Carbon Emission Patterns and Carbon Balance Zoning of Land Use in Xiamen City Based on Urban Functional Zoning

Driven by the “dual-carbon” strategy, the development of zero- and low-carbon parks has become a crucial approach to resolving the conflict between urban expansion and ecological limits. Using urban functional zoning and land use data, this study estimates carbon emissions in Xiamen and examines their spatial distribution at the functional zone level, along with an assessment of carbon balance zoning. The results indicate that (1) Carbon sources far exceed sinks, with spatial concentrations in southern and northern areas, respectively. Commercial, transportation, and industrial zones are major emission sources. (2) A significant negative spatial correlation in carbon emissions exists among functional zones, manifesting as an alternating pattern of high- and low-carbon zones. (3) 72% of the zones have an ecological support coefficient below one, indicating severe carbon imbalance. (4) Xiamen can be categorized into four carbon balance functional zones, with carbon-source regulation zones accounting for 70%, core carbon-source zones accounting for 5%, and carbon-sink stressed zones accounting for 25%. No core carbon sink zones are identified. Based on these findings, targeted strategies are proposed: ecological restoration in northern Xiamen, carbon emission regulation in central areas, and source reduction in the south. These measures provide a scientific foundation for supporting Xiamen’s low-carbon transition and sustainable development.