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Metropolitan systems were constituted by spatial components with different specialization 'niches' based on characteristic attributes (demography, economic structure and performances, socio-spatial patterns, urban morphology, topography, land-use and spatial planning). The present study investigates the multiple dimensions of urban complexity in the light of the 'ecological niche' theory, assessing the spatial structure of a vast ensemble of socioeconomic and territorial indicators that reflect processes of growth and change in contemporary cities. To assess jointly patterns and processes of urban expansion and their impact on recent socioeconomic transformations at the local scale, Athens, the capital of Greece, was taken as a prototype of metropolitan systems with a socioeconomic context evolving under specific form-function relationships. An exploratory framework based on principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering and spatial autocorrelation indexes was used to identify and characterize 8 dimensions that reflect different specialization 'niches' at local scale. Clusters of municipalities were identified according to the dominant socioeconomic dimensions and urban specialization niches. A composite index of urban complexity was finally proposed with the aim to outline latent spatial gradients associated with settlement morphology, social diversification, local development and economic performances. The empirical results of this study contribute to a better understanding of complex urban systems, providing the necessary knowledge base to support implementation of policies for sustainable development of metropolitan regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective evaluation on the coordination between socio-economy (V) and carbon emission (W) is essential for sustainable urban planning, and this study introduces an improved coupling coordination degree (CCD) model for conducting such evaluation. The limitation of the traditional CCD model has been examined. The effectiveness of the improved CCD model is demonstrated with its application in 30 case provinces of China by using the data collected for the period 1995–2015. The results show that: (1) The subjectivity embodied in the traditional CCD model in analyzing the coordination between V and W significantly distorts the true coordination between the two systems. (2) The improved CCD model is effective as its application can reflect the reality of the sample cases. (3) The average coordination degrees of the 30 case provinces for the surveyed period show an upward evolution, and the coordination statuses of these provinces have been transforming from low-grade symbiosis to high-grade symbiosis. (4) The spatial distribution of coupling coordination degree in China is characterized by a higher degree of coordination in the Eastern provinces. The results of applying the improved coupling coordination degree model can help decision makers formulate effective sustainable measures to balance socio-economic development with carbon emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governing climate change in cities entails a good understanding of urban vulnerabilities. This research presents an Indicator-based Vulnerability Assessment for 571 European cities. Basing on panel data from Urban Audit database and a set of newly developed indicators, we assessed urban vulnerabilities for the following impact chains : (i) heatwaves on human health; (ii) drought on water planning, and; (iii) flooding (sub-divided into pluvial, fluvial and coastal) on the socio-economic tissue and the urban fabric. Results shed light on the key challenges that specific groups of European cities face in order to better deal with the expected impacts of climate change. This knowledge is a necessary step to advance in the understanding of urban risks to climate change and the development of effective EU policies for urban adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a factor associated with urban management and planning, urban development intensity (UDI) could in fact form the basis for a new rationale in coordinating urban sustainable development and reducing CO 2 emissions. However, existing literature engaging in the task of quantifying the impacts of urban development intensity on CO 2 emissions is limited. Therefore, the goal of this study is to quantify the relationship between urban development intensity and CO 2 emissions for a panel made up of the five major cities in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing and Guangzhou) using time series data from 1995 to 2011. Firstly, this study calculated CO 2 emissions for the five selected cities and presented a comprehensive index system for the assessment of the level of urban development intensity based on six aspects (land-use intensity, economic intensity, population intensity, infrastructure intensity, public service intensity and eco-environmental intensity) using locally important socioeconomic variables. Panel data analysis was subsequently utilised in order to quantify the relationships between urban development intensity and CO 2 emissions. The empirical results of the study indicate that factors such as land-use intensity, economic intensity, population intensity, infrastructure intensity and public service intensity exert a positive influence on CO 2 emissions. Further, the estimated coefficients suggest that land-use intensity is the most important factor in relation to CO 2 emissions. Conversely, eco-environmental intensity was identified as having a major inhibitory effect on CO 2 emission levels. The findings of this study hold important implications for both academics and practitioners, indicating that, on the path towards developing low-carbon cities in China, the effects of urban development intensity must be taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]