Abstract:
In today's era, marked by the burgeoning of new technologies, the trend of integrating ecological governance with these emerging technologies has become increasingly distinct. The digital dimension of ecological governance has emerged as a consensus worldwide, and the digital transformation of urban ecological management is integral to the modernization of national governance systems and capabilities. This article uses the example of Shanghai, a prototypical mega-city in China, to explore the digitalization of ecological governance, analyzing the components, the logic of transformation, and the practical pathways for digitalization in mega-cities. It identifies the constituents of digital ecological governance in mega-cities as including foundational technological components, institutional factors, and procedural elements. The transformation follows three fundamental logics, i.e., value reshaping under both macro and micro perspectives, comprehensive renewal in digital forms and practical applications, and an overall enhancement of transformation capabilities and enabling effects. The future course for the digital practice of ecological governance in mega-cities should maintain a people-centered focus in ecological practices, progress with both top-down design and detailed implementation, and foster an interplay between action plans and addressing specific issues. This approach aims to deliver higher-quality ecological products and green public services, thereby crafting a new paradigm for the re-emergence of global cities.