Digital economy, energy consumption and urban carbon emission reduction: empirical evidence from 278 cities in China

Анотація

• Spatial agglomeration effects and spatial heterogeneity are prominent in both the digital economy and carbon emission intensityʼs spatial and temporal distribution. • The digital economy has a significant role in promoting carbon emission reduction in Chinese cities. • This promotion effect clearly shows an inverted 'U' shape, which indicates that the relationship between the two is non-linear. • Energy consumption intensity is the main cause of the non-linear relationship between the digital economy and carbon emission reduction. • The carbon emission reduction effects of the digital economy have significant spatial spillover effects, that is, the development of the digital economy can not only promote local carbon emission reductions, but also promote carbon emission reductions in neighboring cities. The intensifying challenge of global climate change has made accelerating energy conservation and emission reduction an urgent global imperative. As one of the world’s largest carbon emitters, China plays a pivotal role in global decarbonization efforts. The digital economy, emerging as a key driver of China’s economic transformation, provides novel pathways for advancing carbon reduction. This paper employs kernel density estimation and ArcGIS 10.8 to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of the digital economy and urban carbon emissions in China. Using panel data from 278 prefecture-level cities, the study applies fixed-effects models, mediation effect models, and spatial Durbin models to explore the mechanisms and spatial impacts of the digital economy on carbon reduction. The findings reveal that: (1) the development of the digital economy exerts a significant “inverted U-shaped” influence on urban carbon emission reduction; (2) energy consumption intensity is the critical mechanism underlying the nonlinear relationship between the digital economy and carbon emissions; (3) the digital economyʼs impact on carbon emissions exhibits spatial spillover effects, following a similar “inverted U-shaped” trajectory. These results contribute valuable empirical insights into the dual objectives of digital economic growth and carbon emission reduction, offering policymakers guidance on leveraging digitalization to achieve sustainable and coordinated regional development.

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