Assessing urban environmental resources and services of Shenzhen,China: A landscape-based approach for urban planningand sustainability

Peijun Shi ^a,1, Deyong Yu ^{a, b ,*}

^a State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

^b Center for Human-Environment System Sustainability (CHESS), Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Abstract: More than half of the planet’s residents now live in urban areas. In the foreseeable future, global urban-ization will continue. China is one of the most rapidly urbanizing countries in the world, and during thepast three decades its urban expansion has encroached on productive lands and caused myriad environ-mental problems. To achieve urban sustainability, Chinese cities need to be better designed, planned,and managed in a more ecological and sustainable way. In this study, we focused on Shenzhen Cityin southern China, which has experienced extremely rapid urbanization and socioeconomic transfor-mations since China’s economic reform and open-door policy enacted in 1978. We have proposed amethodology for environmental resource accounting, which consists of ecosystem services, atmosphericenvironment capacity, water environment resource, and land value. Our methodology recognizes thestrategic significance for conserving biodiversity and maintaining high environmental quality. In partic-ular, protecting the remaining natural and semi-natural areas in and around the city – ecological coreareas – is of paramount importance. In addition to valuating urban environmental resources and ser-vices, we have also proposed an ecological network-based urban landscape design in order to improveurban sustainability for the city. Our proposed urban design plan has been taken seriously by the citygovernment. Overall, this study provides a quantitative approach for research and practice in urbansustainability, and should be of value to other rapidly urbanizing regions around the world.

Keywords: Landscape ecology; Urban ecology; Ecological network; Environmental resource; Ecosystem services; Urban sustainability; Shenzhen.

Published in Landscape and Urban Planning. 2014, Available online 29 March.