, such as local citizenship. • Analysing Athens' pandemic response for local-level immigrant policy insights. • The vaccination program for the un(der)documented as an exemplification of local citizenship • Athens' case reveals the significance of the urban scale in migration policies. • Governance models, local experiences and civil society shaped Athens' response. • Both national and local levels showcased a 'paradigmatic pragmatist' attitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent and mechanisms of the influence of cultural factors on China's population flow have yet to be fully revealed compared to the influence of other factors, such as the level of socioeconomic development. From a network perspective, this paper examines the influence of cultural ties represented by dialect similarity on the tie formation and strength of China's population flow networks. The results are as follows: during the Spring Festival travel rush, dialect similarity increases the probability of tie formation but doesn't influence the strength of ties in China's population flow networks in 2019; however, dialect similarity hinders the tie formation and the increase in the flow intensity in the change of China's population flow networks from 2019 to 2022. During the daily period, more similar dialects between the two cities increase the likelihood of forming network ties and exhibiting stronger levels of population flow in 2019; dialect similarity significantly facilitates tie formation, but it does not affect the flow intensity in the change of China's population flow networks from 2019 to 2022. The results reveal the different influencing effects of dialect similarity in different periods, which is important for revealing the influence mechanism of cultural ties on population flow. • This paper examines the influence of cultural ties on the population flow networks in China in 2019–2022. • The dialect similarity represents the cultural ties. • Binary and valued exponential random graph model (ERGM) and stochastic actor-oriented model (SAOM) are applied. • Cultural ties have different influences on the population flow networks and their changes during different periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to previous studies by using provincial data, this paper employs city-level data from 260 prefecture-level cities in China between 2011 and 2020 to explore the underlying mechanism of how digital inclusive finance promotes the realisation of common prosperity in China. In addition, this paper incorporates financial deepening theory, financial exclusion theory, long tail theory, digital divide theory and technology driven theory to examine the proposed research questions. Through system-GMM and IV estimation, the results show that common prosperity is composed of development, sharing and sustainability. The high level of the weight of the first-level indicators for development and sharing reflects the importance of "prosperity" and "sharing" in common prosperity. Digital inclusive finance plays a significant role in promoting the development of urban common prosperity, with a more pronounced effect in the Eastern cities when compared to the Central and Western cities. In addition, digital inclusive finance is found to promote urban common prosperity by overcoming the digital divide and by improving the activity of urban innovation and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the degree of marketisation is suggested to exert a positive role in regulating the impact of digital inclusive finance on common prosperity. • Common prosperity is composed of development, sharing and sustainability. • Digital inclusive finance plays a significant role in promoting the development of urban common prosperity. • Digital inclusive finance is found to facilitate regional entrepreneurial vitality and, consequently promote urban common prosperity by overcoming the digital divide and by improving the activity of urban innovation and entrepreneurship. • The degree of marketisation is suggested to exert a positive role in regulating the impact of digital inclusive finance on common prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban morphology and spatial forms shape a city's character and user behavior, often embracing a particular type of people and unwelcoming other kinds of gender. City design policies and legislation have favored men since its beginning, affecting overall urban planning and design. While the world is delving into new techniques and methods to empower women, constraints in public space activities remain prevalent. This paper explores the scope of urban design strategies to catalyze women's social and physical inclusion in these spaces. It presents a systematic approach to identifying women's social roles during the use of public spaces and introduces the 'GenUrban: Shaping Cities for All Genders' framework to guide researchers and designers alike promote inclusive urban design and planning. The investigation, in the central area of Hong Kong, focuses on the cultural landscape created by the women-centric 'Foreign Domestic Helpers' community. A desktop literature review, direct observation of public spaces, and in-depth interviews with a focus group of women in the city's heart established and mapped the marginalized users' collective viewpoint and their appropriation of space. The framework can be used by professionals to transform urban spaces through a gender lens to improve the overall quality of public spaces and make them more inclusive and accessible. The paper generates gender-sensitive urban design principles that can be translated for planners to use for various user groups and contexts. When women become key drivers in activating public space, they are given back their right to the city. • Women's traveling patterns are frequent due to their caregiving responsibilities. • The unique cultural landscape of a city creates gender-centered activities. • Integrating gender-specific features ensures urban spaces cater to women's needs. • Reliable public transport is vital for women's mobility and engagement in city life. • A city catering to women tends to accommodate those they care for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how local industrial structure changes after bureaucratic transfers across Chinese cities. Utilizing firm-level data within the manufacturing sector, we show a positive and significant effect of transferred local leaders on the industrial similarity between cities connected by them, and this response arises 3 years after the transfers. However, when transferring between cities with notable disparities in resource endowments, local leaders induce diminished industrial similarity among connected cities. Our mechanism analyses then find that, after transferred leaders arrive, new superstar firms are more likely to be attracted to their current jurisdictions and new industries in which their previous jurisdictions have already superstar firms tend to be developed in the current jurisdictions, thus making the industrial structure between the connected cities more similar. Furthermore, we find that transferred local leaders contribute to the synchronization of regional economic growth through facilitating the diffusion of productive capabilities across cities. • This paper examines how local industrial structure changes after bureaucratic transfers across Chinese cities. • Transferred local leaders contributes to a convergence of the industrial structure between the connected cities. • Superstar firms who follow local leaders' movements contribute to the increase of the industrial similarity between connected cities. • Transferred local leaders contribute to the synchronization of regional economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contends that the covid-19 pandemic has reconfigured how cities manage urban marginality within Zimbabwe. The pandemic enabled cities to push everyday mundane practices away from the centre of the city to the margins of the cities through securitisation and criminalising informal activities within the centre. The paper's methodological underpinnings are hinged on a six month ethnography within Bulawayo (Zimbabwe's second largest city). The paper maintains the view that managing urban marginality in the context of covid-19 must be framed within the binary of two opposing forces – governing institutions (the government and municipality) and the low-income residents. Using covid-19 as a pretext of "curbing the pandemic" governing institutions have pushed informal economic activities from the centre through employing law and force; on the other hand low-income residents have found eclectic means to counteract the measures imposed to constrain their agency. Finally, the paper suggests that covid-19 has reconfigured how cities manage urban marginality through pushing everyday informal practices to the periphery and how the low-income residents deploy their agency to counteract confinement hence managing urban marginality can be understood as a two-way process involving governing institutions and the low-income residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an urbanized world, the challenges posed by climate change need to be met through innovative planning for cities and regions. Urban resilience demands that cities adopt new models centered on carbon neutrality, ecosystem services and biodiversity enhancement, circularity, and social inclusion. In light of the multiple interdependencies of metropolitan systems and the natural and territorial potentialities present on their fringes, this paper discusses the metropolitan fringes as strategic for urban resilience and sustainable transitions. By combining a mixed-method analysis of adaptation and urban plans with semi-structured interviews performed with key technicians, the analysis is focused on an inter-municipal fringe zone within the Barcelona Metropolitan Area - the Besòs territory. Aiming to contribute to the discussions related to Territorial innovation for cities and regions, the paper offers a multi-scale perspective and illustrates innovative urban transformation strategies across scales. The results highlight that governance and multiple planning and participation instances together with technical and financial support are essential for consensus building in an incremental process. Furthermore, the planning strategies of the case study sought to integrate and enhance the green and blue infrastructures and transform consolidated urban areas with a focus on energy transition, sustainable mobility, circularity, and social inclusion. In conclusion, it is argued that resilience has a multi-scalar perspective within the metropolitan context and should be integrated with planning policies at different scales from a coordinated vision. Although adaptation and urban projects have a critical local element, a broader and more strategic vision is necessary, especially in metropolitan fringe areas. • Although adaptation and resilience have an essential local element, a broader and more strategic vision is necessary. • Metropolitan planning and governance towards urban resilience must have a multi-scalar perspective. • Metropolitan fringes are key to urban resilience and sustainable transitions due to their environmental and urban attributes. • A coordinated metropolitan vision with technical and financial support is vital for sustainable urban transitions in fringe areas. • The intermediate scale is critical since it represents a bridge between supra-municipal instances and municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenges to social, economic, and environmental sustainability are global in scale, yet sustainable development policies must be implemented locally. There has been a tendency for sustainable urbanism projects to engage in the conspicuous sustainability of spatially bounded and highly visible sustainability achievements, rather than spatially expansive, long-term achievements. China's complex system of multilevel governance encourages policy experimentation, but it is also frequently productive of entrepreneurial urbanism and intercity competition. This paper analyses spatial planning documents concerning Hengqin (Zhuhai Municipality, Guangdong Province), an island adjacent to Macao SAR, to show how the ambitions for a new-build district's contributions to sustainable development have become more spatially expansive and ambitious over time. This has occurred alongside changes in project leadership (from city, to provincial, to central government leadership) as well as a deepening awareness of the Greater Bay Area as a region for crossborder policymaking. The paper argues that crossborder perspectives are vital for genuine sustainable development but face certain obstacles in relation to the sites at which policy decisions are made. • Policymakers often prefer conspicuous sustainability to long-term achievements. • Innovative urban entrepreneurialism is common in China's multilevel governance. • Hengqin's spatial planning initially prioritised immediate, localised results. • Centralised leadership and regional awareness can raise sustainability ambitions. • Crossborder perspectives better reflect sustainable development needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents dynamic air-based models of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collector. The models are developed with the aim of estimating the temperature of the collector components and therefore of estimating the annual generation of electrical energy and thermal energy outputs, by using actual climate data of six different cities based on Köppen-Geiger-Photovoltaic (KGPV) climate zones. The results show that the unglazed type collector has the best PV cooling while the dual channel collector has the best air heating among air-based PVT collectors. The results also indicate that the use of additional fluid enhances both electrical and thermal performance. The dynamic models are validated by comparison with results found in the literature. The paper also discusses a novel bi-fluid PVT system combined with a storage tank and an H-infinity based robust controller that can handle uncertainties. The results of the bi-fluid system show that the fraction of energy demand covered by the system is highly dependent on climate conditions and the collector's surface area. It was found that for a small-scale house (standard for four people), the proposed system can cover more than 70% annual domestic hot water demand for cities with high solar irradiance and 32% for a city with low solar irradiance. • Estimating annual generation of electrical and thermal energy outputs of PVTs for various climate zones. • A new design of a bi-fluid PVT system which incorporates a storage tank as well as a robust controller. • Consistency of the dynamic models has been validated by comparison to results found in literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the domain of global socio-economic dynamics, the pivotal role of food production (FP) cannot be overstated. It constitutes the bedrock of fundamental human necessities while being inexorably linked with critical aspects such as economic expansion, societal equilibrium, and geopolitical interplays. The multifaceted nature of FP appears through its direct impact on macroeconomic indicators and its latent influence on international relations and policy-making. This critical nexus underscores the imperative for a comprehensive understanding and strategic management of food production processes to sustain and enhance global socio-economic stability and growth. Investigating the nexus between green finance (GF) and FP is pivotal for ensuring national security and promoting sustainable economic development. This research thus paper examines GF's impact on FP in China as outlined in the 2017 green finance policies. It employs the difference-in-differences (DID) method and analyzes a balanced panel dataset comprising 282 cities in China from 2009 to 2020. The results show that GF has an inhibitory effect on FP, and this remains valid after a range of reliability checks, including parallel trend assessments and placebo tests. Further findings of transmission mechanism analysis indicate that non-agricultural factors and financial exclusion are critical for GF's inhibitory effect on FP. Heterogeneity analyses show that GF's inhibitory effect on FP is more pronounced in the main food-producing areas, the main food-marketing areas, and cities with better infrastructure. The empirical results of this paper comprehensively illustrate GF's impact on FP and how it contributes to the achievement of food security objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the empirical correlations between inter-city population distribution, intra-city urban economic structures, and networked inter-city relationships to propose a conceptual classification framework for the Australian urban system. This paper sets the pre-COVID-19 benchmark for future research which will investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the economic geography of the Australian urban system. This research confirms that the form of Australia's urban structure is informed by a combination of population distribution, economic concentration, specialisation and diversity of industries and occupations, and networks between cities. Based on these results, we propose an urban structure framework characterised by hierarchical sub-systems and typologies of cities. The framework consists of standalone regional centres and larger cities which form a networked megaregion. Additionally, we propose five typologies of cities based on their functional roles. The Australian urban system presents a unique hybrid economic geography where its structure of networked megaregions of cities and standalone regional centres each with its complementary functional roles, presents itself an interesting case study to inform population policies for other geographies. • This study proposes a method to synthesise city size, economic structure and their networked relationships. • Principles of economic agglomeration mostly apply within the Australian context however, there are nuances and exceptions. • Proximity has a role to play when determining the economic roles of cities and the strength of interactions between cities. • Two urban sub-systems exist in Australia: standalone regional centres and megaregions. • Five city types in Australia which considers their size, economic structure and geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an in-depth analysis of urbanization dynamics on the Tibetan Plateau through the lens of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), addressing a research gap in the understanding of urbanism in highland and global south contexts. Given the current surge of assembly-based thinking within urban scholarship, we employ an assemblage framework to comprehend the heterogeneous constitution of urbanization, integrating human and non-human components, as well as socio-material, political, and spatial governances. Through a meticulous examination of three comprehensive case studies from the Tibetan Plateau SEZs, including a state-led new town, a renewable energy-driven industrial zone, and an industrial enclave, we delineate the diverse forms of plateau urbanism. Our findings underscore the imperative for contextually tailored urban development strategies that consider the distinctive geographical, ecological, and socio-political conditions of the Tibetan Plateau. It emphasizes the need for adaptive governance and planning that can address infrastructure deficiencies, environmental constraints, and the integration of local communities. Furthermore, we also call for further exploration of urbanisms in other highland regions, advocating for a more longitudinal, crosswise and nuanced understanding of urbanization processes in various global contexts. • Plateau urbanism as an assemblage of diverse plateau material and immaterial urbanization forces. • We aim to explore the interactions of various actors, diverse dynamics of spatial logics, and multifaceted spatial modes that underlie the ongoing territorial transformation of the plateau cities. • We pioneeringly applies assemblage thinking to conceptualize and empirically investigate plateau urbanism on China's Tibetan Plateau. • The study presents a comprehensive examination of three distinct Special Economic Zones (SEZs) on the Tibetan Plateau. • The paper advocates for a more inclusive and nuanced approach to urbanization processes in the lens of assemblage thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, urban shrinkage, as one of the phenomena revealed in the process of new urbanisation development in China, has gradually attracted the attention of many scholars. To address the question of whether urban shrinkage has an impact on the level of local basic public services supply, this paper uses panel data from 298 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2018 to empirically analyse the impact of urban shrinkage on the level of basic public services supply by dividing shrinking cities into different regions and dividing basic public services into different dimensions. The results show that the impact of urban shrinkage on the supply level of basic public services is an 'inverted U-shaped' non-linear process that first promotes and then inhibits the level of basic public services supply; the impact of urban shrinkage on various dimensions of the level of basic public services supply varies, and generally shows a positive and then negative trend. Regarding regional heterogeneity, urban shrinkage has a more significant negative impact on the central region's basic public services supply level, followed by the western region and, to a lesser extent, the northeastern region. Therefore, local governments should make Smart Shrinkage according to local conditions, improve the basic public services supply system to enhance residents' happiness and satisfaction, introduce corresponding policies for the introduction of talents and focus on employee training and education activities to achieve the goal of equalising of basic public services supply in China. This research could also provide identification methods and improvement measures for other countries and regions just beginning to face the shrinking problem, especially those with high population densities and tight urban connectivity, such as China's cities. • Urban shrinkage, as one of the phenomena revealed in the process of new urbanisation development in China, has gradually attracted the attention of many scholars. To address the question of whether urban shrinkage has an impact on the level of local basic public services supply, this paper uses panel data from 298 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2018 to empirically analyse the impact of urban shrinkage on the level of basic public services supply by dividing shrinking cities into different regions and dividing basic public services into different dimensions. • This research could also provide identification methods and improvement measures for other countries and regions just beginning to face the shrinking problem, especially those with high population densities and tight urban connectivity, such as China's cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, Demand-Responsive Transport companies can help the elderly or disabled citizens in their everyday journeys as well as provide an important link between big cities and their outer suburbs. In practice, many of those trips are scheduled in advance but many others are asked on the fly (online) by the users while the drivers are already on their routes. To answer those online requests, dispatching centers often rely on fast heuristics based on some myopic objectives. However, this deteriorates the flexibility of the dispatch over time. This paper shows the potential of a thorough optimization of the planning of the vehicles at the start of the day under the hypothesis that the transport company is able to forecast the requests that will arrive during the service. Our objective is to design an initial set of routes for the vehicles that maximizes the expected acceptance rate of future requests, since the ones scheduled in-advance are mandatory. In this prospect, we propose a Combinatorial Benders Decomposition framework to solve the so-called Stochastic Dial-a-Ride Problem. A key ingredient for the success of this solver is the use of a clustering-based initialization of the Master Problem. The computational results show the effectiveness of this approach when applied to instances extracted from the literature as well as from actual services provided by Padam Mobility, an international company in Shared Mobility Systems. The proposed method provides a substantial performance gain though traditional heuristics are kept to manage online insertions afterward. • First paper with a complete model for the static Stochastic Dial-a-Ride Problem. • A Combinatorial Benders Decomposition approach is tested on real-world instances. • We show the impact of an efficient initial set of inequalities in the Master Problem. • We introduce a procedure based on hierarchical clustering to build this initial set. • We propose to assign a probability of appearance for each uncertain travel request. • We show how the performance of such an algorithm relies on the prediction quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key component of designing sustainable, enriching, and inclusive cities is public participation. The soundscape is an integral part of an immersive environment in cities, and it should be considered as a resource that creates the acoustic image for an urban environment. For urban planning professionals, this requires an understanding of the constituents of citizens' emergent soundscape experience. The goal of this study is to present a systematic method for analyzing crowdsensed soundscape data with unsupervised machine learning methods. This study applies a crowdsensed sound- scape experience data collection method with low threshold for participation. The aim is to analyze the data using unsupervised machine learning methods to give insights into soundscape perception and quality. For this purpose, qualitative and raw audio data were collected from 111 participants in Helsinki, Finland, and then clustered and further analyzed. We conclude that a machine learning analysis combined with accessible, mobile crowdsensing methods enable results that can be applied to track hidden experiential phenomena in the urban soundscape. [Display omitted] • The goal of this paper is to present a systematic method for analyzing crowdsensed soundscape data with unsupervised machine learning methods • Mobile crowdsensing methods for data collection and machine learning analysis enabled a method which could be applied to tracking hidden experiential phenomena from urban soundscape. • The end-to-end method presented in this paper opens possibilities to efficiently and smartly study soundscapes in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To attain China's target of carbon neutrality by 2060, the implementation of the Energy Consumption Trading (ECT) system serves as an effective approach to improve energy efficiency and mitigate CO 2 emissions. Nevertheless, it is crucial to consider not only the importance of carbon reduction effect caused by ECT system but also the associated cost. Therefore, this paper applies the spatial difference-in-differences (SDID) model to assess the direct and spillover impacts of the ECT policy on the carbon abatement cost, which is measured by shadow price of CO 2 emissions and calculated using SBM-DEA model. Panel data encompassing 279 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2019 are employed for analysis, with additional insights provided through heterogeneity and mechanism analyses. The results show that ECT policy increases the local carbon abatement cost in pilot cities but decreases the cost of surrounding cities. Meanwhile, such a declination effect in neighboring cities with a spatial attenuation boundary of 1000 km. The heterogeneity analysis suggests that the implementation of ECT policy leads to an increase in the carbon abatement cost in cities located in non-Eastern Coastal regions, cities with abundant natural resources and cities with small populations. The mechanism analysis indicates that the ECT policy implementation facilitates the improvement of green technology in the neighboring cities of the pilot project, consequently lowering the carbon abatement cost. Besides, this policy also results in a decrease in the carbon intensity of the pilot cities. Owing to the U-shaped association between carbon intensity and the carbon abatement cost, the policy implementation stimulates an increase in the cost within the pilot cities. • This paper estimates the carbon abatement cost (MAC) using SBM-DEA method. • The SDID model is used to investigate the impacts of ECT policy on carbon MAC. • We test whether green technology and carbon intensity are mediating variables. • ECT policy increases the carbon MAC in pilot cities through carbon intensity. • ECT policy lowers the carbon MAC of adjacent cities through the green technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]