Spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanisms of synergistic integration between ecological resources and industrial development in Western Hunan

The synergistic integration between ecological resources and industrial development plays a pivotal role in supporting regional coordinated development. This study aims to clarify the driving mechanisms underlying this integration by employing a combination of coupling coordination models, obstacle degree models, and geodetectors. These methodologies are applied to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics, obstacle factors, and driving factors of synergistic integration across 24 counties in the Western Hunan region from 2000 to 2021. The findings indicate several key trends: (1) The comprehensive level of ecological resources and the industrial development level in this study area have both demonstrated a significant upward trajectory over the study period. (2) Despite a gradual improvement in the overall synergy between ecological resources and industrial development, notable spatial disparities persist, characterized by a "high in the northeast, and low in the southwest" pattern. However, this spatial disparity has shown signs of narrowing over time. (3) The main obstacles to achieving effective synergistic integration include the production capacity of ecological resources, the availability and quality of ecological environmental resources, and the levels of open and innovative development within the region. (4) Key driving factors for promoting synergistic integration have been identified, including people's livelihood, economic development level, government policy regulation, market investment, the aggregation of the labor population, and urban development level. These findings provide critical insights and theoretical support for other underdeveloped regions, offering a potential pathway for pursuing green development strategies that are well-aligned with the local economic base and resource endowment. This research contributes to the broader understanding of how to harmonize ecological preservation with industrial growth, ultimately supporting the sustainable development goals of regions similar to Western Hunan.