Delving deeply into the interactive coupling mechanism between the ecological environment quality (EEQ) and urbanization has already become
Delving deeply into the interactive coupling mechanism between the ecological environment quality (EEQ) and urbanization has already become the key to the coupled human-environment, and the core element for achieving the goal of sustainable development. Following the continuous advancement of economic globalization, the long-term interaction models among regions have been continuously strengthened. The proposal of the telecoupling concept has expanded the analytical dimension of the research on the coupling mechanism between urbanization and the natural environment. However, standard measurement of the coupling mechanism between urbanization and the ecological environment only considers local coupling while ignoring telecoupling. The remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) approach for assessing EEQ does not account for the abundance index (AI) of biological species in an ecosystem. The accuracy of measuring the urbanization level (UL) of small areas by nighttime light (NL) data is not high due to the influence of resolution. Therefore, this study has improved the RSEI model and the nighttime light index (CNLI) model, and carried out a quantitative research on the local coupling and telecoupling coordination degree (LTCCD) between urbanization and the EEQ of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle (CCEC) from 2000 to 2020. The results show that: (1) The improved research methods can objectively and quantitatively evaluate the LTCCD between urbanization and the EEQ of the CCEC. (2) The development level of urbanization shows a significant growth trend, with a yearly average growth rate of 0.00716a–1, and spatially forms an urban circle development pattern of “dual-core-periphery structure”. (3) The entire EEQ is oscillating downward, with an average yearly increase rate of −0.00349a–1, and spatially presents a circular distribution pattern of “poor EEQ in core cities, average in intermediate hilly areas, and good in peripheral mountainous areas”. (4) The LTCCD value has a growth rate of 0.00986a–1, and the differences among cities are significant. The radiation ability of cities presents the spatial characteristics of “strong in core cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing, and weakened in central and marginal cities”. The urbanization and EEQ of the CCEC have experienced a development process from non-coordination to coordination. In order to promote regional economic development, natural environment protection, implement the concept of sustainable development, corresponding suggestions, and measures have been proposed based on city coupling and coordination levels.
