The urbanisation in the Global South provides opportunities for improved rural livelihoods in the vicinity of cities, but these opportunities do not automatically occur. The literature shows that urban expansion leads to more intensive land use around cities and a shift of production towards high-value products. However, competition for land around growing cities can lead to increasing socioeconomic vulnerability in affected areas, particularly for those who have no or weak land ownership or tenancy rights.

To achieve the announced 2060 carbon neutrality goal, the government of China has recently established its “1 + N” legal and policy framework. However, the emerging autonomous vehicle technology, which is developing rapidly, is not included. Considering the significant potential of autonomous vehicle technology in reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector, whether and how to integrate it into the current framework can be crucial for China.

The growing population in informal settlements expedites alterations in land use and land cover (LULC) over time. Understanding the patterns and processes of landscape transitions associated with informal settlement dynamics in rapidly urbanizing cities is critical for better understanding of consequences, especially in environmentally vulnerable areas. The study sought to map and systematically analyze informal settlement growth patterns, dynamics and processes, as well as associated LULC transitions in Durban Metropolitan area, from 2015 to 2021.