Green Land Use Efficiency and Influencing Factors of Resource-Based Cities in the Yellow River Basin under Carbon Emission Constraints

Abstract

Green and low-carbon strategies represent governance orientations for resource-based cities to respond to global changes and achieve sustainable development. Designating the Yellow River Basin (YRB), an important ecological functional area and an ecologically fragile area, as the research area, this study used the super-efficiency SBM model while considering undesirable outputs, including carbon emissions, to analyze green land use efficiency (GLUE) and its temporal and spatial differentiation, then used the Tobit regression model to analyze the influencing factors. The results were as follows: (1) The GLUE of the YRB presented a spatial pattern of “high in the west and low in the east”. (2) Overall, the efficiency values of all areas and types increased annually, but differences occurred in various areas and types of resource-based cities. (3) Overall, the efficiency values of the Yellow River Basin showed a “high-low” polarization. (4) Economic development and population growth factors substantially impacted the GLUE of resource-based cities in this region. It is concluded that increasing the efficiency improvement of low-efficiency regions or cities can improve regional GLUE. To ensure regional green and low-carbon transformation and development, it is essential to enhance urban economic vitality, promote an orderly population flow, and strive to improve social and public services.