Progressive Strengthening of Urban Vegetation Offset Effects: Spatiotemporal Dynamics in China, 1985–2024

Although urbanization is associated with vegetation decline, specific urban conditions may instead stimulate vegetation growth, producing offset effects. However, the spatiotemporal evolution and underlying drivers of these effects remain insufficiently understood, ​hindering their integration into sustainable urban planning.​​ Here, using satellite observations, we assessed the offset effect index (τ) across 806 built-up areas in China from 1985 to 2024, quantifying both its spatial distribution and temporal evolution. This is the urban offset effect data for article analysis, accompanied by a SHP format file of urban locations.