The logistics industry plays a great role in the sustainable economic development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). This paper measures the total factor productivity (TFP) of the logistics industry by using the DEA-Malmquist index method and analyzes its spatial-temporal evolution characteristics based on panel data of 11 provinces and cities in the YREB in 2003–2017. Lastly, a spatial autocorrelation analysis was conducted in conjunction with the exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) model. The results show that the overall development of the logistics industry has been relatively good, with an inverted “N” shape trend over the years. Technological progress is the main reason for the growth of TFP. From a regional perspective, it shows a spatial distribution pattern of high in the east and low in the west, with an overall upward trend of TFP levels. The spatial correlation between the TFP levels of logistics in each province and city is gradually increasing, but coordinated development between regions is still limited. Finally, according to the conclusions, policy recommendations are proposed to accelerate the coordinated development of regional logistics and the innovative development of the modern logistics industry.

China has become the largest consumer of chemical fertilizers. The excessive application of chemical fertilizers has resulted in a series of problems including environmental pollution, seriously threatening China’s sustainable development. Therefore, it is highly important to study the factors driving chemical fertilizer consumption. In this study, we used the panel data of 31 provinces in China and the Tapio decoupling model to explore the coupling relationship between fertilizer consumption, economic growth and crop yield increase, build the IPAT-LMDI model, and identify and analyze the factors driving the observed changes. The results show the following: (1) Since 2015, the consumption of chemical fertilizers in most provinces of China has decreased significantly, and the implementation of the zero-fertilizer policy in various regions has generally achieved remarkable results. (2) Since 1980, China’s crop production and economic development have undergone coordinated growth, but the decoupling relationship between chemical fertilizer consumption and economic growth has changed from weak to strong, and the dependence of China’s crop production on chemical fertilizers has gradually been reduced. (3) Fertilizer consumption in China is promoted by factors related to economic level (Pg), crop value (Cval), fertilizer efficiency (Feff), fertilization intensity (Fein), per capita arable land area (Clap) and population size (P), while it is restrained by factors related to science and technology level (Ffag), agricultural population (P1) and industrial structure (Inst). (4) Fertilizer consumption has arrived at its peak in East China, South China and Central China, while there is still room for growth in the western areas; gaps in economic and technological development between different provinces are the main factors affecting changes in fertilizer consumption. Finally, we offer specific suggestions for improving the efficiency of chemical fertilizers from the perspectives of farming modes and science and technology.

Water resources are an important aspect of China’s ecological governance. Due to the uneven spatial distribution of water resources in China, it is necessary to analyze the differences in the sustainable development level of water resources in different regions. This article combines the national policies of “promoting the coordinated development of the three waters” and “integration of people, city, industry, and economy” to construct an evaluation index system for the sustainable development of water resources in China using the water resources carrying capacity (WRCC). The spatial and temporal differentiation characteristics of water resources sustainable development in 31 provinces of China are analyzed. The results show that (1) the level of sustainable development of China’s water resources has significantly increased, with the index increasing from 6.229 in 2005 to 9.792 in 2021. (2) The spatial pattern of China’s WRCC shows an increasing trend from west to east and from north to south, and the aggregation status is obvious and fluctuates during the entire study period. (3) Currently, the strength of the expenditure of research and development funds for industrial enterprises and the sewage treatment capacity continue to increase, and the interaction between different factors shows a two-factor enhancement or nonlinear enhancement. To further improve the level of sustainable development of water resources, each province needs to formulate development plans based on local conditions and promote the coordinated development of industrial restructuring, environmental governance, and water resources development.