Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China

As a product of the new round of technological revolution, digital economy plays a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions. Based on China's provincial panel data from 2011 to 2020, this study explores the impact of digital economy on the carbon emission intensity by using the fixed-effects,...

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Main Authors: Jian Li, Yuna Wang, Shuhua Zhang, Xiangchen Sheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Sustainable Futures
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825000929
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author Jian Li
Yuna Wang
Shuhua Zhang
Xiangchen Sheng
author_facet Jian Li
Yuna Wang
Shuhua Zhang
Xiangchen Sheng
author_sort Jian Li
collection DOAJ
description As a product of the new round of technological revolution, digital economy plays a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions. Based on China's provincial panel data from 2011 to 2020, this study explores the impact of digital economy on the carbon emission intensity by using the fixed-effects, moderating-effects, and threshold-effects models. The results are as follows: (1) Digital economy and carbon emission intensity exhibit a significant negative correlation, and this conclusion remained valid even after a series of robustness and endogeneity tests. (2) Heterogeneity results indicate that the inhibitory effect of digital economy on the carbon emission intensity is more pronounced in the Eastern regions than in the Central and Western regions. (3) The moderating effect mechanism suggests that fiscal decentralization plays a significant positive moderating role between digital economy and carbon emission intensity. (4) The threshold effect mechanism indicates that the inhibitory effect of digital economy on the carbon emission intensity exhibits a nonlinear, increasing ''marginal effect'' characteristic. The conclusions of this study have important practical implications for promoting green and low-carbon high-quality development and achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.
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language English
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publisher Elsevier
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series Sustainable Futures
spelling doaj-art-99bd59496fcf4953a30cf6e2c79595562025-08-20T02:06:37ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-06-01910052210.1016/j.sftr.2025.100522Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from ChinaJian Li0Yuna Wang1Shuhua Zhang2Xiangchen Sheng3School of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Ocean Development Research Institute, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, ChinaSchool of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, ChinaSchool of Economics, Shandong Technology and Business University, Yantai 264000, China; Corresponding author.School of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, ChinaAs a product of the new round of technological revolution, digital economy plays a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions. Based on China's provincial panel data from 2011 to 2020, this study explores the impact of digital economy on the carbon emission intensity by using the fixed-effects, moderating-effects, and threshold-effects models. The results are as follows: (1) Digital economy and carbon emission intensity exhibit a significant negative correlation, and this conclusion remained valid even after a series of robustness and endogeneity tests. (2) Heterogeneity results indicate that the inhibitory effect of digital economy on the carbon emission intensity is more pronounced in the Eastern regions than in the Central and Western regions. (3) The moderating effect mechanism suggests that fiscal decentralization plays a significant positive moderating role between digital economy and carbon emission intensity. (4) The threshold effect mechanism indicates that the inhibitory effect of digital economy on the carbon emission intensity exhibits a nonlinear, increasing ''marginal effect'' characteristic. The conclusions of this study have important practical implications for promoting green and low-carbon high-quality development and achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825000929Digital economyFiscal decentralizationCarbon emission intensityThreshold effect
spellingShingle Jian Li
Yuna Wang
Shuhua Zhang
Xiangchen Sheng
Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China
Sustainable Futures
Digital economy
Fiscal decentralization
Carbon emission intensity
Threshold effect
title Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China
title_full Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China
title_fullStr Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China
title_full_unstemmed Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China
title_short Digital economy, fiscal decentralization, and carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China
title_sort digital economy fiscal decentralization and carbon emission intensity evidence from china
topic Digital economy
Fiscal decentralization
Carbon emission intensity
Threshold effect
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825000929
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AT yunawang digitaleconomyfiscaldecentralizationandcarbonemissionintensityevidencefromchina
AT shuhuazhang digitaleconomyfiscaldecentralizationandcarbonemissionintensityevidencefromchina
AT xiangchensheng digitaleconomyfiscaldecentralizationandcarbonemissionintensityevidencefromchina