Study on the coupling coordination and pattern evolution of green investment and ecological development: Based on spatial econometric model and China’s provincial panel data

Abstract

The study determines the coupling degree of green investment and green ecology in China using kernel density estimation, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and standard deviation ellipse model to empirically evaluate the data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2005 to 2019. Moreover, the study investigates the temporal evolution trend, spatial clustering characteristics, and spatial evolution trend of coupling degree. Although the coupling coordination value of green investment and green ecology gradually increased, it is generally at a low coordination stage. At the same time, regional disparities narrowed with the most significant variability in the eastern region. Moreover, results found that the aggregation effect of the coupling and coordination of green investment and green ecology is more significant, and the high-value aggregation area extended from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River to the midstream region, while the western region is dominated by low-value aggregation. Similarly, the degree of synergy between green investment and green ecology is increased; however, the fragmentation trend is inevitable. At the same time, the center of gravity of coupling coordination shifted to the western regions, and the spatial pattern gradually weakened in the “northeast-southwest” direction. The findings of the study stress that local governments of China should improve the green investment system for green ecological development in the surrounding areas of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Moreover, it is required to focus on the Northeast revitalization and Western development strategies to promote the synergistic development of green investment and green ecology.