Environmental leadership development based on activity theory for sustainable urban development in the Greater Pearl River Delta, China

As cities in the GPRD develop, they go through an environmental transition associated with changes in the type of environmental challenge. With its growing economic power, China is playing an important role in the global economy, although the prosperity of the cities seems to have come with certain hurdles: social inequality and environmental deterioration. In response to such transaction, we have examined the GPRD's urban development, including urban formation, industry relocation, economic development, social inequality, and biodiversity conservation for a better quality of life (QOL). As a catalyst for sustainable urbanization, environmental leadership-where the urbanization process can be in harmony with the urgency for the economic development and sustainable future of the city-was explored. The holistic framework of activity theory was also applied within the area of sustainability to arrive at an inclusive structure for environmental leadership.