Spatiotemporal Disparities in Inclusive Green Growth in Less Developed Regions: A Study on Old Revolutionary Base Areas in China

Inclusive green growth (IGG) fosters enduring advancement, particularly in less developed regions. This study constructs a reasonable evaluation system, analyzing panel data spanning 2010 to 2021, to measure the IGG in China’s old revolutionary base areas. By employing quantitative methods such as entropy weights, kernel density estimation, the Theil index, and convergence analysis, this study investigates the spatiotemporal disparities in and the evolutionary trends of IGG. Results reveal a consistent increase in the level of holistic IGG level, with a reduced concentration in its distribution. However, significant disparities persist across the regions, with the ecological well-being subsystem exhibiting notable volatility, particularly in the Dabie Mountain and Left and Right Rivers areas. The key findings include overall growth and regional disparities, that is, the IGG metric rose by 30.33% between 2010 and 2021, but regional disparities widened. Although the economic development and social equity subsystems show progressive improvement, the ecological well-being subsystem experienced significant fluctuations, which underscores the persistent environmental challenges. Targeted interventions are needed to address regional disparities, enhance ecological resilience, and promote balanced development. This study offers crucial perspectives for policymakers pursuing sustainability goals in underdeveloped regions.