1,720,971 research outputs found
Exploring the equality of accessing urban green spaces: A comparative study of 341 Chinese cities
No full textDespite multiple benefits of green space for urban residents, the investigations on equality of access to green space are scarce. Most focused on individual cities and the results were inconsistent due to the varying definitions, scales, and evaluation methods employed within each. This study intends to address this gap by developing two indexes based on the Gini Coefficient to compare the inequality of access to urban green spaces across all 341 prefecture-level cities of China. An urban green space equality index (UGSE) measures the distribution of overall urban vegetation within a city. A park green space equality index (PGSE) focuses on the equality level of public access to parks. The UGSE and PGSE at the national scale are 0.490 and 0.848. Strong disparities have been found in both UGSE and PGSE across the country using the local indicator of spatial autocorrelation (LISA). Regression analysis shows equality of green space is significantly related to GDP per capita, population density, and urban land area. Urban greening related policies are not significantly associated with equality, suggesting that a lack of concern might exist among Chinese cities for the spatial equality of urban green space implementation. These findings can help decision makers evaluate regional disparities in urban green space equality, thereby providing location-specific interventions for more inclusive and equal provisioning of urban green spaces.
Does socioeconomic development lead to more equal distribution o green space? Evidence from Chinese cities
No full textDespite the wide implementation of green spaces to mitigate the negative effects of urbanization, there is little evidence of how cities' socioeconomic development impacts the equality of urban green space (UGS) distribution. This paper addresses this knowledge gap. Employing longitudinal data analysis and the Gini index with various socioeconomic factors, we investigated potential driving factors for UGS equality at the prefectural city level (221 out of 341 cities in total) in China during the rapid urbanization from 2000 to 2015. Results indicated that 72% of Chinese cities (160 of 221) in our sample improved their UGS equality level from 2000 to 2015, whereas 14% of cities studied (31 out of 221) declined in both quantity and equality of green space. Nationwide, economic development levels reflected by gross domestic product per capita exerted a positive and significant impact on the equality of green space distributions. Urban afforestation-related policies in China were successful in promoting the equal distribution of green space. Regional analysis indicated divergent impacts of socioeconomic development and government policies on green space equality. Other institutional development factors, such as adopting a freer land market, might harm efforts toward equal green space distribution without appropriate safeguarding regulations and enforcement powers to ensure the implementation of an equal distribution of green spaces. These findings inform decision-makers about spatial variances in the equality of green space distribution in urban areas, which demand location-oriented interventions to promote inclusive urban afforestation in Chinese cities. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Health outcomes of urban green space in China: Evidence from Beijing
No full textDespite the widely acknowledged benefits of urban green space on human health, few studies have holistically investigated residents of urban areas in China. Relying on citywide cross-sectional survey data (2013-2015, n = 2,648), this study examines how green space affects general health conditions gauged by the self-rated health (SRH) of the urban population in Beijing. Two indicators are applied to measure the accessibility of green space: one uses 300-m, 500-m, and 1,000-m coverage ratios of different types of parks (i.e., comprehensive, forest, theme, and historic parks), and the other is the vegetation coverage ratio for all types of green space within the subdistricts where respondents live. The multi-regression results indicate that park buffers (300 m and 500 m) have positive and statistically significant impacts on residents' self-rated health, while vegetation coverage has a negative impact, ceteris paribus. Different types of parks have heterogeneous impacts on SRH at different distances: comprehensive, forest, and theme parks positively and significantly affect SRH while historic parks make a marginal contribution to SRH. Regression analyses of subgroups shed light on the disproportional health effects of green space among different socioeconomic and demographic groups. Policymakers and planners should be aware of the approach to measuring accessibility, types and features of green spaces, and the heterogeneous socioeconomic attributes of neighborhoods when drafting green space plans to improve public health outcomes.
Socioeconomic groups and their green spaces availability in urban areas of China: A distributional justice perspective
No full textRelying on a nationwide social survey, this study examined the availability of green spaces to different socioeconomic groups living in urban areas in China. Through the survey, data was collected from 3759 individual urban residents. The socioeconomic statuses of the respondents were measured comprehensively using indicators such as household income, level of education, housing conditions, employment status, and internal migration status. Geocoded addresses of respondents were extracted to calculate three different indicators of green space availability: the coverage ratio of the overall areas of vegetation, the coverage ratio of park areas, and the closest distance to a park. The results show that the provision of green space does not strongly discriminate against people's socioeconomic levels in China. Instead, certain disadvantaged groups were, at times, provided with more green spaces than comparison groups. Hinterland migrants (i.e., non-local Hukou) tend to live closer to parks than local people. Residents in affordable housing estates and urban villages (who are marginalized groups within cities) have a higher rate of vegetation coverage than other groups. However, higher-income people tend to live closer to parks than lower-income groups, although the differences in vegetation and park coverage for the two groups are insignificant. This study expands the current inquiry on the distributional justices of green space by adding a nationwide exploration in a developing country. The results evaluated green space availability in urban areas across the country, which also can inform decision-makers and planners about which disadvantaged groups should be the focus of efforts to promote equity in green space distribution
Do the characteristics of new green space contribute to gentrification?
No full textA number of recent studies have examined the socioeconomic functions and side effects of environmental amenity in urban development. In this study, an urban green space is viewed as both a positive and negative environmental externality because it could be a potential contributor to gentrification. Employing the difference-in-differences method at the public use microdata areas and census-tract level, this study examines the effects of new green space characteristics on multiple gentrification indicators in New York City. Unlike previous studies, we examine the causal inference of multiple green space types and characteristics on gentrification indicators jointly, estimating a relatively short- and mid-term gentrification effect in a homogeneous institutional and geographical setting. The empirical results indicate that newly added green spaces potentially foster gentrification, influencing the replacement of the poor with wealthier inhabitants; more importantly, the gentrification effects differ depending on the type and characteristics of green spaces. A strong green gentrification effect has been observed in passive, natural and medium-sized green spaces. Taking these short-term and local-level gentrification effects of green space characteristics into consideration allows for more inclusive development and equitable outcomes.
How Are Green Spaces Distributed among Different Social Groups in Urban China? A National Level Study
No full textThe study analyzes the distributional equity of urban green space (UGS) among different social groups across all urban areas in China. Urban green space is measured in two ways: Park area per capita and vegetation coverage ratio within 1.6 km and 3.2 km featuring different ecosystem services they provide. Multiple regression analyses are conducted to assess relationships between different groups (children, the elderly, and migrant populations) and distributed UGS. Largely consistent to other national level studies, the nationwide analytical results indicate emerging social inequality of UGS during the urbanization of China, with a few nuances. A bi-fold pattern is observed in our case: Whilst areas with higher portions of children and senior people have less parks and high vegetation coverage, a marginalized group—internal migrant people, have more parks and low vegetation coverage in their vicinities. The results of regression analyses in different regions further shed light on revealing disparities of UGS in areas with varying socioeconomic development levels, geographical features, and urbanization paces. The implication of the study informs the decision makers to incorporate spatial patterns of social groups into green space guidance and evaluation for the purpose of promoting more equal development of UGS
"Unfenced" parks and residents' visit patterns: A regression discontinuity design in Shanghai
No full textParks have evolved into essential urban sanctuaries, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While previous studies have investigated the impact of lockdown measures on park visitation, limited attention has been given to the impacts of sudden easing of containment measures, especially the "unfencing" of parks in densely populated cities. Employing a regression discontinuity design (RDD), this study analyzes changes in park visitation behaviors among Shanghai residents (N=563) following the policy relaxation. We focus on three key aspects: visitation behavior, choice of park types, and activities undertaken within public parks compared to gated community greenspaces. The results reveal a short-term decrease in visits to nearby parks, reduced public transit use, and shorter travel times. This trend was accompanied by a reduction in visitation to various park types, especially larger ones, with waterfront greenspaces being an exception. However, visit frequency and duration remained unchanged. A significant decrease in exercise and enjoying weather was observed in both parks and community greenspaces. Additionally, there was a noticeable reduction in activities like playing with children, nature appreciation, specifically within community greenspaces. These findings extend our understanding of urban residents' engagement with greenspaces in a transitioning post-pandemic context, providing valuable insights in managing greenspaces during and after public health crises.
Buffering effects of green space on residents' mental wellbeing: A regression discontinuity analysis during COVID containment policy shift
No full textDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, access to green space was crucial for mental wellbeing, particularly in urban areas under lockdown. However, studies on the transition from strict containment measures to reopening are limited. This transition, while relaxing mobility and enabling free access to green spaces, also increases infection risks. Our study used a regression discontinuity design (RDD) with a unique dataset (N = 2545) from two major Chinese cities, Beijing and Shanghai, to examine the effects of the COVID containment policy shift on mental wellbeing and green space exposure. We compared participants by different green exposure categories to investigate variations in mental wellbeing during this transitional phase. The findings confirm that the policy does not promote short-term mental wellbeing, as measured by CES-D scores, self-rated health, happiness, and frequency of negative feelings. Residing 400-1200 m from a park, but not extremely close (within 400 m), confers mental health benefits. Visual exposure to greenery from windows bolsters mental wellbeing compared to limited greenery views, although the magnitude of this effect is modest. This study underscores the importance of urban green spaces in buffering mental wellbeing impacts of major policy changes during pandemic, highlighting their importance in urban planning and public health strategies.
Visitation-based classification of urban parks through mobile phone big data in Tokyo
No full textUrban parks, pivotal in fostering physical activity, mental well-being, and environmental stewardship, are integral to green infrastructure planning. Despite advances in georeferenced data applications, existing park classifications often overlook actual visitation patterns. This study reclassifies urban parks using over 5.9 million records from approximately 330 thousand visitors across 300 Tokyo parks, comparing with size-based park categorizations. We employed a range of analytical tools, including principal component analysis, Isolation Forest algorithm, various clustering algorithms, and the Gini index. Our findings first revealed four key visitation indicators, activity intensity, utilization efficiency, temporal occupancy, and revisit volume. These indicators uncovered parks with atypical visitation patterns within each size category, leading to three novel park classifications, everyday leisure parks, social destination parks, and seasonal activity parks. Moreover, we discovered notable disparities in distances traveled to parks, particularly during nights, weekends, and holidays, with pronounced inequalities in seasonal activity parks and smaller parks. The findings advocate for a nuanced park management strategy, prioritizing maintenance and amenity development aligned with observed visitation patterns to enhance recreational potential, thereby contributing insights to urban park research that support the advancement of green infrastructure planning and policy aimed at improving park utility and enjoyment.
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