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We begin by synthesizing literature that addresses the complex interactions between urban development and environmental sustainability, emphasizing a systems approach. A theoretical model is developed to capture the dynamic interplay between urban environmental strategies and socio-economic outcomes, framed within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Employing a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences (DID) method, we analyze data from a panel of Chinese cities (1997\u20132019) to assess how the NCC title influences economic growth and urban sustainability. Our results indicate a notable 2.88% increase in GDP per capita associated with the designation; however, this effect varies based on the city\u2019s administrative status and geographical location, highlighting the complex and conditional nature of policy impact on economic development. We conclude by offering policy recommendations that promote a holistic approach to urban planning, fostering synergies between environmental conservation and economic growth. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of sustainable urban development strategies with relevance to both emerging and developed economies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems13010023","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,2]],"date-time":"2025-01-02T07:44:53Z","timestamp":1735803893000},"page":"23","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":33,"title":["Systemic Impacts of National Civilized Cities on Sustainable Development: A Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Economic and Environmental Outcomes in China"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2780-6197","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Weixin","family":"Yang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Business School, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8826-2133","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yunpeng","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhili","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Business School, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuxun","family":"Gu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Xi\u2019an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1080\/13504509.2020.1722973","article-title":"Rethinking Urban Sustainability Using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping and System Dynamics","volume":"27","author":"Ferreira","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. 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