Impact of urbanization on terrestrial carbon storage loss in the Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos region, China: evaluating people-space interactions

ABSTRACT

Urbanization improves the living environment of billions of people but negatively impacts the local carbon cycle as it encroaches on ecosystems. We analyzed this dual effect of urbanization by quantifying linkages between several indicators — urbanization-induced terrestrial carbon storage loss (uTCSL), per capita urban area (PCUA), and urban land use efficiency (LCRPGR) — within the Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos (HBO) region in 1990–2100. Results show that the growth of 4.45 million urban residents and 420.70 km² urban area led to a uTCSL of 815.74 GgC in the HBO region in 1990–2020. The uTCSL contributed to improving the urban crowding indicated by PCUA but was subject to LCRPGR. The PCUA decreased by −33.75 m²/person under high land use efficiency (LCRPGR<1) in 1990–2010. Although the PCUA increased by 23.59 m²/person from 2010 to 2020, it resulted in a 2.08-fold increase in uTCSL compared to 1990–2010, with each additional 1 m² increase in PCUA being associated with carbon storage loss of 24.50 GgC. Our projections indicate that regulating LCRPGR twenty years before the urban population reaches its peak could benefit both uTCSL and PCUA. This study provides valuable insights for urban planning aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda, especially for arid and semi-arid cities.

KEYWORDS:

• Urbanization
• terrestrial carbon storage
• per capita urban area
• LCRPGR
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Inner Mongolia

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the editors and reviewers for reading this research and providing valuable comments and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and technology innovation project of Natural Resources Department of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (grant number CHZX-2023-45), Strategic priority research program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant number XDA23100201), National natural science foundation of China (grant number 42261144746), Graduate students’ research & Innovation fund of Inner Mongolia Normal University (grant number CXJJB22012), Fundamental research funds for the Inner Mongolia Normal University (grant number 2022JBXC017).