Measurement and Analysis of Green Transition Level in Resource-Based Cities—A Case Study of Shanxi Province

This study establishes an evaluation index system for the Green Transition Level of resource-based cities in Shanxi Province from four aspects: economy, society, resources, and ecology. It describes the temporal and spatial variations in the Green Transition Level of these cities, reveals the disparities among them, and analyzes the differences and underlying reasons in the changes in the Green Transition Level across different types of resource-based cities based on a reclassification. The research results indicate that economic development is the most significant factor affecting the Green Transition Level of resource-based cities. During the period of 2015–2023, the Green Transition Level of most resource-based cities in Shanxi Province experienced substantial growth, with northern resource-based cities demonstrating faster green development. Furthermore, the overall Green Transition Level of developing, potential, and declining resource-based cities all improved to varying degrees during this period, whereas the Green Transition Level of shrinking resource-based cities showed no improvement.