Chenglong Yin, Xiangming Xiao, Li Pan, Ruishan Chen, Yi Yin, Yuanwei Qin, Wenjiao Shi, Tim Van de Voorde, Shenglai Yin, Yuan Yao, Baihong Pan, Nan Jia, Xiaona Guo, Fei Meng
Abstract Expansion of impervious surface area (ISA) in urbanizing regions often leads to vegetation area losses, a direct impact of urbanization. Many activities driven by economic growth, population increases, targeted urban greening investments, environmental policies, and major sports events change vegetation composition, structure, and function, leading to substantial indirect (positive or negative) impacts on vegetation in urban area. In this study, we analyzed the spatial‐temporal dynamics of ISA, enhanced vegetation index (EVI), and gross primary production (GPP) in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), China, over 2000–2020. Positive indirect impacts of urbanization on EVI and GPP surged after 2011, coinciding with China's Ecological Civilization Strategy. The concurrent increases of ISA, EVI, and GPP in the YRD provide an example for our society to work and advance the UN's Sustainable Development Goal #11, “Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.”