How does energy utilization affect rural sustainability development in traditional villages? Re-examination from the coupling coordination degree of atmosphere-ecology-socioeconomics system

Abstract

In the face of global environmental challenges and China's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality, understanding the impact of energy transition in rural areas, particularly in traditional villages, becomes crucial for sustainable development. Based on 703 traditional villages in Hunan Province from 2005 to 2020, this study conducts a comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis of energy utilization, and analyzes the influence of energy utilization on the coupling coordination of the Atmosphere-Ecology-Socioeconomics System. The findings reveal a fluctuating trend in traditional villages' coupling coordination degree (CCD), particularly higher in western Hunan Province, and a notable reduction in regional disparities over time. The traditional villages' atmospheric conditions are better than the social and ecological conditions, which reflects the importance of improving socioeconomics and ecological subsystems for coupling coordination development. The study identifies that all seven energy utilization factors have positive effects on CCD. Forest vegetation carbon stocks and total energy consumption are critical drivers of CCD, highlighting spatial heterogeneity in their impacts on the CCD across different regions. Additionally, from 2005 to 2020, the effects of Forest Understory Vegetation Carbon Stocks on coupling coordination changed from widespread to localized, while Total Energy Consumption's impact was consistently localized. This paper reevaluates the role of energy management in enhancing the quality of traditional village habitats and offers valuable insights into environmental management and sustainable development in traditional villages, providing compelling evidence for policymakers.