Urban development and coal extraction have caused conflicts regarding production, living, and ecological lands in the Yellow River basin. Here, a coupled genetic algorithm–patch generating land use simulation InVEST model was constructed to optimize land use/land cover (LULC) and simulate carbon storage changes. This study shows that the LULC changed dramatically from 2010 to 2020 in an area that accounts for 31.96% of the area of the Yellow River basin. Inappropriate land use conversion and encroachment have reduced carbon storage by 2.92 × 10⁶ t, destroying the stability of the ecosystem. The development of cities has encroached on cultivated land, which may have affected the region’s food security. Following LULC optimization, ecological and cultivated lands are gradually being restored, and the transition between the different lands tends to be orderly, resulting in an increase of 24.84 × 10⁶ t in carbon storage. The relationship between LULC and carbon storage shows that the high carbon intensity of woodland, grassland, and cultivated land is crucial to ensuring regional carbon balance. For the Yellow River basin, necessary environmental protection measures are the key to achieving high-quality economic development. This study can provide guidance for decision-makers in formulating ecosystem restoration plans.

China is the world’s largest carbon emitter and coal de-capacity is a policy with immediate and substantial CO₂ reduction effects. However, the carbon emission reduction and health co-benefits arising from the coal de-capacity are often ignored. Here, we assessed the carbon emission reductions and quantified the health co-benefits from coal de-capacity based on an analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of the mine closures and phase out during 2016–2022. Our findings show that China had closed/phased out a total of 4027 mines with a total de-capacity of 8.75 × 10⁸ t, spatially concentrated in Southwest and North China from 2016 to 2022. The coal life cycle emitted 1859 million t of carbon during the coal de-capacity. Importantly, 11,775 premature deaths were avoided during 2016–2022 due to reduced PM_2.5 exposure as a result of coal mining. This study highlights the significant effects of coal de-capacity on carbon reduction and health co-benefits in China and provides scientific evidence and data to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals and the ‘dual carbon goals’.