Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Influencing Mechanism of Coupling Coordination Level of Social–Ecological Systems in China’s Resource-Based Cities Under the Carbon Neutrality Goal

Yunhui Zhang, Zhong Wang (), Yanran Peng, Wei Wang and Chengxi Tian
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Yunhui Zhang: School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Zhong Wang: School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Yanran Peng: School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Wei Wang: School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Chengxi Tian: School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-26

Abstract: Carbon emissions have a profound impact on the transformation goals and development paths of cities. In the context of carbon neutrality, it is of great significance to explore the coupling coordination level of the social–ecological systems in resource-based cities for realizing regional low-carbon and sustainable development. In this study, the entropy weighting method, coupling coordination degree model and geographical detector were used to measure the comprehensive development level and coupling coordination level of the social–ecological system in 116 resource-based cities in China from 2010 to 2020 and their spatial–temporal characteristics and influencing mechanism were analyzed. The results show the following: (1) The comprehensive development level of the social system in China’s resource-based cities has a significant upward trend, while the comprehensive development level of the ecological system has a gentle upward trend, and the coupling and coordination level of the social–ecological system has a fluctuating upward trend. (2) There is obvious spatial differentiation between the comprehensive development level and the coupling coordination level of the social–ecological systems in resource-based cities in China, and the relative difference is gradually increasing. (3) The digital economy index, urbanization level, science and education investment, and population density are important factors affecting the coupling coordination level, and the interaction between digital economy index, urbanization level, and population density has a strong explanatory power in the differentiation of the coupling coordination level. Based on the above conclusions, effective policy recommendations are put forward: formulate more refined and differentiated development paths, co-ordinate the spatial layout to give full play to the role of urban agglomeration, vigorously develop the digital economy, increase investment in science and education, rely on scientific and technological innovation to create development advantages, reasonably guide the population layout and take a new urbanization development route.

Keywords: resource-based cities; social–ecological system; coupling coordination; geographical detector (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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