How the development of the digital economy affects carbon productivity
The development of the digital economy has emerged as a critical avenue for achieving dual carbon objectives . This study utilizes panel data spanning from 2011 to 2020 across 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Tibet).It constructs an index system from four dimensions:digital infrastructure , digital industrialization , the penetration level of the digital economy , and industrial digitization .The entropy method is employed to derive the comprehensive index of the digital economy for each province .Additionally , carbon emissions from eight types of fossil energy fuels are computed for each province and measured relative to regional gross domestic product ( GDP ) to assess carbon productivity .To comprehensively investigate the influence of the digital economy on carbon productivity , this study employs a multifaceted approach , including bidirectional fixed effects models , spatial Durbin effects models , and panel threshold effects models .The results reveal the following insights .First, Overall regression results demonstrate a significant positive effect of the digital economy on carbon productivity .Heterogeneity analyses from both regional and digital economy development perspectives indicate that the promotion effect of the digital economy on carbon productivity is more pronounced in the central and western regions compared to the eastern region . Moreover , the study finds that no significant inhibitory or promotional effect of the digital economy on carbon productivity in less developed regions is relative to that of the developed digital economy regions .Secondly , mechanism tests indicate that the digital economy promotes carbon productivity through research and development intensity and environmental regulation capabilities .Specifically , the digital economy facilitates the transition of natural resource-intensive industries towards low-carbon, high-tech industries, ultimately enhancing carbon productivity .Regarding environmental regulation , the digital economy can influenceenterprise investment directions , limit production scales , provide compensation effects to reduce pollution , facilitate green reforms in enterprises, and thus contribute to energy conservation and emission reduction goals .Thirdly, the study identifies significant spatial effects of the digital economy on carbon productivity and adapts appropriate models accordingly.Spatial econometric models are selected based on LM tests , LR tests, Wald tests, and Hausman tests.The results suggest that the digital economy promotes local carbon productivity enhancement but does not exert positive spillover effects on adjacent regions at the national level .This phenomenon may be attributed to the Siphoning Effect induced by developed digital economy areas , leading to increased resource consumption and decreased carbon productivity in surrounding areas .Forthly, the relationship between the digital economy and carbon productivity is influenced by consumption structure .When the consumption structure level exceeds the threshold value , the digital economy significantly promotes carbon productivity . However , when the consumption structure level is below the threshold , the digital economy does not promote carbon productivity but rather inhibits its improvement .Based on the study findings , several recommendations are proposed .First, more efforts should be put to develop the digital economy to expand its promotion effect on carbon productivity . Continuously invest in digital technology infrastructure such as artificial intelligence , big data , and internet technologies .Digital transformation in enterprises should be promoted , the integration pathways between enterprises and the digital economywidened , synchronous development of digital industrialization and industrial digitization maintained , and digital management systems for various industries established .Secondly , the spatial role of the digital economy should be enhanced by increasing investment in digital technology research and enhancing environmental regulation intensity .The development of innovative enterprises should be supported to ensure the promotion effect of digital technology on enterprises .The flow of production resources towards high-tech industries should be guided .Digital talent cultivation should be fostered by actively increasing research efforts, and the development of core technologies should be promoted .An environmental protection system involving government , society , and residents should be constructed and improved .Air quality data in real-time should be monitored , pollution sources promptly addressed , and the effectiveness of environmental policies with the support of digital technology ensured . Thirdly , inter-regional exchange and cooperation should be facilitated, the competitive and siphoning effects between adjacent regions weakened .While we focusing on the development of local digital economies , neighboring regions should also be paid attention toand the resource consumption resulting from the development of the digital economy jointly addressed .Cooperation in controlling carbon emissions and eliminating data barriers should be enhanced .Differentiated strategies for developing the digital economy should be implemented to promote industrial digitization transformation in central and western regions, resource allocation efforts increased , the continuous and steady promotion of carbon productivity development ensured .Eastern regions should focus on breakthroughs in core digital technologies and continue to play a demonstrative role .Forthly, the upgrading of consumption structure should be actively promoted to ensure the stable role of the digital economy .Overall income should be increased , wealth gapsreduced , green and healthy lifestyles advocated , changes in consumption concepts promoted , high-emission and high-pollution issues caused by material consumption such as clothing , food, housing, and transportationcontrolled .The tertiary industry should be actively developed , consumption structure from the supply sideoptimized , the proportion of low-carbon high-end consumption increased .
digital economycarbon productivityresearch and development intensityenvironmental regulationsconsumption structure
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