Habitat International最新文献

{"title":"Mapping urban-rural divide of disaster vulnerability and implications for community resilience building in China","authors":"Yuheng Li ,&nbsp;Wenjing Cheng ,&nbsp;Yun Zhang ,&nbsp;Monika Stanny ,&nbsp;Guoming Du","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103580","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Globally, the climate disasters have swept human society and exerted long lasting impact on sustainability issues. Taking Zhuozhou, north China's Hebei Province as the study area which suffered flood in 2023, the study integrates the exposure-sensitivity-adaptability model with multi-source geospatial and socioeconomic data, and investigates the urban-rural divide in disaster vulnerability and its implications for community resilience building in the context of China's climate crisis. Research results show that: (1) there exist critical disparities between urban and rural communities in terms of disaster vulnerability. (2) urban areas exhibit lower vulnerability due to superior infrastructure, governance, and disaster preparedness, while rural regions face heightened exposure and sensitivity driven by low-lying topography, proximity to rivers, and socioeconomic marginalization. (3) communities with higher government revenue and proximity to relief agencies demonstrate greater adaptive capacity, underscoring the role of fiscal resources and infrastructure accessibility in mitigating flood risks. The study highlights systemic inequalities in disaster resilience, where rural communities—despite similar exposure and sensitivity—suffer disproportionately due to limited financial and institutional conditions. The paper calls for targeted interventions, including equitable infrastructure investment, early-warning systems, and community-led resilience planning, to bridge the urban-rural divide of community vulnerability to disasters and enhance collective adaptive capacity in the face of escalating climate extremes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103580"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Why stay when the other side seems greener: Exploring residents' willingness to stay in Rural China's specialized villages","authors":"Isaac Sarfo ,&nbsp;Jiajun Qiao ,&nbsp;Gibbson Adu-Gyamfi ,&nbsp;Qiankun Zhu ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Yeboah ,&nbsp;George Darko ,&nbsp;Augustine Ohene Kofi Nyarko Mensah","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103566","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103566","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rural China faces unprecedented challenges of depopulation and sustainability, threatening the success of national revitalization strategies. Specialized villages (SVs)—economic engines driving rural development—are central to this effort, yet their long-term viability hinges on retaining residents. While existing research extensively maps SV formation, spatial distribution, and economic impacts, it neglects a critical question: What factors determine rural households' willingness to stay (WTS) in SVs? This study investigates the determinants of rural residents' WTS in SVs of China's Henan Province. By integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with place identity (PI), quality of life (QoL), and participation and policy incentives (PPIs), 549 rural households across 20 SVs were surveyed. Findings revealed that perceived behavioral control and subjective norms are the strongest direct predictors of rural households' WTS. PI demonstrated dual effects—strengthening attachment attitudes while paradoxically limiting stay intention. QoL indirectly supports WTS by fostering PI but lacks direct influence. PPIs improved attitudes, but were instrumental in impacting willingness to stay directly. Our standpoints underscore that quality rural development and continuity require enhancing rural households' economic control and opportunities, and leveraging village networks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103566"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can in situ urbanization alleviate infrastructure inequality? Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta, China","authors":"Wencang Shen,&nbsp;Chaoyue Yu,&nbsp;Zhengfeng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Counties along the Yangtze River Delta of China have achieved significant in situ urbanization (ISU), leading to regional infrastructure improvements. Nevertheless, inequalities persist in the infrastructure development process, receiving limited systematic attention. We comprehensively assessed 149 counties' ISU rate (ISUR) using the entropy-based TOPSIS model. A novel inequality model was introduced to measure counties’ infrastructure inequality. Spatiotemporal dynamics of ISU and infrastructure inequality were examined from 2000 to 2020, and the impact mechanisms of ISU on infrastructure inequality were explored encompassing regional differences using the two-way fixed effects model. Results indicate: (1) ISURs are initially higher in the eastern coastal region, but the west gradually catches up. (2) Infrastructure inequality shows an overall increasing trend, with specific trends varying according to terrain and grain-producing areas. (3) ISU significantly influences infrastructure inequality, exhibiting an inverted “U” relationship. When ISUR is less than 0.316, infrastructure inequality levels continue to increase with ISUR growth, while ISUR is greater than 0.316, inequality tends to alleviate. (4) Heterogeneity analysis reveals distinct different impact mechanisms across terrains and different grain-producing areas. This study provides empirical evidence on infrastructure inequality under the backdrop of similar rapid economic development regions undergoing ISU, contributing to regional coordination and spatial justice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103578"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145009999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"China's heritage governance blueprint: Revisiting evolutionary trajectories, reframing institutional priorities and mapping the national registry","authors":"Xinyuan Dang ,&nbsp;Qingyuan Hong ,&nbsp;Wanqin Liu ,&nbsp;Yibo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China's heritage conservation system is at a pivotal moment, navigating the intersection of historical preservation and rapid socio-economic transformation. While UNESCO world heritage sites often dominate global discussions, China's extensive registry of over five thousand major cultural heritage sites under national-level protection remains comparatively underexplored. This paper introduces a comprehensive ‘heritage governance blueprint’, integrating elements such as historical evolution, stakeholder interactions, policy and practice shifts, research priorities and tempo-spatial-typological mapping of the national heritage registry. The proposed framework identifies a hybrid governance model, blending centralized regulation with localized experimentation and technocratic innovation. It not only documents the progression of regulatory policies and stakeholder interactions but also utilizes geocoded datasets and clustering algorithms to visualize heritage assets. Findings from diverse materials — policy documents, national research grant data and heritage registries — highlight the transition from traditional rescue-based restoration toward more advanced practices including environmental monitoring, preventive conservation, digital twin technologies and the heritage revitalization endeavors within broader development narratives. The study makes a dual contribution. Theoretically, it recontextualizes global heritage norms, such as authenticity and conservation, within China's developmentalist framework. Methodologically, it bridges qualitative and quantitative approaches, offering a new paradigm for heritage governance. This hybrid governance model holds significant relevance for development-intensive nations and opens the door for future comparative studies and more inclusive global discourse on cultural heritage conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103541"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145009998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of “shutting down the wells and reducing the farmland” policy on social-ecological system in arid areas: Evidence from Minqin County, China","authors":"Ruohan Shi ,&nbsp;Runyang Li ,&nbsp;Jia Chen ,&nbsp;Di Zhao ,&nbsp;Fei Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaowen Zhang ,&nbsp;Xinjun Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arid areas are among the most sensitive areas to the impacts and responses of global climate change. It is imperative to implement effective adaptive management strategies to promote the achievement of sustainable development goals for the social-ecological system (SES). However, relatively few studies have focused on the direct impact of adaptive management policies related to social institutions on the social-ecological system. We selected Minqin County, a typical arid area in China, as a case study. Based on policy documents, statistical data and survey data, we employed methods such as partial correlation analysis and difference-in-differences models to analyze the spatiotemporal variations of various factors in the social-ecological system of Minqin County from 2000 to 2020, and to explore the impact of “shutting down the wells and reducing the farmland” policy on this social-ecological system. Results showed substantial ecological improvements post-policy implementation, including increased vegetation cover and carbon sequestration and decreased land desertification. Notably, groundwater mineralization and depth, along with cultivated area, shifted from increasing to decreasing trends following policy implementation. Socioeconomically, the policy significantly influenced agricultural structure, prompting farmers to transition from traditional grain cultivation to economically efficient, low-water-use crops and non-agricultural livelihoods. However, impacts on social factors, such as population density and rural employment, were not significant. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of ecological policy implementation in the context of environmental changes in arid areas and other ecologically fragile areas, providing valuable decision-making references for the sustainable development of global arid areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103569"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the spatial patterns of rural multifunctionality in China's metropolitan hinterland and its driving forces: The case of Shanghai-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou region","authors":"Ye Sun,&nbsp;Chen Chen,&nbsp;Haohan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accompanying globalization and modernization, the development of rural multifunctionality provides an important path away from rural marginalization in rapidly urbanizing economies for countries such as China. To optimize rural functions and facilitate the implementation of rural revitalization strategies in China, it is crucial to differentiate rural multifunctionality by clarifying its various distinctive spatial patterns and driving mechanisms. This study proposes an innovative theoretical framework that explores the spatial patterns and driving forces of rural multifunctional development through four key functions: ecological, economic, living, and recreational. To validate this framework, an empirical investigation was conducted in rural areas of Shanghai-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou at the village level. The results show that: (1) Rural areas within metropolitan hinterlands exhibit pronounced multifunctionality, demonstrating a multi-scalar spatial agglomeration pattern. The four subfunctions—ecological, economic, living, and recreational—all significantly contribute to rural multifunctionality. (2) Rural areas in the hinterland of metropolises have achieved the initial transition from traditional villages to multifunctional villages, benefiting from the maturity of the regional economic system and improved transportation networks. The interplay between regional and local forces generates significant spatial differentiation of rural multifunctionality, with local factors exerting the predominant influence. (3) The cross-scale interaction between regions and localities exerts a stronger influence on the shaping of rural multifunctionality in the Shanghai Metropolitan Hinterland. The contribution of this research is not only to extend theoretical and methodological approaches to rural multifunctional evolution in Global South countries, but also to highlight significant policies for further promoting rural revitalization in China's developed regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103562"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144925940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between the built environment and concentrations of outdoor particulate matter in children's everyday places","authors":"Yucel Can Severcan ,&nbsp;Goksun Yildirim ,&nbsp;Nese Aydin ,&nbsp;Eftade O. Gaga ,&nbsp;Ozlem Ozden Uzmez ,&nbsp;Aybuke Balahun Coban ,&nbsp;Gonenc Ozarli","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the growing research on the relationship between the built environment (BE), outdoor air quality, and children's respiratory health, our understanding of how to plan and design children's everyday places with better air quality is limited. This study investigates the associations between BE attributes and concentrations of outdoor particulate matter (PM) in children's everyday places. The results are based on PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ measurements in 154 highly frequented outdoor places of 1687 nine-to fourteen-year-old children living in Ankara, Türkiye, in heating season. To analyze the relationship between variables, Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analysis were used. Findings show that, among the examined BE characteristics of children's places, only neighborhood greenness and proximity to polluting industrial facilities are significantly associated with PM_2.5 concentrations. Two additional factors are significantly associated with PM₁₀ concentrations: building density and land use mix. These results suggest that urban planners and designers should place greater emphasis on creating highly dense, mixed-use and green neighborhoods away from polluting industrial areas to promote children's health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103563"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resilience dynamics of economic systems in cities and city networks: A case study of the Central and Southern Liaoning Region, China","authors":"Xin Sun ,&nbsp;Ye Wei ,&nbsp;Wei Song ,&nbsp;Hualun Miao","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103565","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103565","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study delves into the multiscale economic resilience dynamics within the Central and Southern Liaoning Region of China from 2013 to 2023, focusing on the evolution and interactive processes between individual cities (city-level) and their interconnected urban networks (network-level) based on a comprehensive framework under the COVID-19. The findings include: (1) The economic structure at both scales has evolved toward greater integration and complexity. By 2023, network-level demonstrated significant strengthening in core industries and inter-industry connections; (2) Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall resilience of the urban network and individual cities is progressing toward the reorganization stage (α) in the adaptive cycle model. Resilience had achieved a notable increase by 2023, particularly at network-level; (3) Network-level shocks significantly influence the tightness of the city-level, while city-level shocks substantially affect the related variety of the network-scale. The study provides valuable insights on economic resilience, offering practical guidance for fostering resilient urban development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103565"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The concept of sponge city as a nature-based solution for urban resilience: Insights from stakeholders in Karachi, Pakistan","authors":"Soni Lubaina ,&nbsp;Iqbal Asifa ,&nbsp;Shah Ayesha Agha","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103564","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103564","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The vulnerability of growing cities to climatic challenges has led to substantial degradation of ecosystem services resulting in increased flooding and reduced green spaces. Sponge City (SC) concept has been promoted currently, as part of the wider scope of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) as sustainable measure that can be adopted to build resilient cities. However, Pakistan is still far behind in adapting such new practices. Its major cities like Karachi suffer from urban flooding and poor landscape management producing unhealthy urban environments. This study examines the familiarity and willingness of the experts related to architecture, urban planning and environmental development in adapting the concept of SC and the existing practical limitation perceived by these experts in Karachi for SC implementation. It employed a structured questionnaire survey administered to stakeholder groups to ascertain the status of knowledge amongst them related to NBS and SC. The research findings revealed that more than 50 % of experts are familiar with the concept of NBS and are willing to take part in implementing the SC initiatives in Karachi. At the same time, a significant majority of experts (74 %) are of the view that the absence of open and green spaces has a negative impact on quality of life in Karachi. However, most experts (72 %) consider the lack of government support as one of the major hinderances, while others consider high maintenance costs, shortage of skilled individuals and technology as barriers in adapting and implementing the SC concept in Karachi. This research subsequently identifies what could persuade experts to innovate SC concept within their practices. It emphasizes the urgent need for stakeholders and experts to collaborate with policy makers, advocating for a shift in mindset among both educated professionals to uninformed residents to drive meaningful change in the society.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103564"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144892918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing health promotion resource allocation and health facility spatial layout to match supply and demand: A fairness–Efficiency synergy approach","authors":"Bo Jin ,&nbsp;Jianfeng Guo ,&nbsp;Yue Wang ,&nbsp;Su Wang ,&nbsp;Zhi Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103561","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103561","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As urbanization accelerates in China, the mismatch between the supply and demand of public health facilities is shifting from a quantity mismatch to a spatial one, with growing concerns about the imbalance between fairness and efficiency in allocation. To achieve balance of fairness and efficiency in both spatial and quantitative, this study focuses on Xihu District, Hangzhou, examining two types of health facilities: sports and medical facilities. Using indicators such as the coefficient of variation, Gini coefficient, and match degree, the study employs a Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) method, based on life circles and “service circles,” to assess the fairness, efficiency, and spatial mismatch characteristics of health promotion resource allocation from the dual perspectives of supply-demand coupling and supply-demand separation. The results show that: (1) While fairness and efficiency show an “identity relationship” in health facility allocation, the balance of supply-demand, and the allocation features in the quantity-space dimension, will influence the connotation of fairness and efficiency. (2) The supply and demand of health facilities are generally balanced in quantity, but they exhibit a heterogeneous spatial mismatch, characterized by the differentiation of supply shortages and oversupply across different regions. Compared to medical facilities, the spatial mismatch for sports facilities is more pronounced. (3) Methods of supply-demand separation and coupling demonstrate complementary advantages. The former is more suitable for evaluating supply-demand quantity issues at specific facilities or residential points, while the latter more accurately reflects spatial issues at the regional scale. Finally, the study suggests a “fairness-efficiency” synergy approach for health promotion resource allocation in Xihu District and uses an iterative method to optimize the facility layout. This research offers a new perspective on urban public facility allocation and provides guidance for creating a fair and efficient healthy city.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48376,"journal":{"name":"Habitat International","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 103561"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144892202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}