Analysis of urban climate carrying capacity in Shaanxi Province

Based on the meteorological data and socio-economic development statistics of 10 cities in Shaanxi Province from 2000 to 2022, an evaluation system of climate carrying capacities comprising natural human coupling factors is constructed. The system covers four criteria levels, including natural climate capacity, extreme climate event pressure, urban climate pressure, and urban coordinated development ability, involving 27 indicators, including annual average temperature, total industrial output value, and environmental protection investment. The change characteristics and driving mechanism of each city’s climate carrying capacity are deeply explored to fill the regional research gap, improve the evaluation system, handle the dual pressure of climate change and urbanization, and support the sustainable development of cities. The results show that the climate carrying capacity of most cities exhibited an upward trend during the study period, indicating that the capacity of the climate system for urban development has been enhanced, and plain areas exhibited higher climate carrying capacities. The natural climate capacities of Yan’an and Ankang are relatively stable, and the climate risk of other cities tends to increase. The urban extreme climate pressure is affected by multiple factors, such as rainstorms, gales, and high temperatures, and fluctuates violently. The climate pressure of most cities showed a notable upward trend, and this pressure gradually increased with rapid urbanization. The coordinated development capacity of all cities showed a prominent upward trend, and the growth rate was substantially higher than that of the urban climate pressure. By studying and clarifying the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of the climate carrying capacities of cities in Shaanxi Province, we can identify the key driving factors and risk points, facilitate the construction of climate-adaptive cities, and provide a demonstration path for resource-based city transformation.