Exploring the relationship between ecosystem services and sustainable development goals in Guangdong province, China

• Identification of spatial and temporal changes in ESs and SDGs of multiple sub-indicators. • The coupled coordination degree and the four-quadrant model reveal the coupled coordination relationship between ESs and SDGs. • ESs exhibit a decline-recovery trend, with higher levels of CS and RS. • SDG15 higher than SDG11 scores but decreased, while SDG11 scores improved. • Basic and moderate coordination are the main features of ESs and SDGs in Guangdong province. Ecosystem services (ESs) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) play significant roles in maintaining human wellbeing and the natural environment. However, it is unclear whether different ESs and SDGs are synchronized, and their relationship has not been well defined. Conducting analyses using coupled coordination is essential for unravelling the intricate developmental ties between ESs and SDGs, particularly in regions with uneven socioeconomic development. We employed a spatial analysis to quantitatively evaluate the spatiotemporal conditions of the 10 ESs and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and 15 (Life on Land). The coordinated development patterns of ESs and SDGs in Guangdong Province were also analyzed using the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and the four-quadrant approach. The results showed that from 2000 to 2020, ESs in Guangdong Province exhibited a declining trend followed by an increasing trend, and cultural and regulating services were higher than supporting and provisioning Services. The overall score for SDG 15 was higher than that for SDG 11, with a 3.02 % increase for SDG 11 and a 1.87 % decrease for SDG 15 compared to 2000. The CCD between ESs and SDG 11 and 15 in Guangdong was mainly categorized into basic and moderate coordination categories, and a relatively lower level of CCD was observed between supporting Services and the SDGs. This study quantitatively revealed the relationship between ESs and the SDGs from the perspective of coupled coordination; as such, it provides a reference for realizing regional sustainable development.