Coupling Relationship of Urban Development and the Eco-Environment in Guanzhong Region, China

Since the 21st century, China’s rapid urban development has had profound impacts on the regional eco-environment and posed severe threats to regional sustainable development. In order to scientifically evaluate the coupling relationship between urban development and the eco-environment in the Guanzhong region, in this paper, by combining nighttime lighting data and MODIS data in 2001, 2010 and 2018, we applied an overall coupling model and a coordination model to discuss the spatial–temporal coupling and coordination relationship between urban development and the eco-environment. The results showed the following: (1) From 2001 to 2018, the urbanization development in the Guanzhong region significantly improved and the links between cities were continuously strengthened, but the degree of contact still needed to be improved. (2) The eco-environment quality in the Guanzhong region slightly increased, but the overall level was low. The structure of the eco-environment quality grade changed greatly, and “Good” grades changed to “Very Good”. (3) During 2001–2018, the overall coupling situation between urban development and the eco-environment strengthened and the degree of coordination increased. The coupling coordinator subtype gradually transformed from system balanced development into system balanced development, the ecology lag type, and the urban development lag type coexisting phenomenon. The results of the study suggest that future urban development planning and ecological protection policies need to take the coordinated coupling between urban development and the eco-environment into account.