This paper investigates the intricate relationships between multi faceted urban forms and carbon emissions, contributing to the ongoing 
debate on the sustainability impact of urban centralism versus decen tralism in land-use strategies.To achieve this, we develop a multi dimensional core-periphery classification scheme and employ a combi nation of non-spatial and spatial models to analyze the non-stationary 
impacts of urban forms on carbon emissions.These compre hensive measures of urban forms respond to the "centralized" and 
"decentralized" views of spatial development, enriching the manifesta tion and quantification of these two theoretical arguments.In peripheral areas, adopting centralized strategies that 
prioritize economies of scale in land development and maintaining a 
moderate level of compactness can promote low-carbon sustainability.In core regions, centralized strategies of 
compactness increase carbon emissions, although this can be offset by 
enhanced connectivity, particularly within integrated metropolitan 
administration.Second, to 
reconcile the debates of these two theoretical views for better sustain able development, we focus on how local contexts matter for potentially 
shaping diverse impacts of different urban form strategies.The results further reveal 
that the influence of urban forms on carbon emissions varies spatially, 
contingent on economic, planning, and administrative factors across 
core and peripheral regions.Third, we further introduce a multifaceted core-periphery clas sification scheme to characterize the intricate impacts of urban forms 
based on local economic, planning, and administrative attributes.However, there are exceptions that specific peripheral eco-regions 
benefit from complexity while increased connectivity may undermine 
sustainability in less developed peripheries.