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Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Earth Science and Medical Geology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 27364

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chunbo Huang

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: ecological modeling; ecosystem services; urban environments; landscape planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Naixia Mou

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Guest Editor

College of Geodesy and Geomatics, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
Interests: maritime complex networks; data mining; big data analysis; tourism and transport geography

Dr. Chang Li

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Guest Editor

1. The Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysing & Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
2. College of Urban and Environmental Science, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Interests: spatiotemporal data analysis and modelling; geographic system simulation; ecological environment assessment; photogrammetry and remote sensing

Dr. Xin Fan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: land use change; land use management; ecosystem services; regional planning and sustainability; environment assessment; remote sensing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The “Belt and Road” initiative, i.e., the Chinese official term for the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”, was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping to call for a new regional cooperation model. It is an economic and political issue, but some scholars have proposed that it may destroy ecosystem health permanently and have reported this opinion in various scientific journals. As scientists, we believe that ecosystem health and environmental problems belong to scientific issues rather than political issues. Therefore, this Special Issue seeks novel scientific papers on the dynamics of regional ecosystems and environments, the mechanisms of ecosystem and environmental changes, and the strategies and solutions for environmental problems in the Belt and Road region. Research on the following topic is welcome in this Special Issue, though other topics will be considered as well:

Characteristics and mechanisms of ecosystem health;
Ecological health and regional development;
Interactions between the economy and the environment;
Environmental impacts of the Belt and Road;
Energy transformation for the Belt and Road initiative;
Spatial analysis and monitoring technology for the environment.

Last but not the least, this Special Issue will accept papers on scientific issues rather than on political issues. Reviews are encouraged, and scientific research papers that are supported by scientific data are preferred.

Dr. Chunbo Huang
Dr. Naixia Mou
Dr. Chang Li
Dr. Xin Fan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

environmental geography
tourism and transport geography
ecological environment assessment
regional development
ecosystem services
landscape planning

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Research

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21 pages, 1925 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Environmental Regulation on Carbon Emissions in Countries along the Belt and Road—An Empirical Study Based on PSTR Model

by Lei Wu, Chengao Zhu, Xinhao Song and Junge He

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2164; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032164 - 25 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1995

Abstract

Since China has put forward the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, research on the BRI-related countries along the Belt and Road has sprung up. With the advent of the era of carbon peak and carbon neutralization, environmental regulation, as one of the important methods to control carbon emissions, is becoming increasingly prominent. Research on the impact pathway of environmental regulation of countries along the Belt and Road on carbon emissions has important implications for environmental protection and carbon emission reduction. Based on the panel data of 38 countries along the Belt and Road from 2005 to 2018, this research applied linear Tobit model and nonlinear dynamic panel regression model (PSTR) to evaluate the direct impacts on carbon emissions from environmental regulation of countries along the Belt and Road, and to analyze the different impacts of environmental regulation on carbon emissions in terms of technical innovation, industrial structure, and energy intensity. We found that (1) the direct impact of environmental regulation on carbon emissions in the countries along the Belt and Road is positive, with slight differences between the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (2) when technical innovation is at a low level, environmental regulation promotes carbon emissions, while at a high level, environmental regulation significantly inhibits carbon emissions. (3) When industrial structure is at both a low and high level, environmental regulation inhibits carbon emissions, with a stronger degree of inhibition at a higher level. (4) When energy intensity is at a low level, environmental regulation promotes carbon emissions, while at a high level, environmental regulation inhibits carbon emissions. Accordingly, we suggest that countries along the Belt and Road follow the road of sustainable and low-carbon development, which should further enhance their focus on environment protection, improve their environmental awareness, and take environmental regulation measures rationally to reduce carbon emissions. Meanwhile, relevant adjustments should be done on technical innovation, industrial structure, and energy intensity to achieve carbon emission reduction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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18 pages, 1296 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Belt and Road Initiative, Public Health Expenditure and Economic Growth: Evidence from Quasi-Natural Experiments

by Xin Cao, Peng Li, Shi Li, Heng Zhang and Mengni Qin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16234; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316234 - 4 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2086

Abstract

The United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) involve society, economy, and environment, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an important path to implement the SDGs. Moreover, the BRI is a vision for economic development of countries along the route. Although many studies documented the effect of the BRI on environment and economic performance, few studies have discussed the effect of the BRI on social and economic benefits. Therefore, we introduce the public health expenditure to explore the relationship between the BRI and the public health and economic growth of countries along the route from the dual perspective of social development and economic growth. Based on a panel data from 171 countries from 2010 to 2018, the current research explores whether the BRI can boost public health and promote economic growth in the belt-road countries. As a result, we found that the BRI boosted the expenditure of public health and effectively spurred economic growth in the belt-road countries. Furthermore, the effect of the BRI on the economic growth in the countries along the route depends on the level of public health expenditure in each country; the positive effect of the BRI on economic growth is significant when the public health expenditure level is moderate instead of low or high. The findings provide theoretical and practical insights into the SDGs of the BRI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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20 pages, 7936 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Relationships and Impact Effects between Urbanization and Ecosystem Health in Urban Agglomerations along the Belt and Road: A Case Study of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

by Yan Wu, Yingmei Wu, Chen Li, Binpin Gao, Kejun Zheng, Mengjiao Wang, Yuhong Deng and Xin Fan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16053; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316053 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2635

Abstract

A healthy ecosystem is fundamental for sustainable urban development. Rapid urbanization has altered landscape patterns and ecological functions, resulting in disturbances to ecosystem health. Exploring the effects of urbanization on ecosystem health and the spatial relationships between them is significant for cities along the “Belt and Road” aiming to achieve sustainable regional development. This study took the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as an example and measured the urbanization level (UL) and ecosystem health index (EHI) from 2000 to 2020 using multisource data. We used bivariate spatial autocorrelation, the geographically weighted regression model (GWR), and the optimal parameters-based geographical detector (OPGD) model to clarify the impact of urbanization on ecosystem health and the spatial relationship between them from multiple perspectives. The major findings of this study were: (1) the EHI in the GBA decreased significantly during the study period, dropping from 0.282 to 0.255, whereas the UL increased significantly, exhibiting opposite spatial distribution features; (2) there was a significant negative spatial correlation between UL and the EHI and significant spatial heterogeneity between high–low and low–high types in the GBA; (3) the negative effects of urbanization on ecosystem health were predominant and becoming more pronounced in the central GBA. Moreover, urbanization had an increasingly significant negative effect, leading to the deterioration of ecosystem health, in the central GBA. Population urbanization drove land urbanization, which became the main factor affecting ecosystem health in the GBA. Overall, urbanization had a significant negative effect on ecosystem health, with this impact being particularly prominent in the core urban junctions of the GBA, which require urgent attention. The results of the study provide a basis for decision making in the context of the steady urbanization and ecosystem health protection of cities along the “Belt and Road”. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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20 pages, 4189 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Dynamic Evolution and Spatial-Temporal Heterogeneity of Carbon Emissions at County Level along “The Belt and Road”—A Case Study of Northwest China

by Shaoqi Sun, Yuanli Xie, Yunmei Li, Kansheng Yuan and Lifa Hu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13405; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013405 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1781

Abstract

Northwest region is the main energy supply and consumption area in China. Scientifically estimating carbon emissions (CE) at the county level and analyzing the spatial-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of CE in a long time series are of great significance for formulating targeted CE reduction plans. In this paper, Landscan data are used to assist NPP-VIIRS-like data to simulate the CE from 2001 to 2019. Spatial-temporal heterogeneity of CE was analyzed by using a two-stage nested Theil index and geographically and temporally weighted regression model (GTWR). The CE in northwest China at the county increases yearly while the growth rate slows down from 2001 to 2019. The spatial pattern forms a circle expansion centered on the high-value areas represented by the provincial capital, which is also obvious at the border between Shaanxi and Ningxia. Axial expansion along the Hexi Corridor is conspicuous. The spatial pattern of CE conforms to the Pareto principle; the spatial correlation of CE in northwest counties is increasing year by year, and the high-high agglomeration areas are expanding continuously. It is an obvious high carbon spillover effect. Restricted by the ecological environment, the southwest of Qinghai and the Qinling-Daba Mountain area are stable low-low agglomeration areas. The spatial pattern of CE in northwest China shows remarkable spatial heterogeneity. The difference within regions is greater than that between regions. The “convergence within groups and divergence between groups” changing trend is obvious. According to the five-year socioeconomic indicators, the economic scale (GDP), population scale (POP), and urbanization level (UR) are the main influencing factors. The direction and intensity of the effect have changed in time and space. The same factor shows different action intensities in different regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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25 pages, 5787 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coupling Coordination Degree between the Socioeconomic and Eco-Environmental Benefits of Koktokay Global Geopark in China

by Yiting Zhu, Xueru Pang, Chunshan Zhou and Xiong He

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8498; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148498 - 12 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2042

Abstract

The rapid economic growth of geoparks has put pressure on their ecological environments. Therefore, to ensure the sustainable development of geoparks, we must explore the coupling relationship between their socioeconomic benefits (SEBs) and eco-environmental benefits (EEBs). Based on coupling coordination theory and using statistical data from 2005 to 2018, in this study, we aimed to establish an indicator system for evaluating the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between the SEBs and EEBs of the Koktokay Global Geopark in China, which is both theoretically and practically relevant for research on the sustainable development of geoparks. As a result, we found the following: First, the comprehensive development level of the SEBs of the Koktokay Global Geopark showed a fluctuating upward trend during the study period. Second, the comprehensive development level of the EEBs of the geopark remained stable but fluctuated slightly: it declined from 2009 to 2012, affected by the deterioration of the eco-environment, and fell to its lowest point in 2012. By strengthening the protection of the eco-environment of geoparks, the EEBs gradually improved and became stable. Finally, we found that the CCD between the SEBs and EEBs of the Koktokay Global Geopark improved from mildly disordered to basically coordinated, indicating that the CCD is developing toward an increasingly higher level. The purpose of this study was to promote the reasonable development of geotourism while focusing on a sound eco-environment and to provide recommendations for the sustainable development of the Koktokay Global Geopark and a reference for the development of other similar geoparks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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17 pages, 2463 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Challenges Threatening Agricultural Sustainability in Central Asia: Status and Prospect

by Yi Qin, Jiawen He, Miao Wei and Xixi Du

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6200; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106200 - 19 May 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2372

Abstract

Agriculture provides humanity with the most basic products to sustain life and raw materials for production, closely linking human society and nature together. The sustainable development of agriculture, an inevitable choice to maintain long-term social stability, steady economic growth, and ecological security, is the key to the coordinated development of the economy, society, and environment in developing Central Asia economies. We attempted to evaluate the trend of agricultural sustainability in Central Asia between 2002 and 2017 by adopting analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method in this study. It was found that the overall sustainability level of regional agriculture is rising, which is mainly driven by economic progress, with social and ecological dimensions contributing much less. Accordingly, we advanced four suggestions: enhancing water productivity, optimizing planting techniques, improving agricultural cooperatives, and promoting digital land management to boost the agricultural sustainability of the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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17 pages, 4123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

GIS-Based Modeling of Human Settlement Suitability for the Belt and Road Regions

by Wenjun Li, Peng Li, Zhiming Feng and Chiwei Xiao

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6044; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106044 - 16 May 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2353

Abstract

(1) Background: Human settlements are a basic requirement for human survival and development. The natural suitability of human settlements directly affects human health and their quality of life and, to some extent, also dictates the size of the regional population and economy, as well as the level of urbanization. (2) Methods: This study presents a kilometer grid-based comprehensive human settlement suitability (HSS) evaluation model (containing the relief degree of the land surface (RDLS), the temperature–humidity index (THI), the land surface water abundance index (LSWAI), and the land cover index (LCI)). (3) Results: Based on the correlations between the four factors (i.e., the normalized RDLS (NRDLS), normalized THI (NTHI), LSWAI, and LCI), the NRDLS and NTHI were determined to be the leading factors, and the LSWAI and LCI were considered to be the auxiliary factors. The auxiliary factors were used to enhance the comprehensive HSS model determined by the leading factors. Based on this logic, spatial and index models were established separately. The HSS index for the BRI regions ranged from 0.07 to 1.00. Six levels of HSS were determined—namely, unsuitable, critically unsuitable, critically suitable, generally suitable, moderately suitable, and highly suitable conditions. In particular, the human settlements suitability is dominated by critically suitable and suitable conditions that accounted for 63% of the BRI. (4) Conclusions: The evaluation results of human settlements showed that topographic and climatic conditions are important limiting factors for the suitability of human settlements. Due to the renewability and manmade adjustability of hydrological and land cover conditions, the comprehensive suitability of human settlements shows differences in different geographic spaces along the BRI. The results provide a decision-making basis for the research on the resource carrying capacity and reasonable distribution of populations in the BRI, so as to realize the sustainable development along the regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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19 pages, 2390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation on the Relationship between Biodiversity and Linguistic Diversity in China and Its Formation Mechanism

by Xuliang Zhang, Zhanting Bu, Hongrun Ju and Yibo Jing

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5538; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095538 - 3 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2684

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that countries, biodiversity hotspots, wildness areas, and islands with high biodiversity also have high linguistic diversity, while the regional correlation between phonetic, lexical, and grammatical diversity within a particular kind of language and biodiversity has not been verified. Based on the methods of GIS visualization and Spearman correlation coefficient, the regional differences and correlations between linguistic diversity and biodiversity in China are investigated in this paper using the numbers of plant species, animal species, Chinese dialects, and the data of phonetic, lexical, and grammatical diversity of Chinese dialects. The results reveal the positive regional correlations between the diversity of Chinese dialects, as well as the phonetic, lexical, and grammatical diversity of Chinese dialects and biodiversity. In addition, the regional correlation between linguistic diversity and plant diversity is stronger than that between linguistic diversity and animal diversity. The diversity of Chinese dialects is being weakened by the industrialization and urbanization. Furthermore, some countermeasures to protect linguistic diversity are proposed, such as protecting biodiversity and small communities, as well as promoting national language resource protection projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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18 pages, 5196 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Traditional Villages in China

by Jiaojiao Bian, Wanxu Chen and Jie Zeng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4627; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084627 - 12 Apr 2022

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 5000

Abstract

Traditional villages carry the essence of traditional culture, which is necessary for rural revitalisation. However, continuous urban expansion has resulted in the rapid decline and even disappearance of these villages in recent decades. It is necessary to analyse the spatial pattern and influencing factors for the protection and development of traditional villages. Previous studies focused on the value and theoretical protection mechanism of traditional villages in China, disregarding their spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors. Thus, we employed a Geographic Information System and spatial analysis with mathematical statistics to analyse the characteristics of these villages. Moreover, we analysed the associated influencing factors both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results show that traditional villages were mainly distributed in the southeast of the Hu Line in China, with an unbalanced spatial distribution pattern and an agglomeration distribution tendency. In general, four major agglomeration areas of traditional villages formed at the junction of Hebei, Shandong, and Henan provinces; the border between the Guizhou, Guangxi, and Hunan provinces; the border between the Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces; and northwestern and southeastern Yunnan provinces. Traditional villages also existed in areas with relief lower than 300 m, altitudes of less than 1000 m, and slopes of less than 10°. They were mostly distributed in subtropical and temperate zones. A positive correlation was found between traditional villages and the level of economic development, population, and human history; conversely, the transportation network was negatively correlated. This study reveals the complex and diverse characteristics of traditional villages and provides scientific suggestions for their future protection, development, and utilisation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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Review

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21 pages, 4618 KiB

Open AccessReview

Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions

by Chunbo Huang, Yi Qin, Xixi Du, Jiawen He and Xin Fan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 5843; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105843 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2758

Abstract

The “Belt and Road” Initiative (BRI), i.e., the official Chinese term for the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”, was proposed to share China’s development opportunities with BRI-related countries and achieve common prosperity. Though the BRI itself conveys rich social and economic connotations, ecosystem health and the environmental problems in the Belt and Road regions are scientific issues. In this study, papers relating to the ecological issues of the BRI between January 2013 and December 2021 were collected and analyzed via CiteSpace. We found that some ecological issues were involved with the environmental challenges posed by the BRI, whereas others were, to a certain extent, subjective assumptions. Accordingly, we identified and classified the limitations and constraints of those environmental views about the BRI. By emphasizing that scientific data is key to explaining the ecological problems, we advanced four prospects for ecosystem health and environmental geography studies in the Belt and Road regions: (1) Spatial analysis and monitoring technology for the environment; (2) Clarification of the characteristics and mechanisms of the ecosystem and environments; (3) A focus on the interaction between the economy and the environment; (4) Specific and targeted strategies and solutions to different environmental problems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions)

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