Abstract:This paper innovatively combines economic and environmental systems with water-energy-food systems. From the perspective of three-element to five-element system of green development, this paper studies the spatio-temporal differences, coupling coordination effects and spatial transmission results of the comprehensive index of water-energy-food green development in different regions of China from 2005 to 2019. The results show that the green development index of five systems in all provinces of China is not high on the whole during the study period, and the development trend is relatively stable, showing obvious regional differences. The coupling coordination degree of five-element system in most provinces is in the range of near disorder and barely coordination, and the level of coupling coordination degree is relatively low. In most years, the coupling coordination degree of five-element system presents a significant positive spatial autocorrelation, which is manifested as a positive spatial clustering phenomenon. The main influencing factors of coupling coordination degree show obvious space overflow. In the process of policy formulation, the government needs to comprehensively consider the characteristics of the system of resources, environment and economy, its comprehensive development level and the degree of coupling and coordination among various systems. In addition, the direct and indirect effects of each important influencing factor on the spatial conduction of coupling coordination degree are considered to improve the overall coupling coordination degree level of green development in this region and neighboring regions.