[Objective] The compilation of the marine natural resource balance sheet is the cornerstone of marine environmental governance work in China and also a crucial step in promoting the construction of a national marine ecological civilization, which is of profound significance for achieving the goal of sustainable development. However, current research on the marine natural resource balance sheet faces numerous challenges, including ambiguous key concepts, unscientific and infeasible accounting methods, and imperfect design of the reporting system, all of which necessitate in-depth exploration. [Methods] The accounting theory of marine natural resource balance sheet was analyzed. Firstly, the key concepts in compiling the balance sheet were clarified. Secondly, the priority accounting targets for marine natural resource assets were determined, and practical and feasible accounting methods for physical quantity and monetary value were proposed. Thirdly, the three forms of liabilities, namely resource over-depletion, environmental damage, and ecological destruction, as well as their corresponding accounting methods were identified. Based on this, the reporting table structures were designed through a plan of ‘general table+classified table+extended table+auxiliary table’, and a compilation system for marine natural resource balance sheet was constructed. Furthermore, taking Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province as a pilot site, the marine natural resource balance sheet from 2013 to 2017 was explored and compiled. [Results] (1) The accounting of marine natural resource assets includes three categories such as marine spatial resource assets, marine biological resource assets and marine mineral resource assets. (2) The liability accounting of marine natural resource assets includes three liability forms such as resource over-depletion, environmental damage and ecological destruction. (3) During the entire accounting period, the net asset value of marine natural resources in Ningbo City was approximately 1266.234 biillion yuan; compared with the beginning of the period, the asset value showed an upward trend with an increase of about 47.15%, and marine spatial resource asset was the main component of the values. The total liability value was 15.207 billion yuan, mainly due to the depletion of marine biological resource, with an overall liability ratio of only 1.18%, indicating relatively low liability level. [Conclusion] The compilation system of the constructed marine natural resource balance sheet based on the ‘general table + classified table + extended table + auxiliary table’ compilation scheme is scientifically feasible. It can comprehensively and effectively reflect the changes in the asset values and liability values of marine natural resources, and thus provide a useful exploration for the compilation of marine natural resource balance sheet by the national and local governments.

[Objective] Improving energy utilization efficiency is key to solving the economic growth dilemma under energy and environmental constraints. Electricity pricing serves as a pivotal lever to enhance enterprise energy utilization efficiency. Evaluating the effectiveness of differential pricing policies can provide a scientific basis for optimizing electricity price structures. [Methods] Through government information disclosure requests, enterprise lists subject to differential electricity pricing policies across 21 provincial-level administrative regions were collected. These lists were matched with the China Industrial Enterprise Database, China Industrial Enterprise Pollution Database and China Patent Database. A multi-period difference-in-differences method was employed to evaluate the effect of differential electricity pricing policies on enterprise energy utilization efficiency. The robustness of findings was validated through heterogeneous treatment effect parallel trend tests, placebo tests, and tests of stable unit treatment value assumption. [Results] (1) Overall, the differential electricity pricing policy improved the energy utilization efficiency of target enterprises. After classification, policy effects mainly manifested in the phased-out and encouraged enterprises. Due to low surcharge standards, the policy had limited effect on restricted enterprises. (2) A nonlinear inverted U-shaped relationship was observed between electricity price surcharge standards and enterprise energy utilization efficiency. (3) The mechanism through which the differential electricity pricing policies influenced energy efficiency varied across enterprise categories. Phased-out enterprises improved efficiency through equipment upgrading, while encouraged enterprises achieved efficiency gains through exploratory innovation and production scale expansion. (4) Heterogeneity analysis showed that differential electricity pricing policy exerted significant effects on both state-owned and non-state-owned encouraged enterprises. For phased-out and restricted enterprises, its effects were predominantly observed in non-state-owned enterprises. (5) Further research indicated that the differential electricity pricing policies significantly improved the profits of encouraged enterprises and motivated their coordinated optimization of industrial water consumption. [Conclusion] Electricity pricing strategies should not only adhere to differentiation principles but also fully reflect the environmental costs of energy consumption. This study provides empirical support for evaluating the policy effects of differential electricity pricing and offers critical insights for deepening the electricity pricing reforms to enhance enterprise energy utilization efficiency.

[Objective] Accelerating the construction of a modern rural energy system is an important part of ensuring basic modern living conditions in rural areas, and it is also a key measure to enhance rural residents’ sense of gain and well-being. Analyzing the impact of household labor migration on farmers’ cooking energy consumption structure and its mechanisms provides theoretical foundations and practical references for facilitating their transition. [Methods] Based on micro-survey data from 1016 households in Hubei Province in 2022, this study used Oprobit model and propensity score matching method to analyze the impact of household labor migration on the structure of cooking energy consumption, and further explored the heterogeneity and underlying mechanisms of this impact. [Results] (1) Household labor migration in rural areas was relatively common, accounting for 79.04% of the total sample. Farmers mainly used electricity, liquefied petroleum gas, straw, and fuel wood for cooking. The proportion of farmers using only clean energy reached 68.51%. The proportion of farmers using both traditional and clean energy reached 29.23%. (2) Household labor migration contributed to the transition in the structure of cooking energy consumption. After robustness test and addressing endogeneity, this effect remained robust, with household labor migration increasing the level of farmers’ use of clean cooking energy by 10.330%-11.348%. (3) The impact of household labor migration on the structure of cooking energy consumption varied with farmers’ age and regional economic development level. The impact on young and middle-aged farmers and those in areas with low economic development levels is greater than that on elderly farmers and those in areas with high economic development levels. (4) Household labor migration promoted farmers’ use of clean energy in cooking through increased economic endowment, enhanced health awareness, and strengthened environmental consciousness, respectively. The growth of household economic endowment induced by labor migration played a key role in the transition from mixed energy use to exclusive clean energy use in cooking. [Conclusion] Household labor migration can enhance farmers’ demand for clean cooking energy by improving material conditions and perceptions. Efforts should be made to strengthen employment security mechanisms for surplus labor, with a focus on promoting environmental and health awareness regarding energy consumption to facilitate the transformation of cooking energy consumption structure among farmers.

[Objective] Digital infrastructure serves as a crucial underpinning for facilitating the flow of urban-rural factors and bridging the urban-rural digital divide, making its impact assessment on urban-rural integration a prerequisite for science-based policymaking. [Methods] By measuring the digital infrastructure index and the urban-rural integration level of 263 cities in China from 2010 to 2021, a spatial econometric model was employed to explore the spatial effects and underlying mechanism of digital infrastructure construction on urban-rural integration development. [Results] (1) Digital infrastructure construction not only promoted the development of urban-rural integration within the region but also exerted a significant positive spatial spillover effect on the development of urban-rural integration in adjacent regions. This conclusion remained valid after robustness tests and endogeneity treatment. (2) Mechanism analysis shows that the construction of digital infrastructure promotes the integrated development of urban and rural areas through the effects of shared empowerment and optimized allocation of factors. (3) Spatial quantile regression revealed that the urban-rural integration development had a significant spatial linkage effect. However, as the quantile level increased, the positive spatial externality of urban-rural integration development gradually weakened. In contrast, the promoting effect of digital infrastructure construction on urban-rural integration development gradually increased with the rise of the quantile level. (4) The impact of digital infrastructure construction on urban-rural integration development exhibited a decreasing trend from eastern to central, western, and northeastern regions of China. [Conclusion] Digital infrastructure construction plays a significant role in promoting the urban-rural integration development. Therefore, at the level of spatial governance, efforts should be made to strengthen the layout of digital hubs and network nodes, promote joint construction and shared benefits among multiple subjects, and establish a cross-regional collaborative cooperation mechanism. At the level of institutional governance, it is necessary to improve the mechanisms for resource sharing and differentiated development, facilitate the two-way flow of factors such as data, capital, and talent, focus on narrowing regional gaps, and give full play to the synergetic and driving capabilities of digital infrastructure.

[Objective] The relationship between the rural digital economy and ecological resilience is crucial to regional sustainable development. Elucidating the synergistic evolution and driving factors between these two dimensions in the Yellow River Basin will provide a scientific basis for formulating regional development strategies. [Methods] Theoretically, the synergistic evolution mechanism of “the rural digital economy-ecological resilience composite system” was clarified based on synergetics theory. Empirically, utilizing panel data from 79 municipallevel cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2012 to 2022, the synergistic evolution characteristics and driving factors of this composite system were analyzed by employing an improved Haken model, kernel density estimation, and a geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model. [Results] (1) During the study period, the level of the rural digital economy in the Yellow River Basin showed a fluctuating upward trend, while rural ecological resilience first declined and then rose. The spatial distribution of rural digital economy exhibits a declining gradient from eastern to western regions, while rural ecological resilience is characterized by the leading role of provincial capital cities. (2) The rural digital economy served as the order parameter of the composite system, with its relationship with rural ecological resilience in a low-level synergistic state. The synergistic evolution level of the composite system increased during the study period, regional differences first expanded and then narrowed, and the downstream area contributed the most to the total difference. (3) The driving factors of co-evolution exhibit marked spatial heterogeneity; rural economic development and environmental regulation function as positive drivers, whereas the grain-oriented shift in cropping structure, financial support for agriculture, and the urban-rural development gap exert inhibitory effects, with industrial structure optimization demonstrating a relatively weak influence.. [Conclusion] The level of synergistic evolution between the rural digital economy and ecological resilience in the Yellow River Basin still has significant room for improvement.There remains significant potential for improving the synergistic evolution level between the rural digital economy and ecological resil‐ience in the Yellow River Basin, with notable regional disparities. Therefore, this paper proposes tailored synergistic promotion strategies for different regions.

[Objective] High-speed rail (HSR) networks reshape the spatial allocation of factors. Studying the impact of the HSR networks on factor allocation efficiency in peripheral regions provides theoretical and policy insights for leveraging HSR networks to promote their development. [Methods] Based on the core-periphery model, this study constructs a theoretical framework to analyze how HSR networks influence factor allocation efficiency in peripheral regions. Using complex networks analysis and two-way fixed effect models, empirical data of 114 resource-based cities in China from 2009 to 2021 are employed to explore these effects. [Results] (1) HSR networks significantly improve the factor allocation efficiency in resource-based cities, with stronger effects observed in mature cities, those within 300 km of core cities, and inland cities. The “intermediary status” of HSR nodes enhances efficiency more than the “extensive status”. (2) Multidimensional decomposition reveals that HSR networks significantly improve low-skilled labor and energy allocation efficiency, reduce medium-skilled labor and capital allocation efficiency, and have no significant impact on high-skilled labor allocation efficiency. The improvement effect on low-skilled labor allocation is particularly pronounced. (3) The effects of HSR networks on the multidimensional factor allocation efficiency vary by development cycles, spatial distances and geographical locations in resource-based cities. [Conclusion] HSR networks development alleviates factor misallocation in resource-based cities, with heterogeneous effects across factor types, urban development cycles, spatial distances, and geographic locations. Consequently, while accelerating HSR networks expansion to optimize factor allocation, regionally tailored coordinated development strategies should be implemented, incorporating cities’ factor endowments and intrinsic characteristics.

[Objective] Exploring the soil carbon sink effects under farmland management measures in China’s major grain producing areas is of great significance for improving the theory and evaluation system of agricultural carbon sinks. [Methods] In this study, kernel density analysis, and spatial Markov chain were used to measure the soil carbon sinks of no-tillage, straw returning, and formula fertilization by soil testing in China’s main grain producing areas from 2005 to 2021, and to explore their spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and long-term evolution trends. [Results] (1) From 2005 to 2021, the total carbon sinks of no-tillage, straw returning, formula fertilization by soil testing, and the sum of the three measures in China’s major grain producing areas were 2.787, 13.819, 11.994, 29.713 Tg C/a, respectively. The soil carbon sinks under different management measures showed an increasing trend, and the gains and losses resulting from their interaction had a relatively small impact on the total soil carbon sinks. (2) During the study period, the interprovincial differences in soil carbon sinks under different management measures continued to expand. The spatial distribution of soil carbon sinks under no-tillage maintained a pattern of “low in the south and high in the north”, which was similar to the spatial distribution of maize planting in the main grain producing areas. Soil carbon sinks under straw returning showed a pattern of “high in the middle and low on both sides” during the study period. Most of the core provinces were concentrated in the Huang-Huai-Hai region, which was similar to the spatial distribution of wheat planting. The core provinces of soil carbon sinks in formula fertilization by soil testing were stable in Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Hunan, and Jiangxi after 2010, with no significant crop-type bias. There was a spatial spillover effect on the total soil carbon sinks, which gradually expanded from Shandong and Henan to the north and south. And its carbon sink strength had pattern of “high in the south and low in the north”. (3) The soil carbon sink types of all management measures showed a trend of shifting toward higher levels. The carbon sink levels of surrounding provinces significantly affected the type transition of soil carbon sinks under different farmland management measures within a province, while promoting the clustering phenomenon of high and low soil carbon sinks under no-tillage and straw returning measures. After long-term development, the soil carbon sinks under no-tillage still exhibited clustering of high and low values, the clustering of high and low carbon sinks from straw return to the field would be mitigated, respectively, and the carbon sinks of formula fertilization by soil testing would shift toward higher levels. [Conclusion] The soil carbon sinks under farmland management measures in China’s major grain producing areas show an overall upward trend, but the inter provincial gap is also widening. In the future, the government should promote technological innovation or the complementary application of technologies and strengthen interprovincial exchanges and cooperation, thereby promoting the coordinated development of farmland management carbon sinks in major grain producing areas.

[Objective] Digital village construction is regarded as a crucial pathway for agricultural green transformation, yet its impact on agricultural carbon emission reduction has not yet been fully determined. This paper aims to clarify the direct effects, transmission pathways, and spatial spillover characteristics of how digital village construction influences agricultural carbon emission reduction. [Methods] Based on provincial panel data from 2009 to 2022 in China, mediation models, threshold models, and spatial econometric models were employed to empirically examine the impact of digital village construction on agricultural carbon emission reduction. [Results] (1) The benchmark regression revealed that digital village construction significantly promoted agricultural carbon emission reduction. Furthermore, this impact exhibited a dual-threshold effect based on its own development level. After surpassing specific developmental stages, its influence on agricultural carbon emissions shifted from an initial promoting effect to a significant inhibiting effect. From the perspective of carbon emission structure, digital village construction showed significant emission reduction effects in three major sources: agricultural inputs, methane from rice paddies, and livestock breeding, while its impact on straw burning was not significant, and it exhibited a significant increasing effect on energy use. (2) Digital village construction primarily promoted agricultural carbon emission reduction by fostering human capital accumulation, technological advancement, and rural-urban integration. (3) Agricultural carbon emissions exhibited significant spatial correlation characteristics, with digital village construction demonstrating both local effects and spatial spillover effects on agricultural carbon reduction. (4) Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the agricultural carbon reduction effects of digital village construction varied across different crop producing areas and environmental regulation intensities, with more pronounced effects observed in wheat-corn producing regions and areas with stringent environmental regulations. [Conclusion] Promoting digital village construction is an important pathway for agricultural carbon emission reduction. Therefore, it is recommended to accelerate the digital transformation of agriculture and rapidly surpass the inflection point at which digital village construction exerts its impact on agricultural carbon emission reduction. Efforts should focus on enhancing farmers’ digital literacy, deepening technology application, and strengthening urban-rural integration during the digital village construction. Additionally, strengthening connectivity between regional data platforms and data sharing can better support agricultural carbon emission reduction.

[Objective] Against the backdrop of accelerating globalization and digital transformation, this study aims to investigate the impact of digital technology innovation on China’s pollution reduction and carbon mitigation from the perspective of international technology spillovers, thereby providing policy implications for achieving the national “dual-carbon” goals and advancing the construction of a Beautiful China. [Methods] Using provincial panel data of China from 2008 to 2021 and a threshold econometric model, the effects of digital technology innovation on pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, moderated by international technology spillovers, were empirically examined. [Results] (1) Digital technology innovation significantly contributed to pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, but this contribution could only be realized when the level of digital technology innovation reached a certain threshold. (2) International technology spillovers exhibited heterogeneous reinforcing regulatory effects on the pollution reduction and carbon mitigation effects empowered by digital technology innovation. A U-shaped relationship was observed under the regulation of inward foreign direct investment (IFDI), while a positive N-shaped relationship was identified under the regulation of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and trade openness. A combination strategy of low-intensity IFDI, moderate-intensity OFDI and moderate trade openness was more conducive to releasing the pollution reduction and carbon mitigation benefits of digital technology innovation. (3) At the present stage, international technology spillovers all exhibited a positive moderating effect in driving digital technology innovation to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, with significant spatiotemporal differences in this dynamic regulation. By international technology spillover channel, the IFDI had the strongest moderating effect, followed by trade openness, while the OFDI was the weakest. In terms of regional differences, the positive regulatory effect in the eastern and western regions was greater than that in the central region. [Conclusion] This study confirms the effectiveness and importance of digital technology innovation in improving China’s capacity for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. It further reveals that the dynamic and focused international technology spillover pathways are more conducive to leveraging the role of digital technology innovation in pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. The above findings provide useful inspiration for the country to effectively absorb international technology spillovers to realize the pollution reduction and carbon mitigation benefits of digital technology innovation.

[Objective] The construction of civilized cities is an important measure to promote the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilization. It is also an innovative mechanism for urban governance to implement the requirements of Chinese-style modernization and advance high-quality economic and social development. It is of far-reaching significance to test whether the construction of civilized cities has carbon emission reduction effect, and promotes the green and low-carbon transformation of cities. [Methods] Based on the panel data of 278 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2021, this study evaluated the effect of civilized city construction on urban carbon emissions using the difference-in-differences (DID) model. [Results] (1) The construction of civilized cities can significantly reduce the level of urban carbon emissions, and the conclusion is still valid after multiple robustness tests. (2) Mechanism analysis showed that the construction of civilized cities can exert carbon emission reduction effect by promoting scientific and technological innovation, spatial layout optimization, lifestyle change, energy use efficiency improvement, and the green transformation of industrial structures. (3) Heterogeneity analysis showed that the carbon reduction effect was stronger in high-carbon emission cities, the third-round civilized cities, and high-education level cities. (4) The carbon emission reduction effect of civilized city construction showed a certain spatial spillover effect, which significantly affected the carbon emissions of the local city but also had a certain degree of effect on the carbon emission reduction of neighboring regions. [Conclusion] To accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation and development of cities through the selection of civilized cities, it is necessary to continuously strengthen scientific and technological research and development, promote the transformation of green innovation achievements of industry-university-research cooperation, continue to carry out green planting and maintenance as well as green conservation, to continuously improve the degree of urban greening.It is also necessary to fundamentally reduce high-carbon energy consumption by accelerating the development of emerging green industries.

[Objective] From the perspective of ex-ante policy design, this study systematically and comprehensively conducts a quantitative evaluation of the governance policies of “non-grainization” of cultivated land, aiming to provide references for their optimization and improvement. [Methods] Based on the “path-tool-evaluation” framework, this study reviewed the governance policy texts on “non-grainization” of cultivated land issued by both central and local governments from 2008 to 2023, and used the PMC index model to quantitatively evaluate the selected policy samples. [Results] (1) At the central level, the frequency and density of the issuance of policies on “non-grainization” of cultivated land showed an increasing trend with distinct phased characteristics. At the local level, the number of policies had been increasing rapidly, exhibiting significant spatial heterogeneity. (2) The central and local policy texts emphasized the organic coordination between regulatory assessment and planning guidance, but there remained considerable room for improvement in balancing policy implementation, regulatory assessment, and interest protection. (3) The central and local policy samples selected in this study received PMC index ratings of qualified or above, with no policies rated as unacceptable. However, there was a misalignment between the overall design of policies for managing the “non-grainization” of cultivated land and the current situation in Sichuan and Shanxi Provinces. (4) The surface concavity of the policies on “non-grainization” of cultivated land issued by the central government, Heilongjiang, and Henan Provinces was relatively low, and their overall surfaces were relatively smooth. In contrast, the policies issued by Shanxi Province had a high surface concavity and poor overall smoothness. [Conclusion] Although the governance policy text design of “non-grainization” of cultivated land issued by both central and local governments is relatively rational and comprehensive, further improvements are needed in legal regulation transformation, content dimension design, and policy tool balance. Therefore, this study recommends that governments should improve and optimize the content of governance policy texts by promoting the legal transformation of governance policies, constructing and improving the compensation mechanism and its supervision and evaluation system for grain production, and regulating the decision-making and authority allocation of entities involved in governance of “non-grainization” of cultivated land.

[Objective] Based on property rights theory and generational theory, this study explores the mechanisms through which property rights cognition and intergenerational differences affect farmers’ willingness and behavior regarding homestead transfer, aiming to provide references for optimizing the paid use system of homesteads and deepening the reform of the homestead system. [Methods] Using data from the 2022 China Land Economic Survey, the Logit model was employed to investigate the effects of property rights cognition and intergenerational differences on farmers’ willingness and behavior regarding homestead transfer. In addition, a moderation effect model was applied to further examine the moderating role of intergenerational differences. [Results] (1) Overall, the cognition of homestead property rights had a significant positive effect on the willingness of farmers to transfer homesteads, but had a significant negative effect on the behavior of transferring homesteads. Specifically, the cognition of ownership rights and mortgage rights had a significant positive effect on farmers’ willingness to transfer homesteads, while the cognition of ownership rights and inheritance rights had a significant negative effect on farmers’ behavior of transferring homesteads. These results remained robust after multiple robustness tests. (2) The willingness and incidence of homestead transfer behavior progressively increased among the older, middle, and younger generations of farmers. (3) The positive effect of property rights cognition on farmers’ willingness to transfer homesteads gradually strengthened over intergenerational transmission, while the negative effect on the behavior of transferring homesteads weakened. Specifically, the positive effects of ownership rights cognition, mortgage rights cognition, and inheritance rights cognition on farmers' willingness to transfer homesteads gradually strengthened during intergenerational transmission, while the negative effects of ownership rights cognition and inheritance rights cognition on farmers’ homestead transfer behavior gradually weakened in the process of intergenerational transmission. [Conclusion] The differences in the effects of property rights cognition on farmers’ willingness and behavior regarding homestead transfer should be fully considered, and attention should be paid to the characteristics and needs of farmers across different generations, so as to promote the targeted and effective implementation of homestead transfer policies.

[Objective] Clarifying the evolutionary characteristics and formation mechanism of the spatial correlation network of the symbiotic development of the water-energy-food (WEF) system in the Yellow River Basin is of great significance for achieving coordinated security of these three resources and for promoting ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin. [Methods] Based on symbiosis theory, an evaluation system for the symbiotic development level of the WEF system was constructed. By quantitatively measuring the symbiotic development level of the WEF system in 78 cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2011 to 2022, the spatial correlation network characteristics and formation mechanism of the symbiotic development of the WEF system were explored using the modified gravity model and social network analysis. [Results] (1) All cities were integrated into the spatial correlation network of the symbiotic development of the WEF system, with the overall network demonstrating relatively strong accessibility, a non-hierarchical network structure, and prominent small-world network characteristics. (2) Cities such as Ordos, Yulin, Jincheng, Dongying, Zhengzhou, and Jinan exhibited high degree centrality within the network, and could quickly establish connections with other cities, facilitating convenient factor transmission. (3) 15 cities, including Taiyuan and Zibo, belonged to the “bidirectional spillover” block; 25 cities, such as Jiaozuo and Binzhou, belonged to the “net spillover” block; 24 cities, including Dingxi and Ulanqab, belonged to the “broker” block; and 14 cities, such as Ordos and Lanzhou, belonged to the “net beneficiary” block. (4) Geographic proximity, differences in annual precipitation, and variations in residential consumption levels positively drove the formation of the spatial correlation network of the symbiotic development of the WEF system in the Yellow River Basin, while disparities in economic development levels and technological innovation levels had inhibitory effects. [Conclusion] To achieve the coordinated enhancement of the symbiotic development level of the WEF system in the Yellow River Basin, it is essential to establish and refine cross-sectoral and cross-regional resource management mechanisms with a basin-wide perspective, facilitate the smooth flow of regional factors, strengthen inter-block linkage effects, and promote interregional resource complementarity and collaborative development.

[Objective] This study aims to reveal the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving factors of urban resilience in the context of population shrinkage, thereby providing theoretical support and valuable reference for advancing the modernization of urban governance systems and governance capacity. [Methods] Taking 285 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2005 to 2021 as research objects, an evaluation indicator system for urban resilience was constructed from four dimensions: economy, society, ecology, and infrastructure. Kernel density estimation, exploratory spatial data analysis, and the spatial Durbin model were employed to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving factors of resilience in shrinking cities. Additionally, the conditions of population shrinkage and urban resilience outcomes were discussed by region and type. [Results] (1) From 2005 to 2021, a total of 136 out of 285 prefecture-level and above cities in China experienced population shrinkage, accounting for 47.7%. (2) During the same period, the national urban resilience level showed a continuous and steady growth trend, with the average resilience value increasing from 0.085 to 0.113. Economic and infrastructure resilience consistently improved, while ecological and social resilience required further enhancement. (3) The resilience level of shrinking cities first increased and then decreased, showing an inverted U-shaped pattern. The absolute differences and disparities among cities continuously intensified and showed spatial clustering. (4) Environmental pressure, technological innovation, industrial structure, and financial scale were the primary driving factors influencing the resilience level of shrinking cities. [Conclusion] There is significant potential for improvement in the resilience level of shrinking cities in China. Future research should focus on pathways for improving urban resilience, which is conducive to achieving safe governance and healthy development in shrinking cities.

[Objective] Under the new security pattern, advancing the modernization of food security governance capabilities has become a top priority concerning the nation’s future, people’s livelihood, and social stability. This paper aims to explore the pathways for improving food security governance effectiveness based on a configurational perspective and the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework. [Methods] Using a constructed integrated analytical framework and based on 31 provincial-level samples from 2016 to 2020, this study employed the dynamic qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) method to investigate the influencing factors and their combined driving pathways for enhancing food security governance effectiveness. [Results] (1) No single technological, organizational, or environmental factor constituted a necessary condition for achieving high food security governance effectiveness. (2) There were five equivalent configurations leading to high governance effectiveness, which were summarized into three driving modes: organization-driven mode, organization-environment co-construction mode, and technology-environment co-driven mode. (3) Temporally, the explanatory power of the five configurations exhibited a distinct time-varying pattern, resulting from attention attributes and the shaping effect of key events. Spatially, the organization-driven configuration had relatively weak explanatory power in non-major grain-producing areas. In the western region, the technology-environment co-driven mode predominated, while the eastern region mostly followed pathways of organization-driven and organization-environment co-construction modes. This spatial differentiation was attributed to role pressure, hierarchical incentives, and ecological niches. [Conclusion] The effectiveness of food security governance in China still has potential for further improvement. It is necessary to strengthen the coordination among all elements of food security, fully recognize the value of “organizational emphasis” for food security, and establish a contingency-based governance mindset.