Abstract: The coupling and coordination between urbanization and ecological environment are of great significance for achieving high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB).Based on nighttime light data and vegetation index, this study employed the coupling coordination degree model and geographic detector method to analyze the spatiotemporal changes and influencing factors of the coupling coordination between urbanization and ecological environment in the YREB from 2000 to 2019. This research showed: (1) The coupling coordination degree between urbanization and ecological environment in the YREB exhibited an increasing trend, showing a transition from a state of high disarray to a state of moderate coordination. Spatially, the coupling coordination exhibited a spatial distribution of east-high-west-low, with the provinces and cities in the downstream of the Yangtze River having higher levels compared to those in the middle and upstream areas. Additionally, the coupling coordination generally radiated outward from the provincial capital centers, with a gradual transition from stripes to clusters. (2) The primary driving factors of the coupling coordination in the YREB were the degree of openness, education investment, and economic development level. The key driving factors for the coupling coordination in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River were the economic development level and industrial structure, while education investment, degree of openness, and innovation investment were the primary driving factors in the downstream provinces and cities of the Yangtze River. (3) The interaction among various influencing factors promoted the coupled coordination development of urbanization and ecological environment in the YREB and its provinces and cities. The coupling coordination between urbanization and ecological environment in the YREB was mainly influenced by the interactive synergy between industrial structure and innovation investment. Additionally, spatial disparities existed in the interaction of influencing factors across different regions. Overall, the coupling coordination of urbanization and ecological environment in the YREB should adopt differentiated regulatory strategies based on the interaction of different factors.