Analysis of spatial heterogeneity in coupling development of industrialization and resource environmental bearing capacity

The contradiction between supply and demand of resource environment has become increasingly severe because of population expansion and the rapid development of industrial economy. Spatial quantitative evaluation of coupling strength and mutual promotion between industrialization and resource environmental bearing capacity based on panel data can facilitate industrialization and promote sustainable and healthy development of regional economy objectively, scientifically, and rationally. This study proposed a three-level comprehensive evaluation matrix for clustering and comparative analysis of 31 provinces in China to analyse the characteristics of spatial heterogeneity in the coordinated development of industrialization and resource environmental bearing capacity. First, a comprehensive evaluation index system for resource environmental bearing capacity was established based on the differences in resource environmental bearing capacities in various regions of China. Combined with the coordination degree for evaluation model, the coordination between the resource environmental bearing capacity and the industrialization of the 31 provinces in 2018 was evaluated and compared based on their comprehensive evaluation index. Finally, a cluster comparison analysis was performed in the 31 provinces using the three-level comprehensive evaluation matrix of coupling development of regional economy and resource environmental bearing capacity. Moreover, the accuracy of the coordination degree model was verified according to the clustering results. Results show that the regions with good ordination between industrialization and resource environmental bearing capacity include East and North China. Meanwhile, the provinces with poor coordination mainly include Southwest and Northwest China. Resource environment still restricts the coordination between resource environmental bearing capacity and industrialization development. This study provides reference for developing differentiated resource environment management measures and countermeasures in various regions in China.