Sustainable Development and Environmental Governance for Urban Vending Zones: A Case Study in the Waliu Community, China

Yue Zhai, Pengfei Ma () and Mengbi Li
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Yue Zhai: School of Political Science and Public Administration, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Pengfei Ma: Institute of Southern Song Dynasty Capital, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
Mengbi Li: College of Sport, Health and Engineering, Institute for Sustainable Industries and Livable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3011, Australia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-23

Abstract: In the past decade, the governance of urban space, in connection with the triad, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), has trended towards greater humanization to achieve urban sustainability and social harmony in China. With a focus on the case of the Waliu Community (Zhengzhou), this study investigates the evolution of environmental governance in its vending zones. As one of the earliest Chinese communities to transition from spatial exclusion to spatial inclusion and then to spatial self-management in environmental governance, the Waliu Community established two specific vending zones, Tea City and Shenglong. These zones have transformed the governing mindset of the community’s urban environment. The latest strategy of spatial self-management enables urban low-income groups to participate in the co-governance of the urban environment. The research methods used in this study range from spatial analysis and direct observation to semi-structured interviews; data and information are collected through field notes, official records, and designed questionnaires. The study investigates key indicators spatial utilization efficiency, vendor livelihood, social order and safety, and stakeholder satisfaction. Results demonstrate that spatial self-management effectively optimizes community traffic flow, enhances waste collection efficiency, and fosters consensus and collaboration among stakeholders. It is concluded that spatial self-management facilitates the sustainable production of urban spaces for their users within China’s complex urban contexts.

Keywords: urban sustainability; environmental governance; spatial exclusion; spatial inclusion; spatial self-management; urban vending zone (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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