Conceptualizing Discourses on Ecological City and Its Planning

Abstract

Ecological city (eco-city) and its planning approach are emerging concepts in urban study, urban planning, ecological economics, environmental policy and corporate environmental management. However, opinions remain divided over the connotation and denotation of the term “ecological city”, what key issues ecocity planning can solve, and its specific contents. In this study, we present 10 basic propositions that define the eco-city and clarify its key parameters, thereby providing the basis for discussing the assumptions and principles underlying different approaches to sustainable urban development. We then summarize the concept and principles of an eco-city, and define the main requirements for ecocity planning. We conclude that an eco-city is a city in which the urban population, scale of land use and intensity of human activities are limited to the regional resource and environmental carrying capacity, which does not cause increasing or irreversible damage to the regional ecosystem’s structure, functions and processes.     

资源型区域中心城市的产业演进与城市化发展——以太原市为例

在经济发展的不同阶段。工业化与城市化之间的关系有不同的表现。其产业演进与城市化发展特征也不相同。本文以山西省会城市——太原市为例。研究了资源型区域中心城市的产业演进与城市化发展。主要思路是：在对产业演进与城市化发展的相关研究成果进行梳理的基础上。分析总结了资源型区域中心城市产业演进与城市化发展的基本规律。以太原为案例研究了不同发展阶段产业演进与城市化发展的特征和机制。并对其未来发展方向进行了讨论。     

Luoyang Dual Spatial Criterion Ecological City Construction

Abstract

The construction of an ecological city has two foundational platforms: the small platform, namely urban district or simply called as “city ecosystem”; and the big platform, namely around city district in certain region scope or also referred to as “city-region ecosystem”. The construction of an ecological city must be launched in the dual spatial criteria: in city (urban district) criterion—optimizing the city ecosystem; in city-region (city territory) criterion—optimizing the city-region ecosystem. Luoyang has the bright characteristic and the typical image within cities of China, and even in the world. The construction of an ecological city in dual spatial criteria—the city and the city-region—has the vital significance to urbanization advancement and sustainable development in Luoyang. In city-region criterion, the primary mission of Luoyang's ecological city construction is to create a fine ecological environment platform in its city territory. In city criterion, the basic duty of Luoyang's ecologic city construction is to enhance the ecological capacity and benefit of the central city.     

Luoyang Dual Spatial Criterion Ecological City Construction

The construction of an ecological city has two foundational platforms： the small platform, namely urban district or simply called as ＂city ecosystem＂; and the big platform, namely around city district in certain region scope or also referred to as ＂city-region ecosystem＂. The construction of an ecological city must be launched in the dual spatial criteria： in city （urban district） criterion--optimizing the city ecosystem; in city-region （city territory） criterion-optimizing the city-region ecosystem. Luoyang has the bright characteristic and the typical image within cities Of China, and even in the world. The construction of an ecological city in dual spatial criteria--the city and the cityregion has the vital significance to urbanization advancement and sustainable development in Luoyang. In city-region criterion, the primary mission of Luoyang＇s ecological city construction is to create a fine ecological environment platform in its city territory. In city criterion, the basic duty of Luoyang＇s ecologic city construction is to enhance the ecological capacity and benefit of the central city.     

基于生态健康的农地生态承载力评价

针对农地生态承载力缺乏统一的概念和计量模型等问题，提出基于生态系统健康的农地生态承载力概念。构建基于生态系统健康的生态承载力理论框架，在此基础上建立生态承载力计量模型，给出生态承载力评价指标体系和标准的确定方法。以淮安市为研究区域，建立了适合该区域的基于生态系统健康的生态承载力评价指标体系、权重和评价标准，并对淮安市1996—2004以及规划年的生态承载力水平进行评价和深入分析。结果表明：淮安市农地生态承载力水平仍处于健康状态且不断提高。其中，生态弹性水平一直维持在非常健康状态，人类活动潜力逐步由亚健康状态过渡到健康状态，资源承载力水平则不断下降。以后应加强对农地生态承载力各指标进行优化，才能从根本上降低区域农地生态承载力压力，提高农地生态承载力水平。     

Gini Index for Cities: A Preliminary Study on Regional Differences of Chinese City Size Distribution

City size distribution is of interest because of a number of key stylized facts, including notably Zipf's law for cities and the importance of urban primacy. But a new and more efficient method Gini index can be used for calculating regional city size distribution. This paper begins by developing a calculation method for the Gini index, dividing the whole country into 26 areas and then calculating each area's Gini index value. Based on these calculation results, this paper gives a preliminary study on regional differences of its city size distribution and the dynamics.     

Gini Index for Cities: A Preliminary Study on Regional Differences of Chinese City Size Distribution

Abstract

City size distribution is of interest because of a number of key stylized facts, including notably Zipf's law for cities and the importance of urban primacy. But a new and more efficient method Gini index can be used for calculating regional city size distribution. This paper begins by developing a calculation method for the Gini index, dividing the whole country into 26 areas and then calculating each area's Gini index value. Based on these calculation results, this paper gives a preliminary study on regional differences of its city size distribution and the dynamics.     

基于适度人口容量的生态文明城市建设研究——以广东省惠州市为例

生态文明城市是新型城镇化建设的目标,是实现经济发展、民生改善与生态保护协调统一的最佳方式。适度的人口容量、科学的城市规划和有效的城市治理是避免和减轻城市病的根本途径。本文从生态经济学和系统工程学跨学科的视角出发,构建了一个基于适度人口容量,人口流动和城乡均衡发展的生态文明城市建设路径的理论分析框架,并以广东省惠州市为例,根据土地功能定位和主体功能区定位,分别测算了惠州市的适度人口容量;基于人口自然变动和人口机械变动的趋势,预测了惠州市未来人口发展状况。研究发现,惠州市常住人口已略微超过基于土地功能定位测算的适度人口容量,但基于主体功能定位的人口密度模型测算表明,惠州市未来人口发展规模远低于适度人口容量,进而从总体上剖析了惠州市生态文明城市建设中适度人口容量和人口均衡发展方面带有普遍性的问题和原因。由此,揭示出生态文明城市的创建,必须基于人口承载力,走动态规划调控路子,协同推进经济建设、民生改善、生态保护、环境优化和制度改革,真正地促进流动人口市民化、城乡公共服务均等化和社会保障公平化。     

生态服务价值评价在山区城市土地规划中的应用——以万源市太平镇为例

生态系统服务价值的变化决定着区域的可持续发展,其评估已成为生态学研究的热点之一,其研究结果对维持地区生态平衡、合理利用土地资源、建立可持续的土地利用模式等具有重要意义。本文在综合已有研究的基础上,通过估算万源市太平镇不同海拔高度土地生态服务价值量,探讨经济发展与生态服务价值变化的关系。结果表明,城市规划区的自然生态系统服务功能的价值是不可忽视的,自然生态系统无论是从物质上还是经济上,都为万源市太平镇的国民经济和社会可持续发展提供者重要支撑。从生态系统服务功能角度,海拔750 m高程是太平镇城市用地扩张的控制线。     

基于工业总产值发展目标的城市生态承载力情景分析--以佛山市为例

本文以佛山市为例，在分析该市社会经济发展与资源，环境因素之间相关关系的基础上，以其产业发展规划中的工业总产值发展目标为基准和情景平台，通过单一目标，多因素，多途径下的情景分析，来模拟工业经济高速发展所可能出现的城市人口变化，对资源的要求，污染物排放量变化，评价城市发展对城市生态承载力的要求及其满足程度，找出制约当地经济发展的生态承载力限值因子，并根据分析结果对城市发展模式提出了建设性意见。     

中国城市用地增长极限规模测算

快速城市化出现的城市建设用地扩张问题,受到人们广泛关注,借鉴发达国家经验,我国需要测算一个极限区间值进行自上而下的总量控制,以促进最严格耕地保护制度和节约用地制度的落实.但是如何测算这个极限规模一直没有得到很好解决.本文提出了一个常规方法组合和关键指标相结合的技术思路来尝试解决这个问题.研究首先对城市用地扩展规模的影响因子进行了分析,讨论了城市人口数量和GDP分别与建成区面积相关性,确定了城市人口数量对建成区面积影响更大;在此基础上,采用逻辑斯蒂模型,依据我国1950-2010年经济数据,对城市化水平进行预测;用自回归分布滞后模型,依据1951-2010年全国人口数据对未来人口规模进行预测,并分为三个方案对结果进行了讨论;最后按照城市用地分类与规划建设用地标准,以节约集约用地为原则,将人均城市用地规模取值控制在65.0-115.0 m2,计算城市用地扩展极限规模.结果表明,到2045年,中国的城市化预测水平为79.99％,在中国人口增长控制较好的情况下,人口规模将达到14.97亿人,城市用地扩展规模为77 857.38-137 747.70 km1;若中国人口达到有关研究的预测峰值16亿人,中国城市化水平稳定在80％,城市用地扩展极限规模将会是83 200.00-147 200.00 km2.综合以上分析,未来我国的城市建设用地总量应在7.8万km2到14.7万km2之间.     

土地城市化背景下武汉市资源环境承载力仿真研究

运用Vensim软件,通过构建"土地城市化-资源环境承载力"系统动力学模型对不同情景下武汉市资源环境承载力的发展趋势进行仿真,为土地城市化背景下武汉市未来发展方向提供参考。结果显示,协调发展型是最适合武汉市的发展模式,而现状延续型、政绩驱动型和生态环保型情景下武汉市资源环境承载力到2020年均将面临超载压力。武汉市在适当加速推进土地城市化的同时应注重增加耕地面积、加强基础设施建设、降低资源消耗和污染排放,确保资源环境承载系统平稳运行。     

Quantitative Evaluation on Urban Ecosystem Carrying Capacity in Tianjin Binhai New Area

Based on the concept of ecosystem carrying capacity, the indicator system of quantitative assessment was set up, which consisted of support indicator system and pressure indicator system. And the factor analysis method was used to screen the indicator system. Different from the traditional indicator weight determination based on the absolute values of the coefficients of regression equation, the squares of factor loadings in the rotated component matrix were attempted to determine the weights of 40 assessment indicators. The result shows that ecological support system and pressure system in Binhai New Area are relatively balanced among six years, and the developing level of urban ecosystem is basically healthy on the whole. However, due to continuously increasing pressure of the resources consumption caused by the rapid growth of the second industry, which is the Leading Industry of Binhai New Area, the ecosystem carrying capacity reached the minimum in 2005.     

榆林市生态环境承载力评价分析

榆林市是我国重要的能源矿产资源的富集地,近年来,随着社会经济的快速发展,该市的生态系统(包括资源、环境)能否承受人类社会经济活动带来的压力,以榆林市的实际情况出发,建立生态环境承载力指标体系进行评价论证,得出水资源、土地资源和固废排放等的问题最为突出,为此提出了相应的对策建议。     

关于资源承载力的研究综述及思考

在回顾资源承载力研究的起源与发展历程．对土地资源、水资源等承载力研究的基本内容、评价方法进行较全面的概括和总结的基础上,对到目前为止的资源承载力研究中存在的问题提出了几点思考：①应将生态系统作为一个整体．在整体中研究其子系统的承载力；②资源承载力不是一个孤立、封闭的系统，不应只强调其空间限制性，而忽视其开放性；③资源承载力是一个动态的和变化的概念-因此对承载力的评估应变成一种范围估计；④资源承载力的大小由人们对资源的需求决定。     

Quantitative Appraisement on Ecological Carrying Capacity in Coastal Rapid Developing Region of Hainan Province

Abstract

The ecological carrying capacity, an important indicator to evaluate the sustainable development of the ecosystem, means the potential ability of the natural ecosystem to carry socioeconomic development while the ecosystem is healthy. It is limited by the carrying capacity of natural resources and environment and the elasticity of the ecosystem. It will be greatly significant to study the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province, the first ecological province admitted by the State Environmental Protection Administration in China. Not only is the natural ecosystem reflected, but also the effects of human activities are emphasized by integrating the ecosystem health analysis into the ecological carrying capacity research. The research results, using the Factor Analysis tools of software SPSS, indicate that the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province fluctuated obviously from 1996 to 2005. The level of the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province was relatively high in 1996, and reached into trough from 1997 to 1999. It has steadily ascended to be above the middle level since the 21st century. The results also show that policy factors, especially the implementation of the ‘Ecological Province’ strategy, were important driving forces to influence the ecological carrying capacity. With the population rapidly increasing, the land and water resources per capita have decreased quickly. The amount of the ecological carrying capacity was promoted remarkably by socioeconomic development especially economic growth and technology applications. All of these will provide useful suggestions to establish and enact regional development policies, especially for protecting and reconstructing the ecology and environment of Hainan Province.     

Quantitative Appraisement on Ecological Cawing Capacity in Coastal Rapid Developing Region of Hainan Province

The ecological carrying capacity, an important indica-tor to evaluate the sustainable development of the ecosystem, means the potential ability of the natural ecosystem to carry so-cioeconomic development while the ecosystem is healthy. It is limited by the carrying capacity of natural resources and environ-merit and the elasticity of the ecosystem. It will be greatly signifi-cant to study the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province, the first ecological province admitted by the State Environmental Protection Administration in China. Not only is the natural eco-system reflected, but also the effects of human activities are em-phasized by integrating the ecosystem health analysis into the ecological carrying capacity research. The research results, using the Factor Analysis tools of software SPSS, indicate that the eco-logical carrying capacity of Hainan Province fluctuated obviously from 1996 to 2005. The level of the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province was relatively high in 1996, and reached into trough from 1997 to 1999. It has steadily ascended to be above the middle level since the 21st century. The results also show that policy factors, especially the implementation of the 'Ecological Province' strategy, were important driving forces to influence the ecological carrying capacity. With the population rapidly increas-ing, the land and water resources per capita have decreased quickly. The amount of the ecological carrying capacity was pro-rooted remarkably by socioeconomic development especially economic growth and technology applications. All of these will provide useful suggestions to establish and enact regional devel-opment policies, especially for protecting and reconstructing the ecology and environment of Hainan Province.     

Quantitative Appraisement on Ecological Carrying Capacity in Coastal Rapid Developing Region of Hainan Province

The ecological carrying capacity, an important indicator to evaluate the sustainable development of the ecosystem, means the potential ability of the natural ecosystem to carry socioeconomic development while the ecosystem is healthy. It is limited by the carrying capacity of natural resources and environment and the elasticity of the ecosystem. It will be greatly significant to study the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province, the first ecological province admitted by the State Environmental Protection Administration in China. Not only is the natural ecosystem reflected, but also the effects of human activities are emphasized by integrating the ecosystem health analysis into the ecological carrying capacity research. The research results, using the Factor Analysis tools of software SPSS, indicate that the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province fluctuated obviously from 1996 to 2005. The level of the ecological carrying capacity of Hainan Province was relatively high in 1996, and reached into trough from 1997 to 1999. It has steadily ascended to be above the middle level since the 21st century. The results also show that policy factors, especially the implementation of the ＇Ecological Province＇ strategy, were important driving forces to influence the ecological carrying capacity. With the population rapidly increasing, the land and water resources per capita have decreased quickly. The amount of the ecological carrying capacity was promoted remarkably by socioeconomic development especially economic growth and technology applications. All of these will provide useful suggestions to establish and enact regional development policies, especially for protecting and reconstructing the ecology and environment of Hainan Province.     

Confronting a Surfeit of People: Reducing Global Human Numbers to Sustainable Levels An Essay on Population Two Centuries after Malthus

It has become increasingly evident over the past several decades that there is a growing tension between two seemingly irreconcilable trends: (1) moderate to conservative demographic projections that world population size could easily reach 9 billion (or more) by the mid-to-late twenty-first century; and (2) prudent and increasingly reliable scientific estimates suggesting that the Earth's long-term sustainable carrying capacity (at an 'adequate to comfortable' standard of living) may not be much greater than 2–3 billion. I therefore argue that it is now time – indeed, past time – to develop and implement a set of well-conceived, clearly articulated, broadly equitable and internationally coordinated sociopolitical initiatives that go beyond merely slowing the growth – or even the stabilization – of global human numbers. After summarizing a number of 'inescapable realities' that the human species must soon confront, and notwithstanding the considerable difficulties involved in establishing rational and defensible global population optimums, I conclude with several suggestions relevant to the next logical step: how best to bring about a very significant reduction in global population size over the next two to three centuries. To the extent that there is still time to choose whether this dramatic decrease will be under conscious control or essentially chaotic, these proposals are cautiously optimistic.     

Functional Isomorphism of Ecosystems and Its Significance for Ecological Prognosis

A concept concerning the functional isomorphism of natural ecosystems as a factor modulating climatogenic changes in the soil–plant cover is proposed. On an empirical basis, production and destruction types of isomorphism are distinguished, which differ in their prevailing influence on the dynamics of zonal and regional ecosystems in the boreal and subboreal belts.