Measurement and enhancement paths of ecological civilization construction in karst regions of Southwest China

Karst regions in Southwest China are ecologically fragile and face complex governance challenges during rapid socio-economic transformation. Clarifying the evolutionary characteristics and governance constraints of ecological civilization construction in these regions is critical for promoting sustainable development and precision governance. This study developed a multidimensional evaluation framework comprising 29 indicators to assess ecological civilization construction in typical karst regions. Using Guizhou Province as a case study, construction levels were systematically measured at the provincial, municipal, and county scales for three key temporal nodes (2012, 2018, and 2023). Spatial autocorrelation models were applied to reveal spatio-temporal differentiation patterns and spatial dependence characteristics. The results show that from 2012 to 2023, the comprehensive ecological civilization index in Guizhou Province increased significantly, with an average annual growth rate of 10.02%, indicating the effectiveness of the green transition during the modernization process. However, pronounced spatial non-equilibrium persists, forming a county-level pattern characterized by “high-value clustering in the southeast and low-value clustering in the west,” accompanied by a continuously strengthening positive spatial autocorrelation. Further analysis reveals that the observed spatial disparities are driven by deep-seated mechanisms, including governance cost differentials imposed by karst habitat constraints, path dependency of resource-based industries, and cultural disconnection during rapid urbanization. These findings provide a theoretical basis for differentiated and precision-oriented governance strategies in ecologically fragile regions and offer a valuable “China Solution” for achieving global sustainable development goals in similar karst environments.

• Publication year

  2026

• Venue

  Frontiers in Environmental Science

• Publication date

  2026-02-13

• Fields of study

  Not labeled

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1723925
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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