Do We Need More Urban Green Space to Alleviate PM 2.5 Pollution? A Case Study in Wuhan, China

Yuanyuan Chen, Xinli Ke, Min Min, Yue Zhang, Yaqiang Dai and Lanping Tang
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Yuanyuan Chen: College of Public Administration, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Xinli Ke: College of Public Administration, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Min Min: College of Public Administration, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Yue Zhang: College of Public Administration, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Yaqiang Dai: College of Public Administration, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Lanping Tang: College of Public Administration, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: Urban green space can help to reduce PM 2.5 concentration by absorption and deposition processes. However, few studies have focused on the historical influence of green space on PM 2.5 at a fine grid scale. Taking the central city of Wuhan as an example, this study has analyzed the spatiotemporal trend and the relationship between green space and PM 2.5 in the last two decades. The results have shown that: (1) PM 2.5 concentration reached a maximum value (139 μg/m 3 ) in 2010 and decreased thereafter. Moran’s I index values of PM 2.5 were in a downward trend, which indicates a sparser distribution; (2) from 2000 to 2019, the total area of green space decreased by 25.83%. The reduction in larger patches, increment in land cover diversity, and less connectivity led to fragmented spatial patterns of green space; and (3) the regression results showed that large patches of green space significantly correlated with PM 2.5 concentration. The land use/cover diversity negatively correlated with the PM 2.5 concentration in the ordinary linear regression. In conclusion, preserving large native natural habitats can be a supplemental measure to enlarge the air purification function of the green space. For cities in the process of PM 2.5 reduction, enhancing the landscape patterns of green space provides a win-win solution to handle air pollution and raise human well-being.

Keywords: urban green space; particulate matter; spatiotemporal evolution; landscape index; spatial panel regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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