Urbanization in China is a complex process. The expansion of urbanization has pushed the government to tackle the long existed rural/urban divide by redeveloping urban villages. However, not many studies have focused on the relationship between urban redevelopment and urban governance in relation to specific policy elements, that is, how land use change and policy dynamics reinforce urban governance. By conducting a case study of urban redevelopment in Shenzhen, this article first evaluates the redevelopment background, theoretical perspectives on land use and the policy context of urban villages. Based on the analysis of the case, it was concluded that land use change has played a significant role in urban governance, in which the policy dynamics of urban villages in China are crucial to understanding the redevelopment process. Findings show that an integrated approach was adopted to redevelop the village, which combined both government and community forces. Furthermore, the forces of land use change and the policy dynamics manifested in a co-management process engaged by stakeholders, and eventually reinforced urban governance.

Waste sorting in urban villages is a less developed while important issue in waste management and it is of great importance to environmental sustainability. China is now facing challenges of combating waste sorting while little attention has been paid to these challenges in urban villages. This article aims to add to this knowledge by examining how waste sorting has been implemented in urban villages via a case study of Shenzhen, China. A co-production theory perspective is adopted to explore how actors are engaged in the process of waste sorting and what are the results. The findings suggest coproduction approach is neither a top-down nor bottom-up approach. It is a much more complex process that involves intensive interactions between the government and residents. It concludes that the co-production approach to waste sorting exemplified by urban villages’ sustainable development has great significance for general environmental management and policy making in the long term.

Environmental pollution significantly impacts the urbanization process. Despite the well-documented influence of urban scale on pollution, understanding of the specific effects of pollution at the urban scale remains limited. This study aims to further the understanding of the impact of pollution on urban scales by analyzing pollution variations and mechanisms. This study investigated city-level panel data in China, specifically assessing different pollutant emissions and their linkage to resident health. This study found that pollution has contrasting effects on urban land and population scales. It leads to expansion in urban land but has crowding-out effects on population scales. Notably, pollution from haze was found to increase urban mortality to a greater extent than pollution from industrial sources. Furthermore, this research found that increasing healthcare expenditures for urban residents can offset the negative impact of pollution on population growth and promote coordinated urbanization. This study emphasizes the importance of local government investment in medical services and public expenditures to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution on health, which can substantially prevent population outflows. Furthermore, stronger environmental protection measures can prevent urban land development sprawl resulting from pollution. In conclusion, this study highlights the need for a balanced approach to pollution control and urban development to achieve sustainable and high-quality urbanization.