2024 Vol.4

Planning Research and Practice on Low-carbon Cities

Research on the Development and Implementation Strategy of Shanghai's Territorial Space under the Background of "Carbon Emissions Peak and Carbon Neutrality"

Abstract: The Shanghai 2035 Master Plan aims to build a more sustainable and resilient ecological city, actively exploring sustainable development paths for megacities, and laying a solid foundation for promoting the formation of a green and low-carbon spatial pattern. Realizing carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a broad and profound systemic change in the economy and society, and the national land and space also face new opportunities for development and challenges for transformation. Starting from the transformation of strategic planning, this study connects greenhouse gas inventories and sorts out the influencing factors of promoting carbon reduction and sink enhancement through territorial spatial planning, and then proposes a response strategy for Shanghai's spatial strategy development under carbon constraints, as well as key development and implementation strategies based on optimized allocation of spatial resources, in order to provide research support for Shanghai's implementation of the "dual carbon" goals.

Study on Carbon Accounting Methods in Urban Built-up Areas Using Spatial Activity Data: A Case Study of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

Abstract: As climate change emerges as a significant global threat, achieving the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality has become a crucial strategy for urban development in China. Carbon accounting serves as a vital technical tool for monitoring urban carbon emissions and regulating low-carbon urban construction. Focusing on the urban built-up area, this study integrates urban carbon accounting methods with urban spatial elements, holding great practical significance for realizing the development goals of "dual carbon" cities. Taking Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, as the research object, this paper summarizes and analyzes fifteen years of energy activity data and spatial usage activity data to establish an urban built-up area carbon accounting system. Furthermore, it develops a method for urban built-up area carbon accounting based on urban spatial usage activities and compares the accounting results with those of energy usage carbon accounting to validate the accuracy of the accounting method. Based on these findings, pathways for urban carbon neutrality prediction and specialized assessments for low-carbon urban construction are proposed, providing technical support for the implementation of the "dual carbon" goals in national territory spatial planning.

Influence Mechanisms and Optimization Strategies of the Built Environment in Industrial Parks on Low-carbon Commuting: A Case Study of Tianjin Hi-tech Zone

Abstract: Industrial parks are urban spaces with production and employment as the dominant function, in which the commuting behaviors of employees present more obvious high-carbon characteristics. Two typical industrial parks with different locations, Huayuan Area (inner-city park) and Huayuan Industrial Park (outer-city park) in Tianjin Hi-tech Zone, are selected as the research objects. Principal component analysis and the multiple Logit regression model are applied. The influence mechanisms of the built environment on employees' commuting choices are analyzed from four dimensions, namely walking environment, function and vitality, traffic connectivity, and the construction of transport infrastructure. Commonalities and differences of low carbon optimization strategies for the built environment of different industrial parks are proposed. The results of the study show that: (1) Transport connectivity and walking environment are always important factors influencing employees' commuting choices, which should be given special attention when optimizing the built environment; (2) The inner-city park should emphasize the enhancement of functional diversity and vitality, while outer-city park should focus on the construction of transport infrastructure.

Low-carbon Transport Environment Evaluation for Community Life Circles and Planning Enlightenment: A Case Study of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Haikou

Abstract: To meet the needs of urban low-carbon development, the community life circle, which is the basic operation unit of the city, is taken as the research scope to evaluate the residents' low-carbon transport environment. By using big data and artificial intelligence, the refined measurement of the walking environment is added to the previous non-motorized transport environment evaluation indicators, and the subjective and objective perspectives are adopted to evaluate the low-carbon transport environment of 24 typical community life circles in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Haikou. This paper analyzes their strengths and weaknesses, and puts forward targeted planning and design suggestions. It has been found that the characteristics of low-carbon transport environments in different types of communities are obviously different, and the lack of dedicated bicycle lanes is a common problem that needs to be solved.

Research on Synergistic Optimization of Spatial Morphology and Carbon Emission Effects of Settlements under the Influence of Cold Microclimate

Abstract: The correlation between urban spatial form and microclimate has been widely used in the field of urban climate, but the influence of the resulting effect on building carbon emissions needs to be further explored. In this paper, we take the high-rise residential area of Shenyang City in the severe cold region as the research object, establish a coupling model of building carbon emissions under the influence of various microclimate factors, use Grasshopper to build a parametric platform, integrate the geometric control module of residential morphology, microclimate analysis module and carbon emission simulation module, and with the support of genetic algorithm, the spatial layout of the settlement is optimized with the goal of optimizing the carbon emission effect. The results show that the influence of microclimate factors on the carbon emissions of each layer of a single building is as follows: wind speed>air temperature>solar radiation. In the case of a certain plot ratio, the influence degree of morphological parameters on the total carbon emissions of residential areas is as follows: building orientation>building spacing coefficient>enclosure degree. According to the optimization experiment of the 2023 winter solstice daily meteorological data, the optimal scheme obtained is compared with the original scheme. The CO2 emissions of the residential area are reduced by 6.53 kg on that day. The results of this study can provide a quantitative control design method for the planning and construction of low-carbon settlements in severe cold areas.

Temporal and Spatial Dynamic Characteristics, Influencing Factors and Corresponding Planning Strategies of Carbon Emissions by Sectors in the Yangtze River Delta

Abstract: In this paper, we visualize and analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration from the perspective of total carbon emissions and emissions from the industrial, civil, transportation, and electric power sectors, construct a model to analyze influencing factors, and propose a response strategy from the perspective of territorial spatial planning. Firstly, the spatial and temporal data of carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta from 1990 to 2021 are visualized. Secondly, the spatial pattern of carbon emissions is analyzed through spatial autocorrelation. Thirdly, taking into consideration of national spatial planning zones, the improved STIRPAT model is used to select the factors and their elasticity coefficients of the socioeconomic and built-environmental factors that have significant impacts on the total amount of carbon emissions and the average per capita carbon emissions. Finally, spatial planning strategies for reducing carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta region are proposed. The results show that carbon emissions are clustered in the regional central city, and urbanization level, population factor, per capita wealth, and other factors contribute to regional carbon emissions. Based on this, spatial response strategies are proposed, including delineation of carbon emission zoning, guidance of low-carbon industries, and optimization of land use classification and pattern.

Study on the Comparison of Carbon Emission Characteristics and Exploration of Reduction Strategies in China's Five Major City Clusters

Abstract: City clusters play a pivotal role in driving regional economic growth and environmental sustainability. They are central to scientific and technological innovation, the formation of industrial clusters, and the adjustment of industrial structures. This paper adopts a perspective centered on production, consumption, and spatial dynamics to thoroughly examine the overall characteristics, composition, spatial distribution, transformation patterns, and the structure and spatial features of carbon sinks across China's five major city clusters. By comparing the carbon emission structures of these city clusters, the study evaluates their total and intensity-based emissions, carbon neutrality features, and correlations with socio-economic factors. It reveals the interplay of carbon emissions among different industrial categories within and between city clusters. Finally, drawing on current carbon reduction policies and international experiences, the paper preliminarily explores carbon reduction strategies for these five major city clusters, suggesting pathways for future environmental and economic sustainability.