The decoupling relationship between land use efficiency and carbon emissions in China: An analysis using the Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) framework

The Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) framework provides a comprehensive approach to studying the decoupling of land use efficiency (LUE) and carbon emissions (CEs), thereby supporting the transition towards low-carbon land use from a holistic social-ecological perspective. In this study, we utilized the SES framework to examine the decoupling patterns of LUE and CEs across different land use categories (agricultural, industrial, commercial, and ecological land) in 285 Chinese cities from 2007 to 2019. We found that: (1) The decoupling relationships between LUE and CEs varied across different land categories, influenced by input/output values as well as social, economic, and regulatory factors. (2) During the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011–2015), significant decoupling between agricultural, industrial, commercial, and ecological LUEs and CEs was observed in 170 (59%), 119 (42%), 117 (41%), and 139 (49%) cities, respectively. (3) From a long-term perspective (2010–2019), all types of LUE and CEs that were initially absent in geographic agglomeration showed improvement and achieved decoupling. (4) The initial set of low-carbon pilot cities that aimed to reduce CEs showed the most success, but this advantage faded with time. Our research delves into the interactions of actors with land resources and their implications for CEs within the SES framework. Through exploring the decoupling of LUE and CEs, we provide valuable insights for actors to make strategic adjustments, enhancing societal resilience and promoting harmonious development between humans and nature in the social-ecological system.