Cropland is persistently affected by soil loss by water erosion in China, which causes economic loss and threatens soil health. Integrating crop switching and improved management provides a promising strategy for controlling soil loss by water erosion in cropland and promoting sustainable agriculture. However, optimizing crop composition with fewer inputs involves balancing agricultural resource use with environmental costs. Aiming to explore the potential of crop switching as a strategy for mitigating soil erosion in cropland, we develop a spatial optimization model that redistributes the sown areas of different crops in each prefecture-level city based on existing resource availability. Our findings gained from our simulations show that crop switching in China alone can reduce total soil erosion in cropland by an estimated 13 %. Furthermore, combining crop switching with improved agricultural management practices can further reduce soil erosion in cropland by an estimated 25 %. Cereals including maize, wheat, and rice demonstrate significant potential for reducing soil erosion in cropland. Shifting major maize-producing areas northward could result in a substantial decrease in soil erosion, ranging from 10 % to 19 % of historical soil erosion in cropland. These results offer implications for formulating regional strategy in mitigating soil erosion challenges in China while maximizing the benefits from existing agricultural resource.

Ecosystem degradation and the loss of ecosystem services stem from multiple causes, requiring coordinated and diverse policies, legislation, and institutional responses to effectively address them. An understanding of the policies, legislation, and institutions governing ecosystem services can enhance the sustained management and provision of ecosystem services. Therefore, this work appraises the policies, legislation and institutional provisions made by the government of Nepal. In addition, this study analyzes policy implications and identifies gaps and barriers that hinder future improvements in the management of ecosystem services. Altogether, 63 documents comprising 45 policies and 18 legislations promulgated by the government of Nepal have been assessed for content analysis. Twenty Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) have also been conducted to obtain expert insights about the gaps in policy formulation and implementation. The results indicate that though several sectoral policies and legislations have made provision on management of ecosystem and its services implicitly or explicitly, still there is lacking of overarching framework to deal with ecosystem services. Overlapping roles and responsibilities outlined in the constitution, policies, and legislation, coupled with weak enforcement and lack of multisectoral coordination mechanism, are significant obstacles to effective policy implementation. Therefore, there is a need to develop an overarching national framework backed up by legislation with a strong multisectoral coordination mechanism that will adopt a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the sustained management and provision of the ecosystem and its services.

The effects of land use changes on poverty vary markedly among geographic regions. While Inner Mongolia has been experiencing significant land use changes during past decades, to date there has been no systematic research aimed at understanding how these land use changes affect poverty in the region. This study analyzes spatiotemporal patterns of land use changes in Inner Mongolia from 1980 to 2020 through the application of statistical methods including Correlation Analysis, Multiple Stepwise Regression Analysis, and Geographically Weighted Regression to understand how land use changes affect the distribution and dynamics of poverty. We show that five types of land use conversion explain 51 % of the variation in poverty levels. Conversions among cultivated land, grassland, and construction land are shown to have dominated the pattern of land use change in Inner Mongolia. From 2000 to 2020, 2,208 km² of grassland and 56 km² of water/wetland were converted to built-up land, and 32 km² of water/wetland was converted to woodland, these conversions promoted poverty reduction. Conversely, the conversion of existing cultivated land to grassland and its degradation to unused land (1,754 km² and 156 km², respectively) has constrained progress in alleviating poverty in the region. Accordingly, further mitigation of poverty in Inner Mongolia can be obtained through interventions that conserve remaining cultivated land, while simultaneously facilitating urbanization. Maintaining the dynamic balance between economic growth and environmental protection is key to the development of policies that advance sustainability in this region. Moreover, the methodology used in this study has the potential to be applied to other regions of the world with similar environmental and socioeconomic conditions to support sustainable land use planning in the context of poverty reduction.

Forestation projects have been identified as an important component of climate mitigation strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. However, most previous studies ignore the impacts of potential forestation projects on livestock production, which is crucial to the livelihoods of local people. In this study, we identified potential forestation areas in China by integrating random forest regression model and LPJ-GUESS model. The impacts of potential forestation on carbon storage and pasture-based livestock production were then analyzed. The results showed that China has a potential forestation area of 43.2 million hectares, accounting for about 19.6 % of the country’s forest area as reported in the 9th National Forest Inventory. If all these regions are reforested, China’s forest cover will increase to 27.4 %. Furthermore, 1.58 Pg C of new above- and below-ground carbon would be sequestered, about an increase of 17.2 % of current forest carbon storage. However, the potential forestation may result in a significant negative impact on existing pastures and the amount of livestock. It can reduce 4.7 % of beef, and 0.8 % of mutton products from China’s livestock sector each year. These significant declines will result in a huge gap in China’s livestock products supply, posing a serious threat to food security and the livelihoods of many people. Our findings highlight that potential forestation projects should further consider a reasonable pasture protection strategy to balance the potential carbon sequestration and the socio-economic benefits of livestock production.

The Shan-Shui Initiative has attracted global attention in massively contained ecological deterioration and restored millions of hectares of land in China. There are high hopes for this new combination of protection, restoration, and management of ecosystems, its overall benefits, however, remain uncertain. Here, we employed ecosystem service (ES) indicators to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of all pilot projects since 2016 at the national scale. Results show that after the implementation of Shan-Shui Initiative, ES have significantly improved, with increases in water yield (14.3 %), carbon sequestration (13.7 %), soil conservation (6.5 %), windbreak sand fixation (5.0 %), and habitat quality (0.7 %). The changes in ES were driven by both the Shan-Shui Initiative and climate change. Projects with longer implementation periods showed a more pronounced trend of growth in ESs, particularly evident in the ecological space. The spillover effects were widely present and the prevalence of positive spillover effects was notably greater than that of negative ones. Furthermore, the diverse interventions implemented in the Shan-Shui project had varying impacts on ES across different regions. Overall, these interventions showed a positive influence on ESs, although the degree of trade-off showed a south-high and north-low pattern. This highlights the necessity for ecological restoration efforts to carefully consider regional differences. This study may provide policy guidance for optimizing the layout and sustainable management of Shan-Shui ecological restoration projects.

Enhancing urban resilience is a powerful strategy for mitigating floods caused by both intensive human activities and climate change. However, existing studies have limitations, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive framework for assessing flood resilience based on the resilience evolution process. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop an integrated framework for evaluating urban flood resilience, incorporating Bayesian networks and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to explore the driving mechanisms behind flood resilience with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration in China as a case study. The results indicated that: (1) inundation risk, population risk, and flooding mitigation were the most critical indicators influencing urban flood resilience; (2) Chengde and Tangshan emerged as key areas with high resistance capabilities, while Zhangjiakou and Baoding showed notable strengths in functional recovery; (3) the average value of urban flood resilience decreased from 0.58 under a 5-year rainfall return period to 0.54 under a 100-year rainfall return period, representing a 5.6 % decrease, with Zhangjiakou exhibiting the highest flood resilience. These findings are of significant importance for policymakers involved in flood risk management.

Coastal salt marshes provide critical ecological services, including carbon sequestration. However, the landscape patterns, driving factors, and carbon dynamics associated with salt marsh losses and gains remain insufficiently explored, which is vital for effective restoration. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of these aspects across China, with a focus on species-specific differences. Based on historical salt marsh data, landscape analysis was applied for identifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of changes. XGBoost algorithm was used for driving factor analysis. Carbon dynamics derived from salt marsh changes were estimated with statistical calculation. Our results indicated that the distribution patterns of salt marshes, as indicated by mean center, ellipse area, and landscape indices, varied significantly from 1985 to 2019, particularly between 2005 and 2010. Native species, such as Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa, experienced significant losses with a 72 % reduction, while exotic species Spartina alterniflora showed substantial gains with a 680-fold. Human disturbances emerged as the primary driver of these changes, with mean temperature and precipitation influencing certain regions and years. Overall, salt marsh changes resulted in a net emission of 68.1 Mt CO₂, with the highest emission in Shandong and linked to the loss of Phragmites australis. Conversely, carbon sequestration equivalent to 11.1 Mt CO₂ mainly resulted from the expansion of Spartina alterniflora, with Shanghai contributing the most. This species-specific and site-specific analysis of landscape patterns, drivers, and carbon dynamics in China could enhance our understanding of salt marsh changes and offer valuable insights for targeted restoration efforts at both local and national levels.

The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (QXP) serves as a vital ecological security barrier in China and the broader Asian region. The delineation of urban growth boundaries (UGBs) in this region with consideration of socioeconomic development and ecological protection is urgently needed, but there is a lack of such research. The objective of this study is to delineate the UGBs on the QXP during 2020–2100 to simultaneously meet the needs of socioeconomic development and ecosystem services (ESs) protection. To achieve this purpose, under a scenario matrix integrating shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) and ESs protection, the urban expansion on the QXP during 2020–2100 was simulated by coupling the ESs assessment models and the zoned Land Use Scenario Dynamics-urban (LUSD-urban) model. Finally, we compared the spatial patterns of the UGBs and the conservation effectiveness of ESs under different scenarios. The extent of UGBs on the QXP is projected to reach 2,045.60–2,231.10 km², which is 62.23 %–76.95 % greater than the urban land area (1,260.90 km²) in 2020. Protecting the ESs can reduce the loss of the average natural habitat quality, food production, and carbon sequestration by 33.29 %–34.27 %, 8.61 %–18.23 %, and 36.56 %–40.34 %, respectively. Protecting food production and carbon sequestration in Qinghai Province are more effective, but in the Xizang Autonomous Region, protecting ESs has a considerable trade-off effect. The UGBs delineated in this study can offer a reference for future urban planning on the QXP.

Urbanization significantly affects the balance of key elements such as water, heat, and carbon in cities. However, previous studies have not integrated these factors for comprehensive analysis. Here, we proposed a water-heat-carbon (WHC) nexus model to provide a holistic understanding of urbanization’s impacts. Furthermore, we employed the model to identify the mechanisms and response thresholds of urbanization through this coupling approach. Our findings reveal three key insights: (1) WHC exhibits a nonlinear, inverted S-shaped response to urbanization. (2) The mechanisms through which urbanization impacts WHC differ significantly across urbanization gradients. Acrossing urbanization gradients, the complexity of impact pathways increases, with direct effects becoming more pronounced and positive impact pathways emerging progressively. (3) We identified priority zones for restoration and protection based on the likelihood of units shifting between lower-risk and higher-risk categories. Our study enhances understanding of the WHC-urbanization nexus and highlights the importance of accounting for threshold effects and environmental interactions when examining the impact between urbanization and WHC. This framework can be adapted to other urban areas experiencing similar challenges.

Considering the crucial role of wetland conservation in China for the sustainability of biodiversity, it is imperative to identify key habitat functional areas (KHFAs), which are suitable for sustaining waterbirds and ensuring landscape connectivity, to optimize wetland management. This study identifies the past changes, present status, and future patterns of wetland KHFAs in China by using the Zonation model with comprehensive data inputs, including wetland distribution, key bird distribution areas (such as Ramsar sites and Important Bird Areas), and flagship waterbird species. Results show that the current wetland KHFAs in China is 41,613.5 km², mainly in the Sanjiang Plain (SJP), Songnen Plain (SNP), middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (QXP) regions. The area of wetland KHFAs has been declining since 1990, especially in 2000, mainly due to anthropogenic impacts such as urbanization and agricultural expansion. The future projections suggest a continued decline in the area of wetland KHFAs, although the trend is expected to be slowed. The conservation gap analysis indicates that prioritizing wetland reserves in KHFAs areas, such as the SJP, SNP, and QXP, can significantly enhance the protection of wetland flagship species and their habitats. The results of this study establish conservation priorities that align with national goals of a 55 % wetland protection rate and the global biodiversity framework in protected areas and biodiversity, indicating that the spatial conservation optimization approach is an effective method for identifying wetland KHFAs.

In recent years, urban floods have increased in frequency and severity due to intensified extreme rainfall events exacerbated by rapid urbanization. This study integrates a Markov-PLUS model and a rainfall-runoff-flood hydraulic numerical model to establish a scenario-based research framework for identifying interactions between land use dynamics and urban flood risk, using the Jialu River basin in Zhengzhou, China, as a case study. Future land use changes under three scenarios were forecast: Natural Development (ND), Economic Development (ED), and Ecological Protection (EP), alongside rainfall scenarios occurring every 10, 50, and 100 years. There were expansions and decreases in construction land under the ED and EP scenarios, respectively, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing ecological conservation. Economic scenarios showed the highest risks under the increased surface runoff and flood risk driven by higher rainstorm intensity. Over the next 15 years, the Economic Development scenario is projected to increase flood hazard areas, whereas the intensified Ecological Protection scenario is expected to reduce these risks. This underscores the contribution of prioritizing ecological conservation to mitigating disaster risks, calling for enhanced drainage systems and elevated flood protection standards to promote resilient urban development in the face of increasingly severe urban flood challenges.

Exposure assessment is critical for hazard risk management. It is important to investigate the cropland exposure to compound drought and heatwave (CDHW) events because of their severe impacts on agriculture. We quantified the variations in CDHW characteristics (i.e., frequency, duration, and magnitude) and the cropland exposure to CDHW events in Northeast China using 20 CMIP6 climate projections for each of the four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (i.e., SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585). The results indicate that the intensification of CDHW events leading to an anticipated increase in cropland exposure ranges from 1.6-fold to 5.8-fold (the range describes the differences among SSPs), with the west and northeast of the region poised to experience more pronounced increases. Notably, adherence to the SSP126 pathway can reduce both the increase rate of CDHW magnitude and cropland exposure compared to other SSPs. Path analysis demonstrates that cropland exposure is primarily driven by maximum temperature (Tmax). Although precipitation (Pre) increases (0.36-0.75 mm year^-1), the rise in potential evapotranspiration (PET) due to global warming is higher than that of Pre (0.26-1.07 mm year^-1) except for SSP126, resulting in more drought events. Futhermore, elevated Tmax increases the frequency of extreme temperature events. Therefore, increases in Tmax and agricultural land area collectively contribute to exposure rise, with Tmax being the dominant factor in this process. Our findings emphasize the pivotal role of regulating the development pathway into SSP126 for sustainable agriculture, and optimizing crop patterns and planting heat-tolerant crop varieties are recommended for CDHW adaption.

A mechanistic understanding and modeling of the coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) are frontier of geographical sciences and essential for promoting regional sustainability. Modeling regional CHANS in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) featuring high water stress, intense human interference, and a fragile ecosystem has always been a complex challenge. Here, we propose a conceptual modeling framework to capture key human-natural components and their interactions, focusing on human-water dynamics. The modeling framework encompasses five human (Population, Economy, Energy, Food, and Water Demand) and five natural sectors (Water Supply, Sediment, Land, Carbon, and Climate) that can be either fully interactive or standalone. The modeling framework, implemented using the system dynamics (SD) approach, can well reproduce the basin's historical evolution in human-natural processes and predict future dynamics under various scenarios. The flexibility, adaptability, and potential for integration with diverse methods position the framework as an instructive tool for guiding regional CHANS modeling. Our insights highlight pathways to advance regional CHANS modeling and its application to address regional sustainability challenges.

Integrating the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs) across various scales is crucial for regional sustainable development. However, the relationships between ESs supply and demand, along with their determinants, have not been thoroughly investigated from a multi-spatial perspective. In this study, we quantified four ESs (carbon sequestration, water yield, food supply, and soil conservation) at six spatial scales (pixel, 10 km, 50 km, county, municipality and watershed scale) in China’s Loess Plateau (LP), characterized by fragile ecological environment and high human activity. The ESs supply-demand matches and their trade-offs or synergies as well as the dominant influencing factors at different scales were identified. There was significant spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of ESs supply and demand across the LP. The balance between ESs supply and demand became obvious from pixel to watershed (municipality) scale, with the area proportion increased by 66.78 %, 57.85 %, and 17.89 % for carbon sequestration, water yield and food supply, respectively. The supply-demand match of paired ESs was dominated by synergistic effects at the grid scales and county scale, and their trade-offs mainly occurred in municipality and watershed scales. Population and GDP emerged as the primary factors influencing the supply-demand matches for carbon sequestration, water yield, and food supply, whereas soil conservation was primarily shaped by natural factors. Furthermore, the influence of dominant factors strengthened as the spatial scale increases. The load coefficient of GDP, land use degree and human activities index increased by 0.5057, 0.6985 and 0.6705 from pixel scale to watershed scale, respectively. Thus, implementation of specific management measures should consider both the overall situation of ESs at large scale and influencing factors at small scale. This multi-scale study sheds light on understanding the interactions between supply and demand in different ESs, and provides new insights for hierarchical ecosystem management.

Agriculture is part of the food production that feeds the expanding population though it produces considerable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It’s crucial to balancing food security and emission reduction for a win-win scenario. However, the lack of sufficient comprehensive district-level assessments makes it difficult to determine the specific mitigation potential for agriculture emissions. In this study, we deployed the IPCC Tier 1 approach and estimated GHG at district/division level in Bangladesh from the year 2010 to 2021. We computed three primary GHG (CO₂, N₂O, and CH₄) from five sources of agriculture, namely, rice-growing CH₄, other crops-growing N₂O, enteric fermentation, urea fertilizer-induced N₂O, and energy-related CO₂ emissions in the 64 districts, and aggregated them into eight divisions. We observed from this study that GHG emissions in Bangladesh gradually increased from 2010 to 2021 and reached the peak (34.3 MtCO₂e) in 2021. Rangpur division emitted the highest amount of GHG (6.03 MtCO₂e in 2021) during this period. We also observed significant variations in the sources and structure of emissions within each division. Moreover, regional differences were observed in overall emissions and per capita emissions after additional spatial analysis, with per capita GHG emissions declining from 2010 (1.97 tCO₂e) to 2021 (1.90 tCO₂e). Findings of this regional (district/division) estimation will help stakeholders of the country to develop suitable mitigation approaches which targets particular emission sources and geographic areas.

Global population growth and rising standards of living are the driving factors for the cropland expansion to meet increasing demands. However, there is no clear assessment of the specific losses on ecosystem services caused by China’s expansion of cropland to ensure food security at the cost of losing ecological land such as forests and grasslands. This study employed the ArcGIS platform and integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST) model to explore the cropland expansion in China from 2000 to 2020 and its impact on ecosystem services, so as to predict the priority areas of future cropland expansion in different scenarios. The results indicated that in the past 20 years, the total area of cropland expansion in China was 17.04 million hm² with 70.79 % conversion from forests and grasslands. Cropland expansion has contributed to an overall improvement in the food supply services with the Northern Arid and Semi-Arid Region exhibiting an increase of 18.76 × 10⁶ tons, while concurrently leading to a decline in habitat quality services. The priority areas for future cropland expansion without ecological loss were found to be 1.42 million hm², which only account for 9.44 % of the total reclaimable land. To minimize the loss of ecosystem services, there is a need to adjust the cropland replenishment policies and provide an operational solution for global food security and ecological protection.

Soil and water matching in a land basin is important for securing land demand, alleviating human-land conflicts, and promoting sustainable development in the region. The Tarim River Basin (TRB) is the largest inland river basin in China and primarily sustains an agricultural economy centered around oases. This study employs the Patch-generating Land-Use Simulation (PLUS) model to forecast the changing patterns of land use across various future scenarios. The connection between land development and the ecological environment is examined through the lens of relative ecological value and ecological impact. The results indicate that: (1) From 1992 to 2020, the ecology of the basin showed an improving trend, with the area of new cropland increasing by 18,850.51 km² at a growth rate of 56.13 %. Grassland area increased by 10,235.29 km² and barren land area decreased by 20,597.29 km². (2) Under the four tested scenarios of Natural Development, Cropland Conservation, Ecological Protection, and Urban Expansion (scenarios I-Ⅳ, respectively), the PLUS results for the year 2050 show an increase in cropland area of 12.69 % under Scenario Ⅱ, an increase in grassland area of 20,374.82 km² under Scenario Ⅳ, and an increase in built-up land area of 1,105.57 km² under Scenario Ⅲ. (3) A simulation of the basin’s ecology in 2050 shows a significant improvement trend under Scenario Ⅳ. Specifically, the development of a large amount of barren land into grassland and woodland has significant ecological benefits, with a contribution rate of 61.88 % to 70.18 %. This study provides a strong scientific foundation for future land management and ecological sustainable development in the TRB.

Agricultural terraces are significant for food provision, environmental stability and sustainable resource management. However, the spatiotemporal evolution of terraces and their influence on food productivity in mountainous landscapes remain poorly understood. Taking the Chinese Loess Plateau (LP) as an example, this study conducted multitemporal mapping of terraces and sloping croplands over three decades (1990-2020), systematically assessing their impacts on food output through terrain gradient analysis. The results indicated that: (1) the terraced area expanded in the past 30 years, particularly across steeper terrain gradients (third to fifth gradients); (2) sloping croplands predominantly occupied gentle slopes (first to second gradients), exhibiting area reduction correlating with urbanization processes; (3) the food provision increased extensively, with yield decreasing from southeast to northwest and regions of high yielding mainly in terraced fields; (4) over time, the variation of food provision correlated positively with the area of sloping cropland at low gradients, while at higher gradients, the expansion of terraces dominated the increase in food provision; (5) spatial clustering analysis revealed significant food productivity associated with high-density terrace distribution across steeper slope gradients. Low yields could be attributed to improper terrace management. This study clarified the impact of long-term terrace patterns on food provision and offered large-scale perspectives for terrace-based agriculture to enhance food security. Furthermore, the findings underscore the imperative of integrated land management in topographically complex regions, informing evidence-based policymaking for rational allocation and optimal utilization of terrace resources.

Understanding the relationships between human activities and hydrological processes is critical for sustainable water resources management, especially under the threat of increasing climate extremes. China’s Lower Yellow River (LYR) region is one of the world’s most water-scarce and human-impacted areas, yet comprehensive information on its water resources is lacking. This study adopted a water resources system (WRS) analytical framework to investigate the water crisis facing the region. The findings reveal that over the last decade, the system’s resilience has been undermined by the combined impacts of climate aridification and intensified human interference. Specifically, a delicate balance between natural groundwater depletion and irrigation replenishment has been disrupted by a series of drought events since 2012. Increased groundwater extraction during droughts, coupled with an imbalanced allocation of surface water resources, has led to a persistent decline in water storage that has continued even after the droughts have ended. To mitigate future climate risks in the LYR, we recommend implementing more adaptive strategies, such as flexible water regulation policies and combined surface-groundwater management. Lessons from the LYR have important implications for other regions facing water resource challenges.

Large-scale urban land expansion in mountainous and hilly areas (UEMH) has significantly altered the terrain in many Chinese cities, leading to various environmental and urban challenges. Despite its importance, there is limited nation-scale research that reveals the amount and the spatial variations of UEMH-induced terrain alteration. This research integrates the Global Annual Urban Dynamics dataset, the Global Basic Landform Unit dataset, the TanDEM-X DEM Change Map (DCM) dataset, Baidu Points-of-Interest (POI), and other auxiliary datasets to conduct a comprehensive analysis of terrain alteration induced by UEMH in China from 2012 to 2020. The results indicate that the country-wide UEMH-induced terrain alteration reached approximately 13 billion m³, which is about 100 times the volume of Hangzhou West Lake, and terrain alteration volume in over 300 counties exceeded 10 million m³. The Southwest and Southeast regions, which are ecologically sensitive and critical, feature the greatest alteration in terms of area and volume. The most significant terrain alteration in terms of intensity is observed in the Southwest and Hengduan Mountain Area. Additionally, there are significant spatial variations in the contributions of different urban functional zones to terrain alteration. Our findings indicate that urban land expansion in mountains and hills has significantly altered terrain in some regions of China, necessitating customized urban planning strategies for better managing mountainous urban land expansion and governance policies to address the geological, ecological, and urban development challenges.

Sudden earth’s surface anomalies caused by natural and anthropogenic factors pose significant threats to ecological sustainability and the safety of human life and property, highlighting the urgent need for their immediate monitoring and early warning. Satellite remote sensing is the most effective means for large-scale earth’s surface anomaly detection. However, constrained by traditional observation paradigms, satellite payload limitations, and other physical factors, current remote sensing detection faces two major challenges: “inability to observe quickly” and “inability to observe effectively”. To solve these problems, we have researched immediate remote sensing detection of sudden earth’s surface anomalies. Its core concept is to deploy the entire detection process on satellites, enabling on-orbit immediate detection of earth’s surface anomalies based on a single image through the integrated “positioning, navigation, timing, remote sensing, communication (PNTRC)” intelligent constellation and edge computing technologies. Subsequently, the detection results are transmitted directly to the subscriber mobile terminal through the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS). The immediate remote sensing of sudden earth’s surface anomalies emphasizes the continuous capture and immediate feedback of geographic processes, overcoming the longstanding reliance of traditional geography on “slow variables”. Its significance lies not only in the improvement of data acquisition efficiency but also in promoting the transformation of geography from a “descriptive science” to a “predictive science”.

The interplay between human and ecological systems has evolved from traditional conservation approaches to integrated socio-ecological frameworks that emphasise the co-production of ecosystem services. This paper aims to inspire new research pathways to advance the Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) perspective by focusing on terraced agroecosystems as emblematic landscapes that exemplify this co-production. Informed by recent studies in sustainability science, and drawing on our experience in Mediterranean environments, we explore the transformative potential of these frameworks for understanding and managing terraced landscapes. Addressing their multifunctionality, the challenges they face, and their socio-cultural and ecological significance, we highlight the importance of bridging scientific insights with local knowledge and participatory practices. We examine the use of advanced biophysical assessments, mapping tools, and stakeholder-driven approaches to enhance field assessment, monitoring capabilities and tackle management challenges under changing socio-economic conditions. We stress the urgent need for education and capacity-building initiatives to counteract indigenous knowledge loss and sustain traditional practices. Looking to the future, we propose potential avenues for research and practice that integrate ecological, cultural, and governance dimensions, contributing to the long-term sustainability of terraced landscapes and informing broader efforts for sustainable land management in an era of rapid environmental change.

Global sustainable development cannot be achieved by neglecting rural areas. These regions represent vast territorial spaces beyond urban built-up areas, possessing comparative advantages through their distinctive ecological resources. The transformation of ecological resources into economic value, commonly referred to as ecological industrialization, enhances rural economic vitality and developmental potential. Comprehensive rural revitalization strengthens regional functionality and development resilience, thereby promoting sustainable rural development. Based on human–earth system science, we theorize ecological industrialization as the PGR model, manifesting the transformation path from “poor mountain” to “green mountain” and then to “rich mountain”. It is noteworthy that in regions endowed with beautiful ecological landscapes, the PGR model prioritizes the transformation of “green mountain” to “rich mountain”. The essence of rural revitalization manifests through areal transformations driven by tripartite forces: the rural internal force, urban peripheral force, and urban–rural interaction force. There is a mutually reinforcing relationship between ecological industrialization and rural revitalization, and the implementation of the two can realize the coordinated development of rural functions. In this process, rural areas have realized the transformation from degraded land system to human–earth coupling system. Furthermore, through the examination of Fuping, Liuba, and Sanming as exemplary case studies, we have distilled three distinct modes of ecological industrialization: the circular industry mode, the ecological tourism mode, and the carbon sink trading mode. It is recommended that rural areas prioritize the coordinated implementation of ecological industrialization and rural revitalization in accordance with regional characteristics, so as to better foster rural sustainable development.

Wiping out poverty while controlling carbon emissions is a major challenge of our time. China eradicated extreme poverty in 2020 through the targeted poverty alleviation (TPA) strategy, providing a unique case to examine the poverty-carbon nexus at the subnational level. This paper investigates the nexus between county-level poverty reduction and carbon emissions in Hubei province during the TPA period. Our findings support the win-win hypothesis, indicating that poverty reduction and emissions control can be achieved simultaneously. CO₂ sequestration through vegetation emerged as a key factor benefiting both objectives, with a 1 % increase reducing poverty by 0.42 % and lowering carbon emissions by 0.19 %. Economic growth contributed to poverty alleviation but increased emissions: a 1 % rise in GDP reduced poverty by 0.44 % while raising emissions by 0.70 %. Conversely, a 1 % increase in electricity consumption raised poverty by 0.46 % and lowered emissions by 0.12 %. Agricultural development showed a 1 % increase correlated with 0.52 % higher poverty and 0.17 % higher emissions. “Carbon Sink+” trading mechanisms facilitated ecological poverty alleviation in impoverished areas. Panel causality analysis confirms a bidirectional relationship between poverty reduction and carbon emissions. These findings highlight the potential for integrated strategies that advance both poverty alleviation and emissions reduction while considering the complex socioeconomic dynamics necessary to achieve sustainable development goals.

This study examines the impact of urbanization on the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) effect in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) over a 36-year period, utilizing advanced machine learning techniques to assess changes in land use and land cover (LULC). The research addresses three key questions: (1) How have changes in LULC influenced the dynamics of the urban heat island (UHI) effect in the BMR? (2) What roles do green and blue infrastructure play in mitigating urban heat? (3) How effectively can machine learning models classify LULC changes and provide insights to support sustainable urban planning? The findings reveal a strong correlation between urban growth and increased land surface temperatures (LST), with parks and water bodies exhibiting lower LSTs, emphasizing the importance of green and blue infrastructure in mitigating urban heat. The SUHI effect, initially measured at 3 °C from 1988 to 1991, peaked at 4.8 °C between 2012 and 2019 before slightly declining to 4.1 °C in recent years due to urban greening initiatives. However, ongoing urban development continues to diminish green spaces and water bodies, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable urban planning. Economic factors, including the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and land tax laws introduced in 2019, influenced land use patterns, further exacerbating the SUHI effect. The research highlights the necessity of integrated urban management and sustainable land use policies to enhance climate resilience in rapidly urbanizing regions like the BMR.