Study of regional variations and convergence in ecological resilience of Chinese cities

•Analyze regional differences and convergence characteristics of urban ecological resilience.•The distribution of regional differences in urban ecological resilience is heterogeneous.•Urban ecological resilience levels have significant convergence characteristics.•Results are crucial to lessen the complexity of sustainable urban development. Using panel data from 281 Chinese cities at the prefecture level from 2005 to 2020, this study uses the entropy approach to assess the ecological resilience of Chinese cities. Then, it examines regional variations and the convergence of ecological resilience of Chinese cities using the Dagum Gini coefficient, kernel density estimation, Markov chain, and convergence model. The conclusions are as follows: First, there is a lessening trend in fluctuations between the degrees of urban ecological resilience within the nation and three regions, and they eventually converge to a level that is comparatively steady. The prevalence of inter-regional cross-over situations is the main factor contributing to the widening gaps in urban ecological resilience levels. Second, despite differences in distribution dynamics, urban ecological resilience has increased across geographies. Third, ecological resilience demonstrates the occurrence of the “low-level trap” and “high-level monopoly”; high-level cities are more likely to draw low-level cities. Fourth, there is a strong indication of σ and β convergence tendencies in the level of ecological resilience in China's cities across the country and its three regions. The government should improve urban environmental management and ecological protection, clarify each city's purpose and development strategy, and foster collaboration and connectivity among neighboring cities to bridge the urban ecological resilience gap successfully.