Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Coupling Coordination in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration: Ecology, Environment and Economy

With the rapid growth and development of urban areas, the economy has often been prioritized at the expense of the environment and ecological systems. However, it is essential to delve deeper into the relationship between the economy and the ecological environment. Therefore, this study introduces a comprehensive evaluation system that encompasses economic, ecological, and environmental factors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration in China. The Criteria Importance Through Inter-criteria Correlation (CRITIC) method is utilized to determine the weights of various indicators, and coupling as well as coupling coordination models are employed to investigate the spatiotemporal trends and interrelationships of the three factors. The results indicate that the economic development index has displayed a consistent uptrend since 2000, with the economic development index from 2015-2020 increasing by approximately four times compared to 2000-2005. The ecological status index has also increased in the last five years, with a rise of about 0.05 from 2015-2020 compared to 2000-2005. The environmental status index has fluctuated but generally increased, with a rise of approximately 5.6 times from 2015-2020 compared to 2000-2005. The coupling degree of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration is relatively high, with intense coupling from 2005-2020, and moderate coupling from 2000-2005. Furthermore, the coupling coordination has continuously improved from mild maladjustment to barely coordinated from 2000 to 2020, indicating the enhancement of the coupling coordination of the three factors. It is crucial to acknowledge that there exists spatial heterogeneity in both the coupling degree and coupling coordination degree. This heterogeneity stems from the uneven progress in economic development, ecological conditions, and environmental status across various cities. Additional endeavors are required to foster the harmonized advancement of these factors across the entire region.