A Study on Influence of Land Morphology on Carbon Emissions: The Case of Yangtze River Delta Region

This study focuses on the impact of regional land use land morphology on carbon emissions from a regional perspective. The study first quantifies the land morphology of the Yangtze River Delta region from 2005 to 2017 by calculating a series of parameters. These parameters include city scale, shape complexity, shape fragmentation, spatial aggregation and spatial diversity. Then, a panel data model of these parameters and overall urban carbon emissions was developed and analyzed by multiple linear regression. It was found that city scale spatial diversity had significant positive effects on carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta region, while the complexity of urban shape had a negative effect. Based on these findings, the study proposes that in terms of overall urban structure, it is necessary to strengthen and improve the degree of compact clustering of morphology and functions, and advocate a highly connected "polycentric" agglomeration cluster model; within cities, the complexity and fragmentation of land morphology should be reduced through a "narrow roads and small blocks" transportation model.