[Objective] The coupling and coordinated development level of water-food-energy-ecological environment (WFEEc) at Lincang City, Yunnan Province was evaluated and an evaluation index system of WFEEc coupling and coordinated development at Lincang City with a sustainable development goal (SDGs) index as the entry point was constructed in order to provide a reference for realizing the coupling and coordinated development of WFEEc in multi-ethnic underdeveloped border areas.[Methods] Based on the four characteristic layers of "pressure, state, influence, and response", an SDGs index system was constructed to evaluate the WFEEc coupling and coordination level at this stage. At the same time, a barriers model and multiple stepwise regression analysis were used to reveal the influencing factors of WFEEc coupling and coordination development.[Results] ① From 2010 to 2020, the WFEEc coupling coordination level of eight counties and districts at Lincang City showed an upward trend, from general coordination to good coordination (the overall coupling coordination degree of Lincang City fluctuated between 0.51 and 0.63), with obvious spatial heterogeneity. ② During the study period, the main obstacle factors of Lincang City gradually decreased, but the obstacle degree of the energy subsystem always crossed and increased year by year. ③ The main factors hindering WFEEc coupling and coordination were the national financial education funds of Linxiang District, the average wages of non-private employees at Zhenkang County, the per capita GDP of Fengqing County and Cangyuan County, the urbanization rate of Yongde County and Shuangjiang County, the per capita GDP of Yunxian County, the water resources, the centralized treatment rate of the sewage treatment plant, the national financial education funds, and the urbanization rate and water resources of Gengma County.[Conclusion] From 2010 to 2020, the coupling coordination degree of WFEEc at Lincang City had gradually improved, but the value of coupling coordination degree was still low. All counties and districts still need to actively implement and take relevant targeted measures to continuously optimize relevant policies and measures that promote WFEEc coupling and coordinated development level of all counties and districts, while strongly promoting the steady implementation and gradual improvement of policies for the development model of one characteristic industry at a county. The sustainable development and innovation driven development capacity of the Lincang Sustainable Development and Innovation Demonstration Zone has been steadily enhanced. This enhancement will play an increasingly important demonstration role as it radiates its influence in driving construction at the Lincang National Sustainable Development Innovation Demonstration Zone and WFEEc coupling and coordinated development in similar border areas.