Spatial and Functional Heterogeneity in Regional Resilience: A GIS-Based Analysis of the Chengdu–Chongqing Economic Mega Region

The Chengdu–Chongqing Economic Mega Region (CCEMR), as a strategic economic hub
inWestern China, is increasingly facing challenges in balancing urban growth, agricultural
stability, and ecological conservation within its territorial spatial planning framework. This
study addresses the critical need to integrate multidimensional resilience assessment into
China’s territorial spatial planning system. A framework for functional resilience assessment
was developed through integrated GIS spatial analysis, with three resilience dimensions
explicitly aligned to China’s “Three Zones and Three Lines” (referring to urban, agricultural,
and ecological space and spatial control lines) territorial planning system: urban resilience
was evaluated using KL-TOPSIS ranking, where weights were derived from combined Delphi
expert consultation and AHP; agricultural resilience was quantified through the entropy
method for weight determination and GIS raster calculation; and ecological resilience was
assessed via a Risk–Recovery–Potential (RRP) model integrating Ecosystem Risk, Recovery
Capacity (ERC), and Service Value (ESV) metrics, implemented through GIS spatial analysis
and raster operations. Significant spatial disparities emerge, with only 1.29% of CCEMR
exhibiting high resilience (concentrated in integrated urban–ecological zones like Chengdu).
Rural and mountainous areas demonstrate moderate-to-low resilience due to resource constraints,
creating misalignments between resilience patterns and current territorial spatial
zoning schemes. These findings provide scientific evidence for optimizing the delineation
of the Three Major Spatial Patterns: urbanized areas, major agricultural production zones,
and ecological functional zones. In this research, a transformative methodology is established
for translating resilience diagnostics directly into territorial spatial planning protocols. By
bridging functional resilience assessment with statutory zoning systems, this methodology
enables the following: (1) data-driven resilience construction for the Three Major Spatial
Patterns (urbanized areas, major agricultural production zones, and ecological functional
zones); (2) strategic infrastructure prioritization; and (3) enhanced cross-jurisdictional coordination
mechanisms. The framework positions spatial planning as a proactive tool for adaptive
territorial governance without requiring plan revision.