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The objectives of this paper were to develop, evaluate and apply the remote sensing based on models of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and total phosphorus (TP) for the Yi and Shu River in Linyi Economic Development Zone, Shandong Province, China. The scenes of Landsat-8 OLI satellite data were used to establish the relationship between the planetary reflectance and the measured data for five years (i.e., 2014-2017). The five spectral bands (i.e., Coastal, Blue, Green, Red, NIR) were used to obtain the most suitable modeling factor from the different band combinations. The liner regression analysis showed that red band both had highest correlation with NH3-N and TP in Yi and Shu River. For the Yi River, the co-efficient of determination (R2) of red band was 0.541 for the NH3-N model and 0.498 for the TP model. For the Shu River, the co-efficient of determination (R2) of red band was 0.643 for the NH3-N model and 0.565 for the TP model. The best-fit Models were validated with measured data and found that the errors of the NH3-N and TP models of the Yi River were 34.93% and 29.33%, respectively, and while 33.66% and 32.48% for the Shu River. With the models, the distribution diagrams of NH3-N and TP were generated, which can be assisted analysis of spatial and temporal for Yi and Shu River. The results showed that the established models could indicate the trend of NH3-N and TP in rivers that was validated by field visit. The proposed approach in this paper has satisfactory validity and practicability, thus could be reference for study on NH3-N and TP in water based on remote sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complexity modelling of economic efficiency and growth potential is increasingly essential for countries and provinces. Evaluating the monetary flows, kinetic energy (efficiency) and potential capacity (resilience) provides crucial information for economic development. In the paper, the authors analyze growth opportunities for the Chinese economy from a system science point of view, using the perspective of information entropy, based on the input-output tables. Over the past four decades of reform and opening-up, China has made remarkable progress in its economic development. In 2007, China's GDP was at its fastest pace in history at 14.2% growth. However, after the financial crisis in 2008, the global economy experienced a downward trend and China's economic development also settled on a medium-low level of development. The traditional perspective is to rank regional development only based on GDP growth, whereas here, the authors advocate another evaluation method based on efficiency and potential growth. Unbalanced regional economic development has become problematic and has become a barrier for sustainability of China's economy. The results of the research indicate firstly that China's regional development in 2007 and 2012 has been unequal between the provinces. Secondly, the authors found that Shandong province had significantly higher indicators for efficiency and potential growth than others in the same circumstances. Authors observe that provinces tend to carry out industrial policies and adjust the structure of industry on a local level. This analysis demonstrates that the spatial imbalance of efficiency and potential of economic development under the perspective of provincial-level regions. From the perspective of industry, it indicates that the supply chain is too short, mainly focusing on the mining and processing of resources and minerals in the original upstream industry chain, while the downstream is not fully utilized. These represent some unique insights yielded through this type of analysis that authors advocate applying more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The development of small and medium-sized resource-based cities is facing an important strategic turning point. Circular economy development model is the only way for their transformations. With Zibo city of Shandong province as an example, the paper sets forth the circular economy action program and countermeasures for resource-based cities. The paper is divided into five parts. The first is the introduction and the second part assesses the current situations and the conditions of circular economy in Zibo city. The third part puts forward the action program of the circular economy. In the fourth part, the paper brings up specific countermeasures from four respects. In the last part, the paper gives a summary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With the rapid development of urbanization and economic growth, urban agglomerations have become an effective way to realize resource sharing and reduce environmental dependence. This paper focuses on the cities within an urban agglomeration and analyzes the spatial characteristics of green development and its influencing factors. Considering the spatial correlation and dependence of green development, this paper proposes a methodology for the spatial analysis of area green efficiency (AGE) and total factor productivity change (TFPC) using a two-level hierarchical framework including diversity and correlation. This approach was tested using an urban agglomeration in China, and the results reveal that AGE varies greatly among cities and that the changing trend is related to the government's regional planning. TFPC presents a significant negative spatial correlation, indicating that the heterogeneity between cities is obvious. The serious problems in the green development of the Shandong Peninsula are due to the improper structure of export products and the insufficient contribution of tertiary industry. Proper policy instruments could improve area green development within an urban agglomeration, including policies promoting closed networks among cities, measures readjusting the industrial structure, and strategies for optimizing the development of tertiary industry according to the characteristics and advantages of each city. • A methodology is put forward for the spatial analysis of area green development. • Area green development in urban agglomeration shows significant spatial correlation. • The importance of influencing factors varies in different regions and time periods. • Optimizing spatial structure and factor input could improve area green development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of Cleaner Production (CP) is a strategy for achieving a corporate's sustainable development and therefore is an important instrument for improving environmental performance. Due to the rapid economic development and urbanization in China, the stone processing industry is developing fast, resulting in several environmental problems. The stone processing sector has begun to implement the CP technologies and practices to tackle with environmental problems caused by the production process. However, the evaluation methodologies of the effectiveness of CP implementation in this sector have rarely been examined in the literature. This paper proposed a CP evaluation system that enables decision-makers to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of CP in the stone processing industry. A three-level framework was structured with 6 first-grade indicators and 24 sub-indicators according to the context and characteristics of the stone processing production. And the evaluation criteria were closely related to the laws, rules, regulations and discharge standards in China as well as the current CP technology level. Using analytical hierarchy process and fuzzy membership degree analysis, the weights of each indicators were determined, and evaluation results were achieved. Moreover, the evaluation methodology was verified to be reasonable and practical in the case study of a stone processing firm in Shandong Province. The entire and detailed assessment results demonstrate that the evaluation methodology is helpful in providing guidelines for the implementation of CP strategy in the industry of stone processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Urbanization and industrial structure are two economic development systems that affect and promote each other. The former''s rapid development will contribute to continuous adjustment of the latter and the latter''s upgrading and optimization will stimulate the former uninterruptedly. Firstly, the characteristics of urbanization and industrial structure evolution from 1978 to 2009 in Shandong are analyzed in the paper, showing that the urbanization process and industrial structure evolution response to each other sequentially. Next, from the perspective of empirical test, the long-term mechanism involving urbanization, industrialization and tertiary industry development, as well as causal relation between the three factors are investigated by the method of cointegration analysis and error correction model. The empirical results indicate that the tertiary industry stimulates urbanization better than the second industry and long-term stationary equilibrium relationship between the three factors exists. Finally, the Granger causality test reveals that urbanization plays an important role in the development of secondary industry, but the hypothesis that the evolution of industrial structure stimulates the urbanization is not been supported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nowadays, sustainable economic development is the key issue in the world. In this paper, we take Shandong Province as an example to analyze the relationship between energy use, environmental quality and economic development. Through the study, we find that the correlation between nominal income per capita and environmental quality can be shown in Kuznets inverted U-shaped curve. After 2020, with per capita income increasing, total amount of environmental pollutants will decline slowly; The relationship between per capita income and discharge amount of sulfur dioxide is consistent with EKC theory and is shown in inverted U-shaped curve, but the per capita income has no similar pattern with the other three environmental indicators; Although efficiency of energy utilization in Shandong Province increased steadily in recent years, but the rapid economic growth heavily depends on natural resources, and extensive mode of economic growth remains. Irrational industrial structure is the main cause for structural unbalance of energy consumption and environmental degradation in Shandong Province. It is argued that readjusting industrial structure and improving environment system of environmental pollution are the primary issuesin the reform. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyzes the energy consumption of Shandong Province by the use of Complete Decomposition Model. We decompose three key factors: economic growth, structure and energy intensity, and study the impact on energy consumption results brought by changes in these variables. The corresponding effect coefficients is compared with national average level to identify the characteristics of energy consumption changes in Shandong and specific effect s of every stage of each factor, providing a scientific basis for the development of energy policy making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Based on the AHP low-carbon economy evaluation index system, this paper evaluates the developing status of Shandong''s low-carbon economy pointing out that city people''s behavior and low-carbon economic development are closely related. And we try to use theory of planned behavior as guidance for the purpose of analyzing the necessity of regulating the behavior of urban residents. At the same time, we put forward some feasible suggestions from the aspect about how to make residents behavior normative to promote the development of low-carbon economy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In response to the national energy-saving and emission-reduction policy, the development status of iron and steel industry in Shandong province has been investigated in this paper. On this basis, the existing problems were analyzed and carbon emission coefficients method was used to calculate the carbon emissions in Shandong''s iron and steel industry in 2005-2008. The result indicated that the carbon emissions showed upward trend overall in 2005-2008 and there were still spaces for cutting down carbon emissions. Finally, according to the above analysis, the carbon emission reduction approaches were proposed, including improving the technical equipment and equipment capacity, optimizing process, decreasing iron-steel ratio and optimizing energy structure. It is essential for the relevant governments to make scientific and rational decision-making and further to lay a theoretical foundation for realizing the target of sustainable and low-carbon economic development in Shandong''s iron and steel industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The current developing situation and prospect of chemical industry of Shandong Province is reviewed and analyzed. The chemical industry of Shandong Province has developed rapidly with a large economic aggregate, and has become one of the pillar industries of Shandong Province. However, its structure is not reasonable and its processing depth is inadequate. This paper points out the main contradiction in the developing process of chemical industry of Shandong Province and its main environmental problems. Combined with the relative industry policies issued by the Country and Shandong Province, several suggestions and recommendations on implementing the sustainable development strategy in chemical industry of Shandong Province are brought out, which includes promulgating the related policies and regulations to establish a threshold of environmental admittance for new chemical projects, gathering the chemical projects into the centralized areas, paying attention to the construction of environmental infrastructure facilities and its perfection of the chemical industry parks, and strengthening the supervision and management of environmental risk of the chemical projects, as aims to harmonize economic development and environmental protection, and to realize the harmonious state of society, environment and human beings, on the base of a fast economic progress of chemical industry. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of RIUDS [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: With the accelerating process of urbanization, it becomes an important task to improve the competitiveness of the city itself for social and economic development. City is a complex system which includes many subsystems. In this paper, we establish an index system of urban competitiveness from the following aspects: the strength of economic development, urban openness, the overall quality of the people, infrastructure and living environment. On this basis, we use principal component analysis method to condense the index, and apply the non-equilibrium DEA method to econometric analysis. We take seventeen cities in Shandong Province as an example, not only obtain the comprehensive rank of urban competitiveness, but also give the direction and scale about improving the city competitiveness. By the analysis, the competitiveness of cities in Shandong Province shows a typical “double heartshaped” structure, Qingdao and Jinan, respectively, as the two cores. But in recent years, the gap between east and west is expanding, and it shows a ladder-like distribution. The city competitiveness is uneven, so it is adverse for the coordinated and stable development of economy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The relationship between energy consumption and economic growth has long been the focus at home and abroad. The general view is: energy consumption promotes economic growth; economic growth affects energy consumption on the other hand. In sight of the original theory, this paper adopts the statistical data of Shandong Province from 1980 to 2008, which include Gross Domestic Products (GDP), energy consumption, fixed asset investment and employees. Using unit root, co-integration and Granger causality test, we examined the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth in Shandong Province. The results show that energy consumption and economic growth have long-term trend relation, and there is two-way causality between them. The econometric model is estimated using Generalized Least Square (GLS) method. The conclusions are as follows: energy consumption and economic growth is positively correlated in Shandong province, and economic growth has highly depended on energy consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyzes the status of industrial structure and resources and environment in Shandong Province, and discusses the problems in adjusting Shandong''s industrial structure. Using circular economy theory, we propose countermeasures for adjustment and optimization of Shandong''s industrial structure, which is important for conversion of economic growth pattern and improvement of the overall national economy''s quality and efficiency in Shandong Province. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In recent years, China's fisheries economy has expanded dramatically. As a result, environmental pollution caused at least partially by such an expansion has endangered human health and the sustainable development of fisheries in some coastal regions. This paper establishes an indicator system for fisheries economic growth and environmental quality and evaluates the coordinated level of the two systems in 12 regions in China. Results show that i) it is necessary to expand the relative scale of fisheries economy, optimize the structure of fisheries industry, and improve the utilization capacity of pollutants; ii) the selected regions are evaluated as half each the fisheries economic lagging type and the environmental lagging type; iii) most of the selected regions exhibit a high coupling coordination degree, and the highest of those is Shandong. In the last section, the policy implications and further research directions are discussed. • The coupling coordination degree of fisheries economic and eco-environment systems is evaluated. • The selected regions are evaluated to be half each of the fisheries economic lagging and environmental lagging types. • Most selected regions exhibit a high coupling coordination degree, and Shandong's is the highest one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming China's economic growth pattern from investment-driven to consumption-driven can significantly change global CO2 emissions. This study is the first to analyse the impacts of changes in China's saving rates on global CO2 emissions both theoretically and empirically. Here, we show that the increase in the saving rates of Chinese regions has led to increments of global industrial CO2 emissions by 189 million tonnes (Mt) during 2007–2012. A 15-percentage-point decrease in the saving rate of China can lower global CO2 emissions by 186 Mt, or 0.7% of global industrial CO2 emissions. Greener consumption in China can lead to a further 14% reduction in global industrial CO2 emissions. In particular, decreasing the saving rate of Shandong has the most massive potential for global CO2 reductions, while that of Inner Mongolia has adverse effects. Removing economic frictions to allow the production system to fit China's increased consumption can facilitate global CO2 mitigation. The partial effects of saving rate changes on CO2 emissions remain unclear. Here the authors found that the increase in saving rates of China has led to increments of global industrial CO2 emissions by 189 million tonnes (Mt) during 2007-2012, while global CO2 emissions would be reduced by 186 Mt if the saving rates of China decreased by 15 percentage points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]