In the context of increasing resource and environmental constraints, measurement and determinants of green utilization efficiency of urban land (GUEUL) is currently the subject of a rapidly expanding literature. Previous research concerning determinants of GUEUL focuses primarily on effects of socio-economic conditions on GUEUL, and little attention has been devoted to impacts of spatial structure and urban development patterns. This research explores impacts of polycentric development on GUEUL of urban agglomeration (UA), using data for major UAs in China covering the period 2005–2019. GUEUL and the extent of polycentricity is measured by employing an improved directional slack-based measure (SBM) model and the rank-size distribution-based approach, respectively. The linkage between polycentric development and GUEUL is explored by estimating models of determinants of GUEUL, and the nonlinear characteristics of the relationship are investigated by employing the panel threshold model approach. The results suggest that polycentric development positively impacts GUEUL of UAs, and such effect rises with economic development levels. In addition, degree of agglomeration, economic development level and intensity of government investment in science and technology is found to be positively related to GUEUL. The empirical results have significant implications for improving GUEUL through formulating and implementing regional and urban policies.

Land-based financing plays an essential role in urbanization in the developing world, and it is widely recognized to have profound environmental effects. However, there have been relatively few research endeavors on the impact of land finance on vegetation dynamics. This study applies fixed effects models and an instrumental variable approach to examine the impact of land finance on vegetation status and mechanisms of influence, using data for 286 Chinese cities between 2011 and 2022. The nonlinear relationship between land finance and vegetation conditions at different levels of economic development is investigated by estimating panel threshold models. The findings show that land finance exerts an inhibiting impact on vegetation conditions. The restraining effect of land finance on vegetation status tends to be more pronounced in western China or in secondary industry-led cities. The analysis of mechanisms of influence indicates that land finance negatively affects vegetation conditions by speeding up urban expansion, suppressing innovation, reducing land use efficiency, and distorting the fiscal expenditure structure. The analysis of the threshold effect suggests that land finance exerts a stronger curbing effect on vegetation status as the economic development level rises. The findings have significant policy implications for deepening reform of the fiscal system and promoting vegetation protection and restoration.