Analysis on the Mechanism and Influencing Factors of the Coordinated Development of Economy and Environment in China’s Resource-Based Cities

• Published in: Sustainability Vol. 14; no. 5; p. 2929
• Main Authors: Li, Quan, Guo, Quan, Zhou, Min, Xia, Qing, Quan, Mengqi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Air pollution; Cities; Economic development; Economic growth; Energy consumption; Environmental impact; Environmental protection; Growth models; Hypotheses; Natural resources; Outdoor air quality; Sustainable development; China
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su14052929

In order to explore how to achieve the coordinated development of the economy and environment, this paper uses the logistic model to verify that the city economy and the environment can achieve coordinated symbiosis. Next, an evaluation index system was used as empirical testing in order to measure the performance of the economy and environment. Further, the degree of coupling and coordination between them was obtained, and an econometric model was used to find the factors that affect the coordination and symbiosis between them. Finally, the following conclusions were obtained: (1) Resource-based cities of different development types do not show obvious differences in environmental carrying capacity and are basically at a medium carrying capacity level. (2) The level of the economic strength of resource-based cities is constantly improving, although with short-term fluctuations but with a general pace of improvement. (3) The synergy between economy and environment in resource-based cities is not high that the environment lags behind obviously. (4) The factors affecting the coordinated development of the environment and economy of resource-based cities are the annual average population and industrial wastewater discharge, which are contributing to the coordinated development of the economy and environment in resource-based cities. At the same time, the proportion of secondary industry in GDP, investment in fixed assets, and comprehensive utilization rate of general industrial solid waste inhibit the coordinated development of the economy and environment in resource-based cities. Based on the above conclusions, the paper puts forward relevant countermeasures and suggestions.