With　the　progression　of　regional　connectivity,　attaining　the　‘dual-carbon　target’　is　no　longer　the　narrative　of　a　single　city.　To　achieve　synergistic　governance　among　cities　in　the　basin　economic　zone,　it　is　essential　to　establish　a　multidimensional　ecological　compensation　mechanism.　This　research　amended　the　conventional　carbon　accounting　model　by　utilising　carbon　emissions　and　economic　data　from　59　cities　in　China’s　Yellow　River　Basin,　covering　the　period　from　2004　to　2021,　after　the　timeframe　of　significant　alterations　in　the　administrative　divisions　of　cities　was　removed.　It　additionally　compares　and　analyses　the　clustering　patterns　and　trajectories　of　centre-of-gravity　shifts　in　regional　ecocompensation　credits　while　investigating　the　impact　processes　through　geo-probes.　The　findings　indicate　that　the　amended　carbon　account　has　a　more　decentralised　distribution　when　interregional　disparities　are　considered.　Second,　ecocompensation　credits　are　characterised　mostly　by　low-high　and　low-low　agglomeration;　nevertheless,　their　regional　distribution　is　uneven.　Moreover,　the　rankings　of　the　top　five　cities　in　terms　of　ecocompensation　exhibited　minimal　variation　each　year.　The　degree　of　green　technology　is　the　primary　determinant　of　the　spatiotemporal　evolution　of　ecological　compensation.　The　conclusions　of　this　study　can　serve　as　a　valuable　reference　for　the　execution　of　medium-　and　long-term　ecocompensation　policies　and　aid　in　attaining　the　‘dual-carbon’　aim.　©　The　Author(s)　2024.