Unequal impacts of urban industrial land expansion on economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions

This study investigates the varying impacts of urban industrial land expansion on economic growth and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across countries at different development stages. Using satellite data and machine learning, the researchers mapped industrial land in ten countries and analyzed its impact on 216 subnational regions from 2000 to 2019. Findings reveal that industrial land expansion was a leading factor for economic growth and emissions in developing regions (31% and 55%, respectively), but its impact was significantly less in developed regions (8% and 3%, respectively). Developed regions showed a shift towards other economic growth drivers like education. The study suggests developing regions should consider climate change impacts during industrial land expansion, while developed regions should prioritize human capital investment.

Cheolhee Yoo, Huijuan Xiao, Qing-wei Zhong, Qihao Weng