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Abstract: Since China's economic reforms began in 1978, rural–urban migration has accelerated urban growth and the consequential need for regional planning. In order to make effective strategic decisions on regional planning, it is essential to identify the determinants that promote or restrain urban growth. Based on the theoretical underpinnings of classical economics, spatial economics and sustainable development, this paper establishes a theoretical model of urban population growth and uses a case study of China's Guangdong Province to test a hypothesis. The driving force of urban population growth is derived from natural and mechanical increases that include original urban size, living environment, industrial agglomeration, and location. Regression results from the case study reveal that during the period 2000–2010, factor of dominant industry significantly and consistently impacted urban growth, whereas the influence of living conditions and location on urban growth varied from year to year. These findings imply that local government pays less attention to residents' livelihood and more to the effect of location on urban growth. The paper concludes by proposing some regional planning policies for sustainable development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Providing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to rural areas often involves a complex interplay among economic development, bureaucratic systems, technical training and support. Nowhere are these dynamics more pronounced than in China, where a wide range of economic and institutional factors characterize the highly uneven state of informatization 2 [2] Defined as the transformation of an economy and society through the effective deployment of information and communication technologies in business, social, and public functions (Qiang, Bhavnani, Hanna, Kimura, & Sudan, 2009). This paper uses the terms informatization and ICT interchangeably depending on the context. throughout the country. Through a case study on Guangdong Province, China, this paper offers an in-depth examination of institutional issues in rolling out advanced information services (such as Internet) in rural China. The experiences from Guangdong help identify a number of systemic issues: (1) inefficient and wasteful spending resulting from interdepartmental rivalry (2) lack of policy continuity and institutional learning (3) lack of accountability and credible measurements (4) central planning resulting in gap between services and local needs. This paper calls for more emphasis on outcome assessment and coordination. First of all, in order to reduce waste and more fully exploit the benefits of system-wide reform, the incorporation of better assessment methods into policy measures should precede large-scale network rollout. Meanwhile, high level officials should be appointed to coordinate various departments and legislation may help to achieve coordination and policy continuity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Because of climate change and the popularity of air travel, the issue of low-carbon economy of air transportation industry is no longer ignorable. However, there is no standard measurable indicator to evaluate low-carbon economy, especially for air transportation industry. To fill in the blank of this area, this paper firstly discusses general indicators of low-carbon economy for air transportation industry. Secondly, it explores measurable indicators to assess the level of low-carbon aviation based on generally published data. Finally, it takes Shenzhen aviation as a case to discuss the evaluation of its low-carbon economy with the established measurable indicators. This paper not only provides indicators for low-carbon economy of air transportation with practical measurement effectiveness, but also opens up a new direction for the study of low-carbon air transportation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Drawing upon the perspective of state rescaling in city-region governance, this paper explores the transformation of cross-boundary governance in the Greater Pearl River Delta (GPRD), a cross-boundary region on the South China coast consisting of the PRD under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province, and Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs). Based on updated field investigation and in-depth interviews between 2008 and 2012, the study argues that the Greater PRD has undergone dramatic restructuring of regional governance since mid 2000s, reflected by rescaling attempts initiated by Guangdong provincial government and bottom-up resistance from local residents in Hong Kong. The interaction of the rescaling dynamics has engendered the contested geopolitics of the cross-boundary governance as the regional integration intensified. Notably, the complexity of cross-boundary governance has been heightened by emerging conflicts, resulted from the increasing number of mainlanders as ‘individual visitors’ to Hong Kong since the implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), the first bilateral free trade agreement between Hong Kong and China effective from 2004. By examining the Greater PRD as a salient mega city-region, the present study enriches the growing literature on state rescaling and cross-border governance in contemporary globalization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The exploitative intensity evaluation of bays is meaningful for the ecological conservation, future utilization and integrated management of bays in China; especially for the regions where the economic development is depending on the coastal exploitation. Nevertheless, the complexity of morphology and structure of bays make the study a little bit difficult. A physical impulse-based approach to evaluate the exploitative intensity of bay was put forward in this paper. First of all, the differentiation in morphological, spatial location and structure of bays were analyzed, and the bay was separated into geographical elements of axes and areas accordingly; secondly, the exploitation and utilization process was abstracted and assumed using physical principles; Thirdly, physical Impulse-based Model of exploitative intensity evaluation was build according to the Law of Momentum which can convert the process variable to state variable. Daya Bay of Guangdong province in China was taken as a case study, four key time indicating the construction of large coastal engineering near Daya Bay coast were selected, namely year 1986, 1991, 2001 and 2004. The exploitative intensities of each spatial element of Daya Bay during 1986–1991, 1991–2001, and 2001–2004 were calculated and analyzed. The results show that the exploitative intensity of intertidal flat in Daya Bay during the study time spans is highest. The potential applications, current limitations, and future challenges of the approach were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates the relationship between water pollution and economic growth in four cities of Guangdong Province in China based on the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using urban data over 1990–2009. Waste water is used as the environmental indicator and per capita GDP is used as the economic indicator. Cubic function is used to formulate the relationship, with quadratic function and logarithmic function as comparison. The results show that the relationship between waste water and per capita GDP of Guangzhou city is inverse U-shaped, those of Shenzhen, Heyuan and Huizhou are not inverse U-shaped until 2009. Several reasons are listed for the phenomenon, among which the change of industrial structure is analyzed in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The enactment and implementation of the 2003 EIA Law in China institutionalised the role of plan environmental impact assessment (PEIA). While the philosophy, methodology and mechanisms of PEIA have gradually permeated through the various levels of government with a positive effect on the process and outcome of urban planning, only a few cities in China have so far carried out PEIA as a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)-type procedure. One such case is the southern city of Shenzhen. During the past three decades, Shenzhen has grown from a small town to a large and booming city as China has successfully and rapidly developed its economy by adopting the “reform and open door” policy. In response to the challenges arising from the generally divergent processes of rapid urbanisation, economic transformation and environment protection, Shenzhen has incrementally adopted the SEA concept in developing the city''s Master Urban Plan. As such, this paper reviews the effectiveness of PEIA in three ways: [•] as a tool and process for achieving more sustainable and strategic planning; [•] to determine the level of integration of SEA within the planning system; and, [•] its effectiveness vis-à-vis implementation. The implementation of PEIA within Shenzhen''s Master Urban Plan offers important insights into the emergence of innovative practices in undertaking PEIA as well as theoretical contributions to the field, especially in exploring the relationship between PEIA and SEA and highlighting the central role of local governing institutions in SEA development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper uses two methods LMDI and Laspeyres to analysis the influences the industrial structure has on energy consumption,including how much the three industries have contribution to energy intensity .The results we conclude are:1) Economy has a strong stimulating effect on energy consumption;2)The effect of improving energy efficiency by using science and technology is significant in Guangdong province, especially in the secondary industry; 3) The secondary industry plays a positive role in reducing energy intensity, and the advantages of the tertiary industry isn’t displayed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to determine a suitable outlet location of wastewater marine discharge engineering in the Maogang economic development zone of Maoming city, Guangdong, the paper analyzed the hydrological conditions, marine environmental function zoning, sensitivity degree and economic cost near the Maogang district and initially identified two optional outlets: the industrial discharge area of the district (outlet A) and the Shuidong bay port area (outlet B).Then the marine numerical model ECOMSED was applied to simulate the physical self-purification ability of the waters and the seawater exchange capacity of the outlet A and outlet B, respectively. Before the application of the ECOMSED model, it was validated with the hydrological data of the Shuidong bay and its neayby waters provided by the estuarine and coastal institute of Sun Yat-sen university. The simulation result shows that the physical serf-purification ability of the outlet A is stronger than that of the outlet B under the most unfavourable situation, with smaller influencing scope for the outlet A when the concentration increment of CODMn is bigger than O.Olmg/L. In terms of seawater exchange capacity, the outlet A also turns to be better than B, with the water residence of the outlet B 2.7 times as much as that of the outlet A. Between the two schemes of outlet location of the engineering, the best outlet location was determined to be A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]