The formation of world-class megalopolises has been a goal of urban development agencies around the world owing to their economic advantages. On their bids of becoming a world-class megalopolis, water availability is a factor that requires consideration. China has set an ambitious goal of developing a world-class megalopolis in the water-scarce Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. This study investigates the water challenge the BTH region faces and the effects of main water conservation measures in the region towards the goal. An inter-city input–output model was constructed for identifying the water gap in the region and analyzing the effectiveness of main water conservation measures under various scenarios. The results indicate a significant gap between the water required to achieve the goal of becoming a world-class megalopolis and the region’s available water resources. Although proposed water conservation measures of improving water use efficiency and reducing agricultural water use provide a modest improvement, the amount of water required for urban development still exceeds the availability. The study emphasizes the significance of agricultural water use reduction in Hebei through crop system replacement from water-intensive winter wheat to water-saving crops. The study also proposes an alternative option of adjusting the development plan through redefining the boundary of the BTH megalopolis by excluding part of cities in Hebei. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the effect of water scarcity on urban development and thus provide references for other water-scarce regions with ambitious urban development goals.

Production fragmentation across multiple regions can result in a regional shock propagating along value chains to a wider array of regions. We propose a methodological framework to measure the economic exposure to regional value chain disruptions due to city lockdown during Covid-19. The exposure index is evaluated by applying a hypothetical extraction method to a regionally extended inter-country input–output framework incorporating China’s interregional input–output table. Our methodology can be adapted to conduct disaster impact analyses at city, state and country levels. It provides a tool for the immediate assessment of the economic risks of value chain disruptions, enabling quick policy responses.

This study provides a scientific assessment of water scarcity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) city region and investigates its restrictive effects on urban economic development by quantifying economic loss caused by water scarcity based on an input–output optimization model. The results show that the water scarcity reflected by shadow prices has significant sectoral and regional heterogeneities. Southern Hebei faces the most severe water scarcity in the BTH city region and the situation is worsening. Water scarcity is shown to have a negative impact on the economy of the BTH city region that amounts to CNY 270.02 billion. Hebei has the largest potential economic loss caused by water scarcity, especially in southern Hebei, the potential GDP (gross domestic product) of which is decreased by 6.2%. This study also points out that the water scarcity in the BTH city region is underestimated in terms of actual water prices, and the scarcity of agricultural water use is mostly underestimated. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of the restrictive impact of water scarcity on regional economic development, and thus provide a scientific reference for policymaking in the BTH city region.

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) affect regional inequality as they exert substantial yet uneven economic and environmental effects. This study evaluates the impacts of MNEs on China’s regional carbon emission inequality against value-added gains using an environmentally extended interprovincial input-output model that differentiates MNEs activities across China’s provincial-level administrative divisions. We find that MNEs predominantly concentrated in developed coastal regions from 1997–2012, while less developed inland regions accounted for less than 30% of MNEs-generated value-added but over 50% of MNEs-related carbon emissions. This imbalance exacerbated regional inequality during this period. A pivotal change occurred over 2012–2017 as MNEs increasingly relocated inland and expanded their presence in clean technology-intensive industries, significantly reducing regional inequality. We also highlight the potential of leveraging MNEs’ knowledge spillovers to mitigate emissions and inequality. These insights offer policy implications for strategically deploying MNEs to address inequality and climate change, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals.

County-level ecological space, as a crucial level in optimizing the land spatial system, plays a pivotal role in “undertaking superior planning and guiding subordinate implementation”. From a spatial optimization perspective, effectively implementing the dual-carbon goal by increasing carbon sinks in specific ecological space units is essential. This study focused on 107 districts and counties in Shaanxi Province, China, aiming to construct a comprehensive multivariate identification system for ecological space under the dual-carbon target based on an analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and driving factors of county-level carbon sinks. Furthermore, by analyzing the ecological spatial distribution pattern, carbon sink land structure, and county clustering characteristics, the study explored differential optimization strategies for ecological spaces of different county types to enhance carbon sinks in the ecosystem. The results demonstrated that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the total carbon sink in Shaanxi Province exhibited an initial increase followed by a decrease, with a decline from 864.39 × 10⁴ t to 863.21 × 10⁴ t. The county-level distribution of total carbon sink displayed significant spatial heterogeneity, with an overall pattern of south > north > central. (2) The interaction among factors enhanced the explanatory power for spatial differentiation of county-level carbon sinks compared to individual factors, exerting an important impact on the spatial distribution pattern of carbon sinks. (3) The distribution of ecological space in Shaanxi Province was highly uneven, with the core ecological space primarily concentrated in the southern and north-central regions. The proportions of low carbon sink (Type I), medium carbon sink (Type II), and high carbon sink (Type III) counties were 35.51%, 18.69%, and 45.80%, respectively. For different types of county-level ecological spaces, this study proposed a differentiated optimization strategy aimed at reducing carbon emissions and enhancing carbon sink. The results will provide theoretical and technical support for regional ecological construction and land spatial optimization, holding significant practical implications for achieving the dual-carbon goal and addressing climate change.