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Blue Carbon is increasingly popular worldwide, and it also belongs to circular economy field which would last a long period in academy. To further understand the development and characteristics of Blue Carbon, this study uses CiteSpace software to perform quantitative analysis on literature published on Web of Science and Chinese CNKI database with the main topic of "Blue Carbon." The results show that: (1) Since 2009, increasing attention has been paid to Blue Carbon research, among which the United States, Australia and China are the leading countries. (2) Keywords such as "Blue Carbon," "mangrove," "carbon sequestration" and "carbon neutrality" are the high-frequency keywords appearing both in China and the World in recent years. (3) Spartina alterniflora, soil organic carbon, livestock, trophic cascade, biodiversity and seagrass ecosystem clustering are hot topics related to international Blue Carbon research, while organic carbon, seagrass-conservation, methodology, sustainable development, climate change, carbon neutralization, coastal zone and carbon storage are hot topics related to Chinese Blue Carbon research. In addition, based on the research trends of Blue Carbon, this paper attempts to sort out the research framework from three levels: core characteristics, theoretical basis and research methods, respectively. Facing a series of challenges brought by climate change, Blue Carbon research should strengthen the accurate estimations of Blue Carbon sink and its market potential, and explore the reasonable market mechanism and protection mechanism, to respond to realistic demands, solve major concerns and promote new progress in Blue Carbon theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has become a critical global issue and challenge, with significant implications for financial enterprises as an integral part of economic activities. A thorough analysis of the impact of climate change on the high-quality development of financial enterprises is of great importance for financial sustainability. This paper first conducts an indepth mathematical analysis of the intrinsic mechanisms through which climate change affects the high-quality development of financial enterprises by establishing a game theory model. Secondly, using data from listed companies for the years 2000-2020, an econometric model is constructed to empirically examine the relationship between climate change and the high-quality development of financial enterprises. The research findings demonstrate that climate change significantly inhibits the highquality development of financial enterprises, as evidenced by robust results obtained through various methods such as data truncation, variable substitution, and changes in sample periods. Furthermore, this study addresses the endogeneity of the regression model using propensity score matching (PSM), instrumental variable methods, and system generalized method of moments (GMM). Additionally, climate change impacts the high-quality development of financial enterprises through technological innovation. Given the backdrop of climate change, understanding the relationship and logic between climate change and the high-quality development of financial enterprises and discerning the channels and mechanisms through which climate change affects their development are crucial. This research provides a new perspective and expands the research frontier on the high-quality development of financial enterprises, enriching the theoretical foundations in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global warming trend has resulted in the mass loss of most glaciers. The Urumqi Vally, located in the dry and cold zone of China, and its widely dispersed glaciers are significant to the regional ecological environment, oasis economic development, and industrial and agricultural production. This is representative of glaciers in Middle Asia and represents one of the world's longest observed time series of glaciers, beginning in 1959. The Urumqi Headwater Glacier No. 1 (UHG-1) has a dominant presence in the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS). This paper supplies a comprehensive analysis of past studies and future modeling of glacier changes in the Urumqi Valley. It has received insufficient attention in the past, and the mass balance of UHG-1 was used to verify that the geodetic results and the OGGM model simulation results are convincing. The main conclusions are: The area of 48.68 ± 4.59 km2 delineated by 150 glaciers in 1958 decreased to 21.61 ± 0.27 km2 delineated by 108 glaciers in 2022, with a reduction of 0.47 ± 0.04 km2·a−1 (0.96% a−1 in 1958–2022). The glacier mass balance by geodesy is −0.69 ± 0.11 m w.e.a−1 in 2000–2022, which is just deviating from the measured result (−0.66 m w.e.a−1), but the geodetic result in this paper can be enough to reflect the glacier changes (−0.65 ± 0.11 m w.e.a−1) of the URB in 2000–2022. The future loss rate of area and volume will undergo a rapid and then decelerating process, with the fastest and slowest inflection points occurring around 2035 and 2070, respectively. High temperatures and large precipitation in summer accelerate glacier loss, and the corresponding lag period of glacier change to climate is about 2–3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is very significant project owing to its development in Pakistan and China. It is evident that this project is promoting sustainable development in both countries in many ways. The objective of this research paper is to study about the sustainability of CPEC in adopting the environment related initiatives. It has been argued that CPEC is a difference maker in terms of improving infrastructure, protecting environment and boosting of the trade between Beijing and Islamabad. That is why, both nations have adopted multi-dimensional initiatives to save the environment. However, there is need to improve this process. Still there are many environmental challenges to this significant project. Considering the development under this project both Pakistan and China aspire to engage in clean energy cooperation to ensure sustainable environment. Both countries need to formulate guidelines and protocols for a green investment project roadmap to address the challenges of sustainable environment which are still missing at the policy level. By employing qualitative methods based on research material from secondary sources, this research aims to study the initiatives taken by Pakistan to make CPEC an ecofriendly and environmentally sustainable project. This is evident that CPEC project experience moderate but short term environment challenges due major infrastructure reforms. Furthermore, these environmental challenges are stern and can create hindrance in economic development for Pakistan and China if certain environmental regulations could not be adopted. This paper recommends that both states needs to adopt concrete, composite, bilateral environmental cooperation for the sustainability of CPEC project for durable time frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite, operational from its launch in 2002 until October 2017, documented critical changes in global terrestrial water storage, significantly advancing the fields of gravity field analysis, hydrological variations, and environmental monitoring. This study investigates the thematic evolution of 2,966 SCIE-indexed publications on GRACE satellite applications from 2002 to 2022, utilizing co-occurrence network mapping and complex network analysis. Our results indicate a steady growth in GRACE satellite application research, with early publications (2002-2004) achieving an average citation rate exceeding 100, underscoring their substantial impact. Keyword clustering identified four primary research themes: Hydrology and Water Resources, Atmospheric and Environmental Science, Geophysical and Temporal Analysis, and Polar and Glaciological Studies. Over time, these themes have expanded and deepened, transitioning from initial focuses on gravity field computations to hydrological applications, sea level studies, and more specific investigations into water resources, climate change, and advancements in satellite geodesy. Recent research has particularly concentrated on groundwater and water storage issues. Geographically, the United States leads in publication output, impact, and international collaborations, with China following in publication count and network centrality, albeit with potential for improved impact. European countries demonstrate significant influence and centrality within the cooperation network. The evolution index of the international cooperation network shows a significant increase in connectivity from 2002 to 2022, with closer cooperation between countries. There is notable growth in both the number and intensity of collaborations, as evidenced by the rising average degree and average weighted degree. Overall, these indices underscore the evolution towards a more connected and globally integrated research network in GRACE satellite research. Looking forward, technological advancements, enhanced international collaboration, and integration with other data sources will drive future research in GRACE satellite application research, with important implications for addressing global environmental and climate challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-carbon consumption of dairy products through informational interventions. The empirical findings seek to enlighten developing countries' efforts in coping with climate change and potential dietary transitions. Design/methodology/approach: A randomized controlled trial was designed to examine the effects of purpose-differentiated information interventions on individual dairy consumption. The experiment recruited and randomly assigned 1,002 college students into four groups to receive (or not) environmental or/and health information interventions. Findings: The empirical analysis finds that health and combined information interventions have a positive impact on dairy consumption, while environmental information interventions' effect on dairy consumption is insignificant. In the context of the pandemic, health information interventions positively affected participants' perceptions and preferences for dairy products by delivering knowledge about their role in boosting immunity. However, environmental information interventions failed to do the same things as their insignificant effects on both perception and preference. Originality/value: Macro-external shocks, such as public health events, may offset the impact of universal information interventions promoting pro-environmental behaviors. For a smooth dietary transition to achieve long-term environmental sustainability, diverse stakeholders must be included in more individualized interventions to guide daily consumption, especially in developing countries with large populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well documented that people have misperceptions about energy costs. However, there is mixed empirical evidence about the effectiveness of information provision and its persistence over time. Understanding the interplay between information regarding the private and social benefits of low-carbon technologies and identifying mechanisms through which information treatments affect people's long-term behaviors can help reconcile the mixed findings in the literature. In this paper, we measured the long-term effects of information provision through online experiments involving more than 3,000 households in China. We provided people with information on low-carbon light bulbs' monetary and climate benefits and observed their purchasing decisions over 10 months. We find that information on private or social benefits leads to a temporary effect on most households and a persistent one on the uninformed. This evidence suggests that information provision works through two different mechanisms: increasing saliency and filling the information gap. This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, behavioral economics and decision analysis. Funding: Y. Gao received financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71903006]. M. Tavoni received financial support from the FP7 Ideas: European Research Council [Grant ERC-336155–COBHAM]. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4910. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Dual Carbon" initiative is a two-stage carbon reduction goal proposed by China, with significant implications for global climate change mitigation. This article examines the impact of the "Dual Carbon" strategy on China's forestry development and explores how to leverage this strategy to facilitate the transformation and advancement of the forestry sector. Current review indicated that forestry has the advantage of achieving higher emission reduction targets at a low cost. Starting with an overview of the "Dual Carbon" strategy, this paper analyzes the carbon sequestration potential of plants and soil, and the challenges and opportunities faced by forestry development under this framework. Furthermore, we outline implementation pathways for forestry development, aiming to provide insights for the progress of China's forestry sector. Overall, it should be noted that the priority is to vigorously develop timber resources, and we also need to vigorously develop and protect forestry talent with the support of China's policies. By trapping into the carbon storage capabilities and leveraging carbon trading mechanisms of forests, a favorable ecological environment can be created, thus achieving the goal of carbon neutrality. Highlights: • Forest development and its carbon sinks, attributed to plant and soil have the potential in carbon sequestration process, thus helping China achieve carbon neutrality. • The supply of forest products and the balance of economic growth and environmental protection are the key difficulties under the "Dual Carbon" strategy. • Trading forest carbon sinks can boost China's sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global climate change becomes increasingly severe, energy technology innovation has become a key means of coping with the climate crisis and realizing green and low-carbon development. However, existing literature rarely examines the effects of carbon emission reduction policies based on the perspective of energy technology progress for both short-term economic fluctuations and long-term equilibrium. This paper introduces the fossil energy technology sector and the renewable energy technology sector into the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model, and compares the effectiveness of the carbon emission cap policy, the fossil energy technology subsidy policy, and the renewable energy technology subsidy policy under the framework of China's carbon trading market in promoting macroeconomic growth and controlling pollutant emissions. We found that in long-term, the emission reduction effect of the carbon emission cap policy falls short of the other two policies, and subsidizing fossil fuel technologies is more cost-efficient comparatively. The government expenditure shock can all stimulate macroeconomic growth with crowding out of private investment and household consumption, whereas the energy technology research productivity shock leads to a decline in total output and an increase in renewable energy technology demand. In addition, pollutant emissions are pro-cyclical under the impact of total carbon policies and counter-cyclical under the impact of energy technology subsidy policies. This article constructs a multi-technology sectoral dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model, expanding the research perspective and theoretical framework for evaluating carbon emission reduction policies. At the same time, it proves the importance of the government to implement the phased energy technology subsidy policy while implementing the carbon emission cap policy, which provides important enlightenment for the implementation and adjustment of carbon emission reduction policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2015 Paris Agreement has set out the climate change target of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C, which poses a serious challenge to countries to reduce emissions. As the world's largest carbon emitter, promoting the realization of the "dual-carbon" goal is the key to realizing China's green transformation and high-quality development. Chinese asset managers play active roles in the capital market as an important channel of asset allocation. Currently, the vast majority of Chinese asset managers hold high percentages of high-carbon industries in their portfolios, and lack quantitative data of their carbon footprints embodied in equity investments, which faces huge carbon-related risks. Therefore, it's an urgent need to comprehensively and scientifically measure financed emissions of Chinese asset managers, which is of great significance for asset managers' carbon risk management and sustainable investment. This paper develops a detailed inventory of carbon emissions for equity portfolios managed by Chinese asset managers from 2010 to 2020, which stands as a pivotal reference for in-depth analysis of emission characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Ecosystems are undergoing continuous degradation due to the dual perturbation of global climate change and human activities, posing unprecedented threats and challenges to the ecosystem services they provide. To gain a deeper understanding of the spatio-temporal evolution of ecosystem service value (ESV), it is essential to accurately capture the characteristics of its spatial and temporal changes and its influencing factors. However, traditional spatio-temporal statistical methods are limited to analyzing the heterogeneity of ESV in a single temporal or spatial dimension, which fails to meet the comprehensive analysis needs for spatio-temporal heterogeneity over an extended continuum. Therefore, this paper constructs a Bayesian spatio-temporal hierarchical model to analyze the ESV heterogeneity in both temporal and spatial dimensions in Northeast China from 2000 to 2020 to accurately identify the regions with unstable fluctuations in ESV and analyze the influencing factors behind them. It aims to comprehensively and systematically reveal the intrinsic laws of spatio-temporal evolution of ESV, and provide a scientific basis for relevant decision-making. The study found a continuous fluctuating downward trend of ESV in Northeast China from 2000 to 2020, with significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Notably, the distribution of hot and cold spots is regularly concentrated, especially in the transition zone from low hills to plains, which forms an "unstable zone" of spatial and temporal fluctuations of ESV. Natural factors such as NDVI and NPP exhibit a significant positive correlation with ESV, while social factors like population density and GDP show a strong negative correlation. Compared to traditional statistical methods, the Bayesian spatio-temporal hierarchical model, with its outstanding flexibility and accuracy, provides a new perspective and way of thinking for analyzing classical spatio-temporal problems. Firstly, the model examines time and space as a whole and fully accounts for the influence of spatio-temporal interactions on ESV. Secondly, the Bayesian spatio-temporal hierarchical model meets the needs of long-term continuous ESV outcome detection, which provides us with solid support for a deeper understanding of the evolution of ESV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought intensity and frequency have increased in recent years, which poses significant threats to forest ecosystems, especially in the context of global climate change. This paper is aimed at summarizing the current state of research and global development trends regarding drought-induced tree mortality mechanisms in tree physiology. Developing a robust literature foundation will facilitate in-depth research and foster the exchange of knowledge related to this subject. A literature review was conducted using tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the Bibliometrix R-package to review the literature from the Web of Science's core database from 1985 to 2023. We intend to determine the current state and evolution of global research on drought-induced tree mortality mechanisms. The results reveal that research on drought-induced tree mortality mechanisms gained momentum predominantly in the last two decades, with a marked surge post-2012. The United States is the epicenter of research, leading the global scientific community with its preeminence in publication volume, citation rates, and the scope of collaborative networks, with China in close pursuit. Tree Physiology stands out as the leading journal in this domain, boasting 129 articles. McDowell NG emerges as the most prolific author, with an H-index of 41, underscoring his influence in the field. There is a clear upward trend in collaborations spanning authors, journals, research institutions, and countries. The analysis of frequently cited keywords and topic evolution suggests that drought and tree mortality will likely remain key research areas for the foreseeable future. The future of research on drought-induced tree mortality mechanisms in physiology is promising, as it emphasizes multidisciplinary approaches and global collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global climate risk is looming in recent years, the climate risks faced by financial institutions are also increasing. Effectively quantifying and assessing climate-related financial risks is of great significance for financial institutions to establish risk management mechanisms. Accordingly, choosing Chinese commercial bank data from 2007 to 2019, this paper quantitatively evaluates the influence of climate change shock on the banks' credit risk by taking the annual temperature fluctuation in cities as the core index to characterize the climate change degree. It is found that annual average temperature rise can significantly increase the credit risk level of commercial banks. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that small-scale banks, rural commercial banks, and commercial banks with higher marketization levels are more sensitive to climate change. Further analysis shows summer and autumn temperature changes have the most prominent impact on banks' credit risk. Moreover, there is no obvious nonlinear relationship or lagged effects between annual temperature change and banks' credit risk in our dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in global temperature, the global change situation dominated by climate warming is becoming more and more serious. Climate change will cause differences in the suitable areas of species in different periods. Ginkgo biloba L., a rare and endangered wild plant protected at the national level in China, is the oldest relict plant in the world. Because of severe climate change, only China's wild Ginkgo biloba has been preserved, yet China's wild Ginkgo biloba population is facing extinction risk. Ginkgo biloba has rich ornamental value, application value, economic value, medicinal value and ecological value. Not only can it produce economic and ecological benefits, but it can also produce huge social benefits. Based on the data of Ginkgo biloba sample distribution, bioclimatic variables and soil variables, this paper uses the MaxEnt model to simulate Ginkgo biloba suitable area under current and future different climate scenarios, and analyzes the changes in the potential suitable area of Ginkgo biloba in the future through ArcGIS 10.6. The results are as follows: (1) the results simulated by the MaxEnt model are AUC > 0.9, showing that the simulation results have a high accuracy; (2) the min temperature of the coldest month, precipitation of the wettest month, elevation, and temperature seasonality are the main environmental variables affecting the change in the Ginkgo biloba suitable area; (3) under future climate scenarios, the suitable area of Ginkgo biloba is predicted to expand in the future, covering most of the south and some northeast regions, and moderate temperature and precipitation changes under climate change are conducive for the growth of Ginkgo biloba; and (4) in the future, the distribution center of the suitable area will move to the northeast. According to the conclusions in this paper, it is expected to provide theoretical reference for cultivation and management, sustainable utilization and solution of ecological environment problems of Ginkgo biloba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the challenges posed by climate change and rural revitalization, high-quality construction in rural areas is facing significant obstacles from rainstorm flooding. This study adopts a regional disaster system analysis framework and examines the characteristics of rural rainstorm flooding disasters, including the instability of the breeding environment, the hazard characteristics, and the vulnerability of the exposure. Using this framework, we explore the various causes of rainstorm flooding in rural China, assess the effectiveness of responses to these disasters, and examine the differences between urban and rural responses. Our analysis reveals that the increase in rainstorm flooding in rural China is a complex result of multiple factors, including increased risk, instability, and vulnerability. While rural areas have made some progress in monitoring and responding to rainstorm flooding disasters, they remain weaker than cities in terms of governance and disaster management systems. To address these challenges, we recommend increased attention to rural flood control and disaster reduction, stronger preparation for disaster prevention and reduction plans, enhanced rural disaster infrastructure defense, increased financial support for water conservancy projects, and stronger professional emergency response teams, disaster relief equipment, and materials. Additionally, we recommend strengthening disaster prevention and reduction education and publicity among rural residents to promote the ability to self-rescue and mutual rescue. The disastrous impact of climate change and resulting extreme weather events on rural areas has become increasingly evident in recent years. China's vast rural areas have been particularly affected by frequent rainstorm flooding disasters. This paper identifies the increase in rainstorms, the instability of the disaster breeding environment in rural areas, and the increased vulnerability of exposures in these areas as the main reasons behind the intensification of rural rainstorm flooding. To mitigate the impact of these disasters, attention should be paid to natural disaster risk management, normalized flood control, and disaster reduction in rural areas. This requires overall coordination of rural disaster prevention and reduction planning, emphasis on improving the defense capacity of rural areas, increasing financial support for defensive water conservancy projects, promoting the construction of professional emergency rescue teams in rural areas, scientifically distributing flood prevention and disaster relief equipment and materials, strengthening publicity and education on disaster prevention and reduction, and enhancing rural disaster prevention awareness and self-rescue and mutual rescue capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droughts are increasing in frequency and intensity as the global climate changes. Risk assessment for agricultural drought disasters is an important approach for disaster prevention and mitigation. Based on the formation mechanism of natural disaster risk, the index system model of agricultural drought risk assessment in North China was constructed, and the robustness of the established risk assessment model was tested by using the internal test method. Then based on the characteristics of agricultural drought risk formation in North China, the paper proposes corresponding risk prevention recommendations. The conclusions were as follows: when adjusting the indices and methods in the risk assessment model, the range of changes in the agricultural drought risk ranking for each city was mostly 1-2.5 places, and the model was relatively robust. With the exception of Beijing and Tianjin, which had the highest disaster prevention and mitigation capacity, central and northern China had the highest agricultural drought risk, which was previously linked to the high risk and vulnerability of these regions. The agricultural drought risk in northern Henan and southern Shandong is low, mainly due to the low risk. The 34 cities in North China can be divided into 6 agricultural drought risk clusters, which are not dispersed in space and cross-city distribution, and have good aggregation. Cluster 4, located in the northernmost mountainous areas, has the highest risk of drought, which is associated with high environmental vulnerability and low capacity for disaster prevention and mitigation, so agricultural areas should be reduced and agricultural input should be increased. Clusters 2, 5 and 6, located in the central and southern regions, have higher grain acreage and yields due to drought, so agricultural drought risk can be further reduced by increasing agricultural input and improving irrigation guarantee rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of dryland vegetation to climate change is particularly sensitive in the context of global climate change. This paper analyzes the characteristics of spatial and temporal dynamics of vegetation cover in the Tarim River Basin, China, and its driving factors in order to investigate the response of vegetation growth to water storage changes in the basin. The Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), the GRACE gravity satellite, and meteorological data from 2002 to 2022 are used to decipher the characteristics of the response of water storage changes to vegetation changes, which is of great significance to the realization of regional ecological development and sustainable development. The results of the study show the following: (1) The vegetation in the Tarim River Basin has an overall increasing trend, which is mainly distributed in the Aksu Basin and the Weigangkuche River Basin and is spatially distributed in the form of a ring. (2) Vegetation distribution greatly improved during the 20-year study period, dominated by high-cover vegetation, with a change rate of 200.36%. Additionally, vegetation changes are centered on the watersheds and expand to the surrounding area, with a clear increase in vegetation in the Kumukuri Basin. Areas with a vegetation Hurst index of <0.5 account for 63.27% of the study area, and the areas with a continuous decrease were mainly located in the outer contour area of the Tarim River and Kumu Kuri Basins. (3) There are obvious spatial differences in the correlation between EVI and temperature and precipitation elements. The proportion of areas with positive correlation with temperature within the study area is 64.67%. EVI tends to be consistent with the direction of migration of the center of gravity of the population and GDP, and the areas with positive correlation between vegetation and terrestrial water reserves are mainly distributed in the northern slopes of the Kunlun Mountains, with an area proportion of about 50.513%. The Kumukuli Basin also shows significantly positive correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging the use of conservation tillage technology is a highly effective approach to safeguarding soil health, improving the environment, and promoting sustainable agricultural development. With the mounting concerns surrounding climate change, developing conservation tillage methods that facilitate sustainable agricultural growth has become an imperative both in China and around the world. While it is widely recognized that adapting to climate change is crucial in agriculture, there is limited research on evaluating the risks, discovering resilience, measuring farmers' perceptions on climate change, and exploring how tillage technology can be adjusted in the context of small-scale farming in China to foster sustainable development. Using research data from smallholder farmers in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces of China, this paper aims to explore the impact of climate change perceptions on farmers' adoption of conservation tillage technologies based on an ordered Probit model. We found that farmers tend to refrain from embracing conservation tillage technology due to the presence of unclear and conflicting perceptions regarding climate change. Focus on short-term profitability and inadequate preparation hinder them from prioritizing adaptation. We recognized several measures that could help farmers adapt and thrive within the agricultural sector. Furthermore, we have validated the need for self-system moderation in promoting farmers' adoption of conservation tillage technology. By utilizing such tools and resources, farmers can comprehend the gravity of climate change's impact on agricultural productivity and, more importantly, channel their efforts towards fortifying resilience to extreme weather conditions and long-term climate risks, thus fortifying agricultural sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper reaches of the Yellow River in China, influenced by erosion of the Yellow River and tectonic activities, are prone to landslides. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the existing landslide traces. Based on visual interpretation on high-resolution satellite images and terrain data, supplemented and validated by existing landslide records, this paper prepared the most complete and detailed landslide traces inventory in Jianzha County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, to date. The results indicate that within the study area of 1714 km², there are at least 713 landslide traces, ranging in scale from 3,556 m2 to 11.13 km², with a total area of 134.46 km². The total landslide area excluding the overlap area is 126.30 km². The overall landslide point density and area density in the study area are 0.42 km[sup -2] and 7.37% respectively. The maximum point density and maximum area density of landslide traces in the area are as high as 5.69 km-2 and 98.0% respectively. The landslides are primarily distributed in the relatively low-elevation northeastern part of Jianzha County, characterized mainly by large-scale loess landslides, with 14 landslides exceeding 1x10[sup 6] m². This inventory not only supplements the landslide trace data in the transition zone between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau, but also provides an important basis for subsequent landslide risk zoning, response to climate change, and landscape evolution. Additionally, it holds significant reference value for compiling landslide inventories in similar geological environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pearl River is one of China's large rivers, the second-largest river and the fourth-longest river in China. Its unique geography, landform, and climate conditions create unique fluvial geomorphological processes. Affected by human activities and climate change, the fluvial geomorphological processes in the Pearl River Basin have undergone significant changes in recent decades, seriously affecting the river's sustainable development. This paper critically reviews changes in fluvial geomorphological processes and analyzes influencing factors in the Pearl River Basin with a focus on possibilities for policy overhaul and strategic adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and human activities exert significant influence on the water–sediment relationship in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, comprehending the underlying mechanisms is crucial for the effective management of water and soil resources, as well as integrated watershed management. This research focuses on the Kuye River watershed (KYH_W) in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in China, along with its sub-watersheds Wangdaohengtazi (WDHT_SW) and Xinmiaosi (XM_SW). This paper utilizes the Mann–Kendall non-parametric test and the double cumulative curve method to examine the interannual trends of runoff, sediment transport, precipitation, temperature, and NDVI factors. Furthermore, the method of the slope change ratio of cumulative quantity (SCRCQ) is utilized to quantitatively evaluate the impacts and contribution rates of climate change and human activities on water–sediment changes within each watershed. The results are as follows: (1) From 1969 to 2019, the entire watershed experienced a significant decrease in both runoff and sediment transport, with 1997 marking the year of abrupt change. However, following 2012, the KYH_W and WDHT_SW exhibited a noticeable rebound in runoff. (2) Human activities predominantly contribute to the reduction in water and sediment in the watershed. (3) After the abrupt change, between 1998 and 2011, the contribution rates of climate change and human activities to the annual runoff reduction in the entire KYH_W reached 33% and 64%, respectively. Moreover, these rates for sediment transport reduction reached 26% and 74%, respectively. Subsequently, after 2012, the contribution rates of both factors to the increase in watershed runoff reached 29% and 71%, respectively. Factors other than the NDVI, within human activities, played a dominant role in augmenting the watershed's runoff. (4) Prior to 2011, changes in vegetation cover resulting from the Grain for Green Program, as measured by the NDVI, emerged as the primary factor responsible for reduced runoff in the watershed. Conversely, factors other than the NDVI assumed dominance in reducing sediment transport. The SCRCQ method offers a quantitative approach to assessing water–sediment changes. Based on this method, the study further underscores the substantial impacts of climate change and human activities on variations in runoff and sediment transport within the KYH_W in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Notably, the water–sediment changes in the KYH_W exhibit distinct stage-wise and spatial discrepancies, which warrant increased attention in future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the complex relationship between population change and surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect has important practical significance for the ecological transformation development of shrinking cities in the context of the prevalence of urban shrinkage and the global climate change. This paper compares the population change and SUHI effect between population shrinking region (Northeast Region, NR) and population growing region (Yangtze River Delta, YRD) in China, and explores their differences in driving mechanisms, using GIS spatial analysis and Geodetector model. Our results indicated that there are significant differences in population changes and SUHI intensity between these two regions. About 72.22% of the cities in the NR were shrinking, while their SUHI intensities increased by an average of 1.69°C. On the contrary, the urban population in the YRD shows a linear growth trend, while their SUHI intensities decreased by 0.11°C on average. The results of bivariate Moran's I index also indicated that the spatial correlation between the urban population changes and the SUHI intensity changes are not significant in the above regions. Furthermore, there are significant differences in the primary drivers of SUHI variations between these two regions. In the NR, underlying surface changes, including the changes of green coverage and built-up areas, are the most important driving factors. However, atmospheric environment changes, such as carbon dioxide emission and sulfur dioxide emission, are the key drivers in the YRD. Northam's theory of three-stage urbanization and environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis are powerful to explain these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerating efforts for the Sustainable Development Goals requires understanding their synergies and trade-offs at the national and sub-national levels, which will help identify the key hurdles and opportunities to prioritize them in an indivisible manner for a country. Here, we present the importance of the 17 goals through synergy and trade-off networks. Our results reveal that 19 provinces show the highest trade-offs in SDG13 (Combating Climate Change) or SDG5 (Gender Equality) consistent with the national level, with other 12 provinces varying. 24 provinces show the highest synergies in SDG1 (No Poverty) or SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) consistent with the national level, with the remaining 7 provinces varying. These common but differentiated SDG priorities reflect that to ensure a coordinated national response, China should pay more attention to the provincial situation, so that provincial governments can formulate more targeted policies in line with their own priorities towards accelerating sustainable development. The paper reveals areas of common and differentiated SDG priority at the national and subnational levels in China considering synergy and trade-off. The findings suggest that provincial governments should formulate more targeted policy aligning with national priority to achieve SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand prevention and control are the main tasks of desertification control. The MU Us Sandy Land (MUSL), one of China's four main deserts, frequently experiences droughts and has a very fragile biological environment. Climate change is the main factor leading to drought, and it may result in more serious drought situations in the future. The Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) was established using land surface temperature and normalized difference vegetation index data. In this paper, we investigate spatial and temporal change characteristics, future change trends, and the time-lag effect of TVDI on climate factors at different scales in MUSL from 2001 to 2020 using Sen + Mann–Kendall trend analysis, Hurstexponent, partial correlation analysis, and lag analysis methods. The results show that (1) the overall drought shows a spatial characteristic of gradually alleviating from west to east (TVDI = 0.6). A significant drying trend dominated 38.5% of the pixels in the fall (Z = 1.99), and a highly significant drying trend dominated the rest of the three seasons (Z average = 2.95) and the whole year (Z = 3.47). (2) In the future, dry autumn, winter, and the whole year will be dominated by continuous drying, and spring and summer will mainly change from dry to wet. The main relationships between winter TVDI and temperature (−0.06) and precipitation (−0.07) were negative, while evapotranspiration (0.18) showed a positive correlation. The six land use types in spring, summer, fall, and the whole year were primarily non-significantly positively correlated with temperature and evapotranspiration. (3) At the seasonal scale, the sensitive factors in spring and autumn were opposite, with spring TVDI responding quickly to precipitation (0.3 months) and being less sensitive to temperature (1.8 months) and evapotranspiration (2 months). At the interannual scale, desert land TVDI was most sensitive to precipitation (2.6 months) and least responsive to temperature (3 months). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubber plantations are among the most important in the world's tropical regions. They play a positive role in carbon sequestration and in delaying climate change, supplying strategic resources of natural rubber (NR), and aiding in poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation. This paper reviews six methods of research on carbon sinks in rubber plantations: the biomass inventory method, the biomass conversion factor continuous function method, the trade potential of carbon sinks method, the calculation method for carbon storage of rubber latex, the eddy covariance method, and the remote sensing image model method. This study clarifies the carbon sink assessment and enhancement model for rubber plantations and describes the composition of the carbon pool, which includes the aboveground and belowground vegetation biomass carbon pools, litter carbon pool, latex carbon pool, and soil carbon pool. It also examines influencing factors such as tree age, global climate change, and human disturbance, as well as improvement pathways including afforestation, fertilisation, irrigation, and tapping, and evaluation methods like field surveys, positional observations, remote sensing monitoring, and model simulation. Research on carbon sequestration in rubber plantations faces challenges, including the unclear dynamics of carbon sources and sequestration, uncertain spatial and temporal patterns, and the long-term lack of accurate monitoring of carbon sinks and technologies for increasing sinks and reducing emissions. Future research should focus on the methodology of rubber plantation carbon sequestration projects, the dynamics of carbon sequestration, and the spatial allocation pattern of carbon sequestration in rubber plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of Chinese firms' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance on their financial constraint and financing activities. We find a negative association between firms' ESG performance and their financial constraint driven by the Chinese government's commitment to tackling climate change. Compared with state‐owned enterprises (SOEs), non‐SOEs have alleviated their financial constraint through both equity and debt issuance, thanks to the stock price appreciation and green credit. High‐pollution firms benefit from both equity and debt issuance, while low‐pollution firms mainly finance through equity issuance. Our findings demonstrate the leading role of the Chinese government in its domestic capital markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separating existing historical precipitation data into solid and liquid precipitation remains a challenge in the study of climate change, extreme precipitation, and hydrological modelling. Based on historical daily air temperature and precipitation data, as well as visual observations of precipitation phase (weather phenomena records) in China mainland, this study proposed a snow‐day direct definition method (SDDM) to determine the threshold air temperature (TAT) of rainfall and snowfall, and analysed the spatial pattern and its influential factors. The main findings include: (1) the TAT based on the SDDM varied from −1.2 to 6.3°C, with a mean value of 2.8°C for the entire study region; (2) TAT was generally higher and more variable in the low‐latitude areas, and the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau was characterized by an abnormally high average TAT of 5.2°C, almost twice as large as that of the eastern monsoon region; (3) TAT exhibited a significant positive correlation with altitude and negative correlation with precipitation and relative humidity. The results presented in this paper have potential application for studies of large‐scale snowfall climatology and climate change, weather forecasting techniques, and hydrological model parameterization in areas with complex and diverse geographical and climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serious consequences of climate warming have increasingly become a globe agenda in recent decades. China has been actively participating in various initiatives to address global climate change and has made commitments to reduce carbon emissions. Although the logistics industry is regarded as the "new driving force of national economic development", its carbon intensity is relatively high. Therefore, whether the logistics industry can develop in a green and low-carbon way is very crucial. This paper takes the green logistics efficiency of China's provincial logistics industry as the research object. The Super-SBM model is used to measure the China's green logistics efficiency, then the general dynamic characteristics is depicted by kernel density analysis. With the GML (Global Malmquist-Luenberger) index model, the reasons for the changes in green logistics efficiency are explained. Finally, Moran's I index is used to analyze the spatial correlation of green logistics efficiency in each province. The results show that the green logistics efficiency in China is at a low level, but with an upward trend. China's green logistics efficiency has a significant positive spatial correlation, showing a zonal pattern of high in the east and low in the west, and a polarization phenomenon. In addition, the bottleneck of the overall development of green logistics efficiency in China depends on the level of green technology. Furthermore, the results also imply that green technology advancement is an inherent key factor for green logistics efficiency to achieve growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioeconomy model provides an alternative view of global economic systems by putting sustainable practices combined with digital approaches at the forefront to tackle issues such as climate change. To address this new business trends, financial institutions began to set up the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) business units to evaluate their business strategies. This paper is aimed at examining the nonfinancial effect created by the digital transformation (DT) activities, highlighting the role of enterprise heterogeneity after the implementation of Environmental Protection Law (EPL) in China. We employ the panel data of A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2020, selecting DT and ESG indicators as the important representations of "Industry 5.0." Our empirical results demonstrate a positive impact of EPL on the ESG performance in sight of resource enterprises (REs), environmental enterprises (EEs), and polluting enterprises (PEs), but a negative impact of EPL on the DT indicators among those environmental related industries. Additional causal relationship regression reveals that enterprise DT has an intrinsic promoting effect on the ESG performance, emphasizing on the high risk of digitization process being the shock transmitters to enterprise nonfinancial indices. Notably, the connectedness of environmental policy illustrates dynamic patterns by parallel trend test and propensity score matching (PSM) DID regression. This paper is prone to benefit lawmakers, regulators, and firm executives responsible for analyzing and assessing enterprise digitization behavior by exploring the influence of macrolevel environmental policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As two major powers that are willing to lead the design and evolution of the global climate regime, the EU and China have maintained a dialogue on climate change and biodiversity while clashing over other economic and political issues. This paper investigates EU-China relations in the global climate regime by briefly analysing three main areas that are key for the global green transition: standardization, green taxonomy, and the renewables sector. The paper claims that EU-China relations in the global climate regime develop within the dialectical collaboration-competition nexus, showing moments of consensus as well as contention between the two major powers in the three selected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology is an emerging technology with large-scale emission reduction potential and an essential component of the global response to climate change to achieve net-zero goals. As the two most important countries in global climate governance, it is necessary to review and examine the current status and trends of research in the field of CCUS in China and the USA. This paper uses bibliometric tools to review and analyze peer-reviewed articles in the Web of Science from both countries during 2000–2022. The results show a significant increase in research interest among scholars from both countries. The number of publications in the CCUS field in China and the USA was 1196 and 1302, respectively, showing an increasing trend. China and the USA have become the most influential countries in CCUS. And the USA has a more significant academic influence on a global scale. Furthermore, the research hotspots in the field of CCUS are diverse and differentiated. That is, China and the USA pay attention to different research hotspots or have different focuses in different periods. This paper also finds that new capture materials and technology development, geological storage monitoring and early warning, CO2 utilization and new energy development, sustainable business models, incentive policies and measures, and public awareness are critical directions for future research in the field of CCUS, to provide a comprehensive review and comparison of CCUS technology development in China and the USA. It helps to gain insight into the research differences and linkages between the two countries in the field of CCUS and identify the research gaps between them. And place some consensus that policymakers can use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has always tried to maintain multilateralism and advocated working together to deal with global climate change through multilateral mechanisms. Although China’s announcement to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 comes as no surprise, its commitment to carbon neutrality does. As the period between its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality is far shorter than that in the developed countries, China’s economic and energy structures need to be adjusted toward the low-carbon and carbon-free end with unprecedented efforts. To that end, China should define the responsibilities of local authorities and industrial entities to promote the orderly accomplishment of carbon peaking in all regions and industries. To supply the huge investments needed to achieve the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, China has an urgent need to accelerate the development of green finance and a national carbon emissions trading market, guide the rational allocation of resources, and channel resources to eco-friendly projects for green and low-carbon development. At the same time, China and the international community should strengthen dialogue and coordination, promote international cooperation on the way to carbon neutrality, formulate widely acceptable policy guidelines as soon as possible, and avoid unilateral measures that may cause conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the intensification of global climate change, the frequency of wildfires has markedly increased, presenting an urgent challenge in assessing tripping failures for power systems. This paper proposes an innovative method to evaluate the spatial wildfire-induced tripping risk of transmission lines based on a flame combustion model. Firstly, Bayes theory is employed to assess the spatial probability of wildfire occurrence. Subsequently, Wang Zhengfei's flame combustion model is utilized to estimate the potential flame height of wildfires along the transmission corridor. Thirdly, the insulation breakdown risk of the transmission line is calculated based on the relative height difference between the flame and the transmission line. Finally, the spatial wildfire-induced tripping risk of the transmission line is then determined by combining the wildfire occurrence probability and the insulation breakdown risk. A case study conducted in Guizhou province, China validates the accuracy of the proposed model. Utilizing ArcGIS, the wildfire occurrence probability distribution in Guizhou is visualized to enhance the efficiency of operation and maintenance. The results indicate that over 80% of wildfire incidents occurred in areas with occurrence probabilities exceeding 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Globally, forest ecosystems, especially subtropical forests, play a central role in biogeochemical cycles and climate regulation, demonstrating their irreplaceable function. The subtropical region of China, characterized by its unique forest ecosystem, complex terrain, climate heterogeneity, diverse vegetation types, and frequent human activities, underscores the importance of the in-depth study of its net primary productivity (NPP). This paper employs the eddy covariance–light use efficiency (EC-LUE) model to quantitatively estimate the gross primary productivity (GPP) of this region from 2001 to 2018, followed by an estimation of the actual net primary productivity (ANPP) using the carbon use efficiency (CUE). The results showed that over these 18 years, the annual average ANPP was 677.17 gC m−2 a−1, exhibiting an overall increasing trend, particularly in mountainous areas, reserves, and the cultivated lands of the northeastern plains, whereas a significant decrease was observed around the urban agglomerations on the southeast coast. Furthermore, the Thornthwaite memorial model was applied to calculate the potential net primary productivity (PNPP), and diverse scenarios were set to quantitatively evaluate the impact of climate change and human activities on the vegetation productivity in the study area. It was found that in areas where the ANPP increased, both human activities and climate change jointly influenced ANPP dynamics; in areas with a decreased ANPP, the impact of human activities was particularly significant. Additionally, the heterogeneous distribution of ANPP across different altitudinal gradients and the driving effects of various climatic factors were analyzed. Finally, a partial correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between the temperature, precipitation, and ANPP. This study indicated that temperature and precipitation have a substantial impact on the growth and distribution of vegetation in the region, yet the extent of this influence shows considerable variation among different areas. This provides a robust scientific basis for further research and understanding of the carbon dynamics of subtropical forest ecosystems and their role in the global carbon cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region in China is experiencing a serious ecological water scarcity problem in the context of climate warming and drying. There is an urgent need for practical adaptation measures to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change and provide a scientific basis for urban water supply planning, water resource management, and policy formulation. Urban ecological water can maintain the structure and function of urban ecosystems, both as an environmental element and as a resource. Current research lacks quantitative analysis of the impact of regional meteorological factors on ecological water use at the small and medium scales. Based on the meteorological data and statistical data of water resources in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region, this paper analyzed the trend of climate change and established an ecological climatic water model using gray correlation analysis, polynomial simulation, and singular spectrum analysis to predict the ecological water consumption. And, we assessed the climatic sensitivity of ecological water use and estimated the future ecological climatic water use in the BTH region based on four climate scenarios' data. The results showed that the average multi-year temperature was 13.2 °C with a clear upward trend from 1991 to 2020 in the BTH region. The multi-year average precipitation was 517.1 mm, with a clear shift in the period of abundance and desiccation. Ecological climatic water modeling showed that a 1 °C increase in temperature will increase ecological water use by 0.73 × 108 m3~1.09 × 108 m3 in the BTH region; for a 100 mm increase in precipitation, ecological water use will decrease by 0.49 × 108 m3~0.88 × 108 m3; under the four climate scenarios of SSP1–2.6, SSP2–4.5, SSP3–7.0, and SSP5–8.5, the regional ecological climatic water use will be 5.14 × 108 m3, 6.64 × 108 m3, 7.82 × 108 m3, and 9.06 × 108 m3 in 2035, respectively; and in 2050, the ecological climatic water use will be 8.16 × 108 m3, 9.75 × 108 m3, 10.71 × 108 m3, and 12.41 × 108 m3, respectively. The methodology and results of this study will support the quantification of climate change impacts on ecological water use in the BTH region and serve as a theoretical basis for future research on ecological water use adaptation to climate change. This study can provide a basis for the development of the overall planning of urban ecological water supply, and at the same time, it can lay a foundation for the study of measures to adapt to climate change by ecological water use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is an important issue for cities today and in the future. At present, China has a large population and complex climate conditions, and cities are also vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change (Tian, Environ Sustain Dev 6: 153-155 2020). Three-dimensional greening can not only improve the green space system of a city but also have a far-reaching impact on the ecology, image, and economic benefits of a city. Therefore, the study of urban three-dimensional greening is an effective means to deal with climate change strategies. By exploring the influence of traditional greening and three-dimensional greening on Local Climate in Beilin District of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, the mechanism of three-dimensional greening on urban ecological environment was discussed, and the ecological theory, urban three-dimensional greening theory, and urban local climate zone (LCZ) were referred to. Based on the methods of national climate monitoring, ENVI-met simulation, and field independent measurement, this paper selected a research sample site in the east section of Jianshe Road, Beilin District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China, and applied ENVI-met software to simulate the thermal stress relationship among building exterior surfaces, plants, and air in the street; quantified the overall ecology of the area; and used measuring instruments. The influence of different types of greening in the base on the site temperature, humidity, CO2 (carbon dioxide) concentration, wind speed, and other climate factors data was, respectively, measured and analyzed. The grid analysis was used to compare the traditional greening and three-dimensional greening, then the numerical differences of each impact factor were sorted out, and the effect of three-dimensional greening on the improvement of urban ecological environment was discussed by analyzing the climate factors with greater impact. The results show that (1) three-dimensional greening plus traditional greening is the most beneficial mode; (2) in the same environment, according to the parameter of 1.5 m from the ground in the model environment, it can be seen that the temperature of the space treated with three-dimensional greening of buildings is reduced by 3.5–3.6 ℃ compared with the control group, the relative humidity is different by 7–8%, the CO2 concentration is reduced by about 5%, and the spatial wind speed is relatively small. (3) When the urban green coverage rate is more than 40%, the improvement of temperature is more obvious, if it reaches 50%, the cool phenomenon in summer can be fundamentally changed. From the perspective of human perception, the PMV index increased by 0.27 on average. This paper discusses and analyzes the three-dimensional greening of urban streets in Beilin District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China, and studies its influence on urban ecology to different degrees. The conclusions are as follows: Different types of greening have different degrees of influence on urban climate. Meanwhile, the experimental results of this paper show that in cities like Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, where summer is hot, adding three-dimensional greening to traditional street greening can significantly improve the environmental microclimate, which is an effective means to cope with climate change, improve the site environment, and stabilize the urban ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a conceptual and analytical framework of states' legitimacy-seeking to comprehensively investigate the motivation behind China's climate and environment policy. While previous research has largely overlooked political factors that underlie China's climate policy, this paper argues that these factors are crucial in understanding China's policy changes, which are evident at both domestic and international levels. By examining sources such as government documents, leaders' speeches and authoritative literature, this study contends that China's climate change initiatives are part of a broader effort to enhance domestic and international legitimacy. The issue of climate change has become highly politicised in China under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, and it serves as a crucial test of the ruling party and the state's capacity to govern effectively. As such, legitimacy-seeking is the key driver that links China's domestic measures and international commitments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: After almost 10 years, people wonder if green finance has been able to attain its objectives in terms of controlling climate change. Persistent global warming and climate deregulation manifested by melting glaciers, droughts and floods, are all of these determinants that have called into question the efficiency of green finance. Design/methodology/approach: Green finance is a way to support climate action through investments. It has proven that this is a viable financial instrument and that it can be used by governments and private companies to plan for the future of our planet. Findings: Based on an analysis of articles published in top international journals from 2016 to 2022, about the relationship between green technology and financial services in China, this paper aims to present an overview of green finance, its importance for the planet, its objectives and its instruments. Research limitations/implications: This study's contribution is to shed light on the aspects that may have limited its effectiveness, such as the absence of incentives, the absence of climate costs and above all the absence of finance green standards. Originality/value: The results have shown that there is still a significant gap in green finance before inclusive green growth can be achieved. Inclusive green growth. All stakeholders need to increase the level of investment in green finance. The green investment financing gap is the result of inconsistencies in sustainability and policies. Therefore, governments must intervene to impose appropriate policies and regulations to compel the financial sector to engage in sustainable development. All of these factors make the concept of green finance just an illusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel sheeting is usually provided at the upper flange of purlin in steel roof with screw connections. The resulting diaphragm effect provided by the sheeting enhances the buckling resistance of the purlin. However, this diaphragm effect will be reduced due to any abnormality in the screw connection caused by wind-induced fatigue particularly from typhoon. This would reduce the buckling resistance of the purlin with sheeting (the purlin-sheeting system), and it would affect subsequent condition evaluation during their service life. This problem is addressed in this paper with a framework of time-dependent reliability evaluation of the buckling limit state of the purlin-sheeting system. The buckling resistance reduction due to the degradation of the diaphragm effect from typhoon is taken into account in the resistance model. The randomness of wind intensity and landfall occurrence of typhoon during the service life of purlin are also accounted for in the wind load effect model. The time-dependent reliability of the purlin at different positions of a roof is studied. Then the variation of reliability of the system due to the effect of climatic changes in the design service life is discussed. The proposed strategy is then applied to the evaluation of a purlin-sheeting system in eleven cities in China with typhoon occurrences with some useful results for future studies in the provisions of the design code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 20 July 2021, an extreme rainstorm battered Zhengzhou in China's Henan Province, killing 302 people, including 14 individuals who drowned in a subway tunnel and 6 who drowned in a road tunnel. As the global climate warms, extreme weather events similar to the Zhengzhou flood will become more frequent, with increasingly catastrophic consequences for society. Taking a case study-based approach by focusing on the record-breaking Zhengzhou flood, this paper examines the governance capacity of inland cities in North China for managing extreme precipitation and flooding events from the perspective of the flood risk management process. Based on in-depth case analysis, our paper hypothesizes that inland cities in North China still have low risk perceptions of extreme weather events, which was manifested in insufficient pre-disaster preparation and prevention, poor risk communication, and slow emergency response. Accordingly, it is recommended that inland cities update their risk perceptions of extreme rainfall and flooding events, which are no longer low-probability, high-impact "black swans", but turning into high-probability, high-impact "gray rhinos." In particular, cities must make sufficient preparation for extreme weather events by revising contingency plans and strengthening their implementation, improving risk communication of meteorological warnings, and synchronizing emergency response with meteorological warnings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that green insurance makes up a significant portion of green finance, there is a lack of systematic understanding and analysis on the international green insurance market in the literature. In this paper, we study how the market for green insurance has evolved and discuss the current challenges. The important elements promoting sustainable growth in the market include universal consensus on the definition of green insurance, an optimal regulatory framework, technological advancement, and talent nurturing, and rising social acceptance. We apply the institutional framework to explore the future direction of market reform for a sustainable market. Reinforcing the three institutional pillars will help to address the current deficiencies in the market. The pollution liability market in China is examined as a case study. This paper gives insight to both academic and industry fields on drivers and challenges in the increasingly complex and fast-growing green insurance market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientifically evaluating the influence of ecological restoration projects on the water conservation function (WCF) of regional ecosystems is the foundation for formulating regional ecological restoration policies and optimizing and adjusting ecological restoration projects. In this paper, we considered fully the runoff generation and confluence process in the Qilian Mountains with the actual situation of the basin and re-rated the parameter Z to improve the simulation accuracy of InVEST model. On this basis, the impact of ecological restoration project on the WCF in the upper reaches of Shiyang River Basin (SRB) in the eastern part of Qilian Mountains was quantified. The results showed that, on the whole, the water conservation depth (WCD) of forest land was the largest (138.5 mm) and that of cultivated land was the smallest (24.78 mm), while the water conservation coefficient of forest land was also the largest (93.36%) and that of unused land was the smallest (16.67%). From 1986 to 2018, the WCD showed an increasing trend in the upper reaches of SRB, among them, the WCD in the western tributaries increased faster than that in the eastern tributaries from 1986 to 2000. The significantly increased areas were mainly distributed in the middle reaches of the western tributaries and the river source areas of the eastern tributaries, while the significantly decreased areas were mainly distributed in the river source areas of the western tributaries and the cultivated land expansion area in the middle reaches of the eastern tributaries. From 2000 to 2018, the WCD of the eastern tributaries increased more than that of the western tributaries. The significantly increased areas were mainly distributed in the four eastern tributaries, and the significantly decreased areas were scattered in the middle and lower reaches of each tributary. From 1986 to 2000, the overall influence of land use change on the increase in WCD was negative, while the influence of climate and land use change on the increase in water conservation were both positive from 2000 to 2018. The influence of land use change on WCD was different in different tributaries. Among them, that of the western tributaries (except the Dongda River) was positive in two different periods, while that of the eastern tributaries (except the Xiying River) was changed from negative to positive. The implementation of ecological restoration project was one of the main reasons for the improvement of WCF in Qilian Mountains from 2000 to 2018, with a contribution of 9.04%. In the future, the protection and restoration of decreased areas of WCF should be strengthened, and the Z value determined in this paper is expected to be applied in the arid inland river basins of northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the annual average climate data and economic and social data from 262 prefecture-level cities in China from 2001 to 2019, this paper explores the impact of climate change on urban–rural income inequality and its mechanisms using fixed-effects (FEs) and mediated-effects (MEs) models. This study finds that (1) climate change has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the urban–rural income disparity; (2) climate change can affect the urban–rural income disparity by influencing urban and rural income levels, the regional degree of urbanization, and the labor force employment structure; (3) the impact of climate change on the urban–rural income gap is heterogeneous in East, Center, and West China; and (4) extreme heat can widen the urban–rural income gap, and extreme drought can narrow the urban–rural income gap. Climate change has a significant impact on the urban–rural income gap, and there is a need to continue to promote urbanization and the optimization of the employment structure of the workforce, reduce the vulnerability of rural residents to climate change, and narrow the urban–rural income gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China introduced sponge city development (SCD) as a policy initiative to address the complex, interlinked water challenges, such as urban pluvial flooding and water pollution, faced by urban development under climatic change and rapid urbanization. The initiative relies on low‐impact development (LID) techniques to integrate ecosystem conservation and urban development, with the aim to maintain or restore natural landscapes and their water regulating capacity as a way to mitigate urban flooding and associated pollution while augmenting water supply. While the country prepares for SCD demonstration and upscaling after pilot implementation since 2014, the initiative is subject to a design deficit in policy implementation that has received little consideration in both the literature and the policy arena but that negatively affects the effectiveness of SCD and its long run impact as intended by the policy. In this paper, we examine the design deficit by mapping and analyzing the policy implementation for SCD in the framework of theory of change (TOC). We present key conditions for individual components in SCD implementation to deliver causal pathways from program inputs to long‐term impacts, with identified issues characterizing the design deficit. We provide an overview of the literature on SCD to shed some light on current research while identifying knowledge gaps. The paper proposes and justifies the framework of ecosystem services as an innovative design tool to deliver a systematic approach needed to address the design deficit, paving the pathways for SCD from inputs to impacts fully developing the policy potential for green urban transition with resilience and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-standing development pattern dominated by international circulation makes China face the risk of "low-end lock-in" and "being decoupling". In addition, the current global climate change and environmental crisis are becoming increasingly severe, coupled with the COVID-19 impact. Chinese enterprises must actively build a green development system for domestic industries in a mutually reinforcing manner in the context of the domestic general circulation, in order to adapt to the new dual circulation environment as soon as possible. This paper analyzes the specific coupling and coordination relationship between the two systems based on the relevant data of China's three major industries from 2008–2014 using Index DEA, entropy value method, gray correlation analysis and coupling coordination model. The results of the study show that: the two systems of dual circulation pattern and industrial green development have a strong correlation and basically present a coupling relationship, but within the industry, there is a problem of the collapse of the tertiary industry. In terms of the type of coupling, the domestic and international circulation in general gradually present the green development leading state, except for the primary industrial segment of the international circulation. On the whole, the coupling quality of the two systems needs to be further improved. Based on this, this paper puts forward the following suggestions: (1) coordinate the internal and external development of the industry; (2) take innovation as the driving force to promote the green transformation of industries; (3) take green sharing as the goal to strengthen the policy orientation of green development; (4) take the opportunity of mutual promotion of dual circulation to stabilize the steady state of green development coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively shift from economic growth based on high levels of energy expenditure and pollution and to actively address global climate change, the purpose of this paper is to explore whether environmental regulation in developing countries helps promote TFP from a credit resource allocation perspective. This paper examines the impact of environmental regulation on firm TFP and the underlying mechanism of TFP using data on Chinese listed A-share companies from 2011 to 2018. The relationship between ERS and enterprise TFP is found to exhibit a clear U shape, that is, it shows the characteristics of inhibition followed by promotion. The mechanism analysis indicates that credit allocation is a significant mediator between environmental regulation and its effect on firm TFP through such allocation, while the heterogeneity analysis shows that in the central and western regions and in highly competitive industries, environmental regulation significantly affects firm TFP through credit allocation. The empirical results, which indicate that ERS in China is still at the left-hand side of the U-shaped curve inhibition area, suggest that government regulation should be strengthened, differentiated regional environmental regulation should be implemented, the bank credit system should be improved, and the U-shaped inflection point must be crossed if high-quality economic development is to be achieved in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese Communist Party and its supporters are increasingly using social media platforms to shape China's public image. This online image is a means of strengthening domestic nationalism and of projecting "soft power" abroad. This paper examines various forms of anti-Westernism that are central to this image-making. It analyzes several recent topics—the Belt and Road Initiative, climate change, the COVID-19 vaccine, the Beijing Olympics, and the conflict in Ukraine—on the r/Sino subreddit page of Reddit and compares them with two online news outlets, the South China Morning Post and China Daily. The paper focuses on how these media frame the contest between a rising China and a failing West, so creating a discourse that competes with the negative portrayals of China outside the country. The paper contrasts the aggressive strengthening of China's image against the West on social media with more sober accounts of the same topics in China's official media and in commercial news outlets. The contribution of the paper is to document an emerging online anti-Westernism that is playing an increasing role in the changing geopolitical landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to investigate the new driving forces behind China's green energy and further assess the impact of green energy on climate change. The existing literature has used linear methods to investigate green energy, ignoring the non-linear relationships between economic variables. The nonparametric models can accurately simulate nonlinear relationships between economic variables. This paper constructs a nonparametric additive model and uses it to explore green energy. The empirical results show that the impact of green finance on green energy is more prominent in the later stage (a U-shaped impact). Fiscal decentralization also exerts a positive U-shaped impact, meaning that expanding local fiscal autonomy has contributed to green energy growth in the later stage. Similarly, the impact of oil prices and foreign direct investment demonstrates a positive U-shaped pattern. However, the nonlinear impact of environmental pressure displays an inverted U-shaped pattern. Furthermore, this article explores the impact of green energy on climate change and its impact mechanisms. The results exhibit green energy generates a positive U-shaped impact on climate change, meaning that the role of green energy in mitigating climate change gradually becomes prominent over time. Mechanism analysis exhibits that industrial structure and energy structure both produce a nonlinear influence on climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]