Exploring the Coupling Coordination and Spatial Correlation of Logistics Industry and Regional Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development: Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta Region

Abstract

As the economy develops, the level of logistics required means many activities become increasingly dependent on transportation, which leads to the deterioration of the ecological environment, aggravates air pollution, causes urban traffic jams, and has a negative influence on sustainable development. Therefore, in the context of sustainable development, how to coordinate the development of the logistics industry and regional economy has become a governmental and academic focus. The coupling coordination degree model and spatial autocorrelation analysis model were applied to empirically analyze the coupling and coordination of the logistics industry and economy in each city in YRDR and the relationship of mutual influence. The research results show that, for economically developed cities, economic development had more influence on the coupled and coordinated degree of the two, and for the less developed cities, the development of logistics drove the improvement of the coupled and coordinated degree of the two. The analysis of the Anhui Province showed that the coupling and coordination degree of its own logistics industry and economy was driven by strong radiation, and the impact on that degree of the logistics industry and economy of cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai was not significant. The development of the coupling and coordination degree of the two variables of cities in Jiangsu Province was more balanced. The divergence degree of that of the logistics industry and economy of cities in Zhejiang Province exhibited a tendency to increase, and the divergence mainly came from the endogenous development of each city. The variability was mainly due to the endogenous dynamics of each city’s development. Finally, suggestions for the coordinated and sustainable development of the logistics industry and regional economy are provided.