Effect and Mechanism of Green Innovation Driven by Digital Infrastructure——A Policy Experiment Based on the"Broadband China"Strategy
This paper investigates the impact of digital infrastructure development on urban green innovation using the"Broadband China"strategy as a quasi-natural experiment.Employing a multi-period difference-in-differences(DID)model with panel data of 278 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2022,the findings reveal significant improvements in both the quantity and quality of green innovation in pilot cities.Mechanism analysis identifies three key pathways through which the"Broadband China"strategy fosters green innovation:enhanced environmental regulation,industrial structure upgrading,and digital transformation.The"Broadband China"strategy advances urban green innovation by reshaping cities'economic and technological landscape.First,enhanced environmental regulation acts as a crucial driver by leveraging real-time monitoring and big data analytics,enabling local governments to enforce stricter environmental standards.Second,industrial structure upgrading is transitioning cities from resource-intensive industries to high-value,low-carbon sectors.Third,digital transformation equips firms with advanced tools and platforms that streamline operations,reduce inefficiencies,and foster collaboration across industries.The impact of the"Broadband China"strategy varies widely across regions and industries.Eastern cities,characterized by well-established industrial bases,advanced digital ecosystems,and abundant innovation resources,experience the most pronounced improvements in both the quantity and quality of green innovation.In contrast,central and western cities see more modest benefits,primarily in terms of increased green innovation quantity.Similarly,resource-based cities encounter additional barriers due to their reliance on traditional industries and lack of diversified economic structures.Industry-specific analysis highlights that the"Broadband China"strategy effectively promotes green innovation within emerging sectors,particularly the digital and new energy industries.The digital industry benefits from enhanced infrastructure,facilitating the development of cutting-edge technologies and processes.Similarly,the new energy sector leverages digital solutions to optimize operations and improve environmental performance.Despite its positive outcomes,the"Broadband China"strategy faces several challenges.To cope with these challenges,this paper proposes the following recommendations.Firstly,policies should incentivize advanced green technology R&D to enhance the sustainability of urban development.Secondly,the central and western regions require tailored strategies such as talent attraction and industrial upgrading to maximize policy benefits.Thirdly,efforts should be concentrated on diversifying industrial structures,promoting digital transformation,and strengthening environmental governance.Fourthly,further investment in the digital and new energy sectors is essential to maintain their leadership in green innovation.Fifthly,leveraging digital tools can improve the enforcement of environmental regulations and drive sustainable practices across industries.Lastly,cross-regional knowledge sharing and resource allocation can help bridge the disparities in green innovation development.
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