Analysis on the coordinated development of ecology-economy-society in coal resource cities: A case study of Huainan, China

Abstract

We constructed a multi-dimensional indicator system of "economic-social-ecological" with Huainan City, a typical coal resource-based city, as an example. The development of the system from 2002 to 2016 was examined by entropy weight method, coupled coordination development model and grey correlation coefficient. The coordinated development of multi-dimensional relationship in Huainan City was analyzed from a macro perspective. The results showed that the ecological subsystem had the largest weight, whose development level being U-shaped as a whole, first decreasing and then increasing, with significant impact on the comprehensive development level. The ternary coupling system was generally on the rise, with low absolute level of coupling. With the increases of ecosystem pressure, it would restrict the economic and social development and counteracted the coordinated development level. Economic development and economic vitality had a positive impact on social and ecological development, while social development had a greater impact on ecological subsystems. The improvement of environmental status had a supporting effect on economic and social development. In the transformation process of Huainan, it should maintain stable and rapid economic development, increase investment in social development and environmental pollution control, as well as pay attention to ecological support capacity to avoid restricting social and economic development.