Urbanization and urban ecological resilience in resource-based cities: coupling coordination and its key factors

The twin constraints of ecological degradation and growing urbanization resulting from resource exploitation pose complex challenges to the development of resource-based cities. To overcome the “Resource Curse” and ensure sustainable development, it is essential to improve the synergy and mutual reinforcement between urbanization and urban ecological resilience (UER). To explore the coordination relationship between comprehensive urbanization level (CUL) and UER in resource-based cities, this paper uses the four-quadrant model to qualitatively analyze the coordination trend between the two. Based on the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, the spatio-temporal characteristics of the CCD are revealed subsequently. Additionally, the key factors of the CCD are investigated using the random forest algorithm-shapley additive explanations (RFA-SHAP) model. The main results indicate robust and escalating synergy between CUL and UER, with consistent growth in their CCD from 2006 to 2021. This growth, however, is marked by notable spatial variations, with regenerative cities at the forefront. The key factors influencing CCD differ according to the city’s developmental phase, yet local fiscal revenue emerges as a consistently influential factor across various urban types. These findings are pivotal in facilitating the synergistic advancement of CUL and UER in resource-based cities, significantly contributing to their sustainable development.