Breaking through ingrained beliefs: revisiting the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions

发表日期：2023年06月01日

作者：Wang Haisen;Yang Gangqiang;Yue Ziyang

作者单位：https://ror.org/033vjfk17,grid.49470.3e,0000 0001 2331 6153,Economics and Management School,Wuhan University,430072,Wuhan,China;https://ror.org/033vjfk17,grid.49470.3e,0000 0001 2331 6153,Research Center of Yangtze River Economic Belt Development,Wuhan University,430072,Wuhan,China

期刊：Journal | [J] Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. Volume 10 , Issue 1 . 2023

摘要：The impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions has become a topic of contention due to the paucity of guiding theoretical and empirical research. This study presents a comprehensive causal mediation model based on an expanded structural equation model. Leveraging extensive big data analysis and data sourced from developing nations, this research aims to elucidate the precise impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions and unravel the underlying mechanism. The findings unequivocally demonstrate the pivotal role played by the digital economy in mitigating carbon emissions. Even after subjecting the conclusions to a battery of robustness and endogeneity tests, their validity remains intact. The mechanism analysis reveals that the digital economy effectively curbs carbon emissions through low-carbon technological innovation and industrial diversification. The disproportionate dominance of digital industrialization is a significant factor contributing to the emergence of the “Digital Economy Paradox”. Consequently, this paper not only introduces a novel analytical perspective that systematically comprehends the carbon impact of the digital economy but also presents fresh empirical evidence that advocates for the transformation and development of a low-carbon economy

DOI：10.1057/S41599-023-02126-7

链接：Breaking through ingrained beliefs: revisiting the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions