Abstract:  Based on the carbon emissions data of 48 districts and counties in the Wuhan city circle from 2008 to 2017, spatial autocorrelation and standard deviation ellipse methods are used to study the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of carbon emissions from three scales of city circle scale, municipal scale, and county scale. Then, the Tapio decoupling model is used to analyze the relationship between economic development and carbon emissions change at different scales. The results show that: (1) At the city circle scale, the total carbon emissions of the Wuhan city circle continued to increase before 2012, and then gradually stabilized. The decoupling trend between economic growth and carbon emissions of the Wuhan city circle is also generally positive. (2) At the municipal scale, the carbon emissions levels of all cities have stabilized. The carbon emissions levels of Wuhan, Huanggang, and Xiaogan are higher than the average of 9 cities in the Wuhan city circle, and the carbon emissions level of Wuhan is much higher than those of the other 8 cities. The relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions of Tianmen, Xiantao, Xiaogan, and Huanggang has changed from weak to strong decoupling. (3) At the county scale, the carbon emissions of the Wuhan city circle shows significant spatial characteristics of circle distribution. The carbon emissions levels of close circle districts and counties are generally high, while the carbon emissions levels of the core circle and peripheral circle districts and counties are generally relatively low. The circle characteristics of the decoupling state have also appeared, the districts and counties with strong decoupling are mainly located in the core circle and peripheral circle of the Wuhan city circle, and the districts and counties with weak decoupling are mainly located in the close circle. Finally, based on the existing problems of carbon emissions decoupling effect in the Wuhan city circle, the corresponding measures are put forward from the aspects of the circle and polar nucleus, to provide decision-making reference for the high-quality development of the Wuhan city circle and the compilation of relevant planning.