Spatiotemporal Evolution, Influencing Factors and Convergence of the Coupling Coordination Between High-Quality Development and High-Level Protection in Jiangsu, China

Amidst resource and environmental pressures, as well as the demands for sustainable development, coordinating economic growth with resource and environmental conservation has become a common challenge for nations worldwide. This study focuses on the synergistic relationship between high-quality development (HQD) and high-level protection (HLP), using Jiangsu Province as an empirical case. Through the integrated application of the coupling coordination degree model, kernel density estimation, the grey relational model, and convergence analysis, it systematically evaluates the spatiotemporal patterns, influencing factors, and evolution of regional disparities in the coupling coordination between HQD and HLP in Jiangsu from 2000 to 2023. The results indicate that the following: (1) The provincial coupling coordination level improved from 0.384 to 0.596, marking a transition from imbalance to coordination. (2) Spatially, a gradient pattern of “stronger south, weaker north” emerged, with Southern Jiangsu leading in coordination levels but exhibiting significant internal differentiation, while Northern and Central Jiangsu lagged behind yet demonstrated catch-up potential. (3) The driving mechanisms vary across regions: innovation and market forces are the primary drivers in Southern Jiangsu, whereas traditional industrial cities in Northern Jiangsu remain constrained by ecological and environmental governance. (4) The coordination levels across the province, as well as in Northern and Central Jiangsu, are tending toward convergence, with regional disparities gradually narrowing. Southern Jiangsu has entered a relatively balanced development stage. This study expands the theoretical connotation of the synergy between HQD and HLP from the perspective of natural resources, providing theoretical guidance and scientific evidence for balancing economic development with resource and environmental conservation.