Tourism has been seen and adopted as a vital means for achieving rural economic and social revitalization worldwide without harming sustainable development principles. For China, the evaluation of rural tourism competitiveness at the township level is essential for planning and developing the tourism industry as a basic administration and economic unit, but there is not enough research due to the lack of applicable data and systematic methods. Therefore, this study constructed a town-level rural tourism competitiveness evaluation and development mode classification model based on the modified Michael Porter’s Diamond Model using integrated multi-source data. By taking the 1806 township units in Henan Province, China as examples, we conclude four different modes based on the level of the comprehensive score and industrial internal balance (i.e., balanced development mode with multiple advantages, related and supporting industries driving mode, ecological resource-led mode, and rural landscape experience mode). Policy suggestions for the optimization of the rural tourism industry for Henan are discussed based on the results.

Forest ecosystems play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. To assess and quantify the specific emissions reduction benefits of forest carbon sequestration, this study used a combination of backpropagation neural networks, biomass conversion factor method, and logistic models to predict the carbon-neutral contribution from existing forests, planned afforestation, and forest tending activities in China from 2021 to 2060. The results showed that (1) the emissions reduction contribution of forestry pathways in China was 7.91% (8588.61 MtCO₂) at the carbon peak stage and 8.71% (24,932.73 MtCO₂) at the carbon-neutral stage; (2) the southwest was the main contributing region, while the east and north lagged; (3) afforestation activities made the largest emission reduction contribution during the forecast period, while the contribution of existing forests continued to decline; and (4) carbon sequestration contribution by different forest origins was comparable during the carbon peak, while the contribution of plantation forests was expected to surpass that of natural forests during the carbon-neutral period. In order to maximize the benefits of the carbon-neutral pathway of forestry, it is necessary to enhance the policy frameworks related to forestry activities, forestry financial investment systems, and sustainable forest management systems to maximize the potential of this sector. Furthermore, more focus should be placed on reduction sectors to ensure the timely achievement of carbon goals and boost sustainable development in the context of climate change.

More than 34 million of the world’s population have been lived or are still living under rigorous social distancing or containment policies lasting from weeks to months (International Labour Organi...

While national policies play a crucial role in shaping local development, effective governance is essential for rural revitalization. However, the successful implementation and impact of these policies in rural areas can vary due to unique local circumstances, limited information, and a lack of sophisticated decision making tools. Closing the divide between overarching national policies and practical rural development is an immediate necessity. This study begins by creating a comprehensive five-dimensional evaluation system encompassing industrial economy, public utilities, transportation and logistics, policy and institutions, and resources and the environment. It then summarizes four typical development modes—the suburban fusion mode, the characteristic industry-oriented mode, the humanistic and ecological resource-based mode, and the balanced development mode with less distinct characteristics—through an analysis of the Chinese government’s policy framework for rural construction. Subsequently, it introduces a decision support system for rural construction and development founded on multi-source heterogeneous big data and integrated algorithms. This system was tested using 782 townships as samples for classification, evaluation, and decision support. The results leverages insights into current rural development trends to efficiently align with national policies and provide customized implementation recommendations tailored to local resource characteristics. This contributes to the practical execution of rural revitalization strategies and the advancement of scientific rural decision making.