Temporal and spatial changes in industrial structure and resource and environmental carrying capacity of the Three Gorges ecological economic corridor of the Yangtze River, China

The Three Gorges ecological economic corridor of the Yangtze River shoulders the dual mission of ecological barrier and industrial revitalization. The core requirement for achieving high-quality regional development is the coupling and coordinated development between industrial structure and resource and environmental carrying capacity. Based on the county data for the corridor, this study estimated and analyzed the temporal and spatial characteristics of the industrial structure and resource and environmental carrying capacity (RECC). Then, the coupling coordination degree model was used to explore the coupling coordination relationship between the two, and the influencing factors and influencing mechanisms were further discussed through the GTWR model. The results show that: (1) the high value of the composite index of industrial structure is concentrated in the middle abdomen, the distribution pattern is weakened along the middle abdomen, and the upgrading of industrial structure is the main factor promoting the change of industrial structure in the corridor; (2) the RECC of each county in the region is generally weak, ranging from 0.1 to 0.3; (3) there is a strong interdependence between the industrial structure and the RECC of the corridor, the coupling degree C of CIS and RECC fluctuates greatly, and the coupling coordination degree D shows a steady and gradual growth trend; (4) the non-equilibrium of regional spatial development leads to the heterogeneity of various factors. This study provides empirical support for the coordinated development of industrial and ecological coupling in the corridor and is helpful to achieve high-quality regional development.