Abstract
As the digital economy grows rapidly around the world, how would it impact carbon emissions? This paper discusses this issue from the perspective of heterogeneous innovation. Based on the panel data of 284 cities in China from 2011 to 2020, this paper empirically examines the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions as well as the mediating and threshold effects of different innovation modes. The study finds that the digital economy can significantly reduce carbon emissions; this conclusion holds after a series of robustness tests. Independent innovation and imitative innovation are important channels through which the digital economy affects carbon emissions, but technological introduction is not an effective way. For regions with high levels of financial investment in science and innovative talents, the reduction in carbon emissions from the digital economy is more significant. Further research shows that the effect of the digital economy on carbon emissions has a threshold feature, with an inverted U-shaped relationship between the two, and that an increase in autonomous innovation and imitation innovation can enhance the digital economy’s carbon reduction effect. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the capacity of independent innovation and imitation innovation to exploit the carbon-cutting effect of the digital economy.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The datasets used during the current study are available from the first author on reasonable request.
References
Ahmed Z, Cary M, Ali S, Murshed M, Ullah H, Mahmood H (2021) Moving towards a green revolution in Japan: symmetric and asymmetric relationships among clean energy technology development investments, economic growth, and CO2 emissions. Energy Environ 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/0958305X211041780
Ardolino M, Rapaccini M, Saccani N, Gaiardelli P, Crespi G, Ruggeri C (2017) The role of digital technologies for the service transformation of industrial companies. Int J Prod Res 56(6):2116–2132. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.1324224
Arthur WB (2007) The structure of invention. Res Policy 36(2):274–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2006.11.005
Aydin E, Brounen D, Kok N (2018) Information provision and energy consumption: evidence from a field experiment. Energy Econ 71:403–410. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19616.07682
Baron RM, Kenny DA (1986) The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J Pers Soc Psychol 51(6):1173–1182. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173
Bhattacharya M, Rafiq S, Bhattacharya S (2015) The role of technology on the dynamics of coal consumption-economic growth: new evidence from China. Appl Energy 154:686–695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.05.063
Blundell R, Bond S (1998) Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models. J Econ 87:115–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4076(98)000098
Caner M, Hansen BE (2004) Instrumental variable estimation of a threshold model. Economet Theor 20(5):433–448. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266466604205011
Chung H (2018) ICT investment-specific technological change and productivity growth in Korea: comparison of 1996–2005 and 2006–2015. Telecommun Policy 42(1):78–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2017.08.005
Dietz T, Rosa EA (1997) Effects of population and affluence on CO2 emissions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94(1):175–179. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.94.1.175
Ehrlich PR, Holdren JP (1971) Impact of population growth. Science 171:1212–1217 (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.171.3977.1212)
Erdogan S (2021) Dynamic Nexus between Technological Innovation and Building Sector Carbon Emissions in the BRICS Countries. J Environ Manage 293:112780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112780
Grossman G, Krueger A (1995) Economic environment and the economic growth. Q J Econ 110:353–377 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/2118443)
Guan HP, Guo BH (2022) Digital economy and demand structure of skilled talents—analysis based on the perspective of vertical technological innovation. Telemat Informat Reports 7:100010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teler.2022.100010
Guo F, Wang JY, Wang F, Kong T, Zhang X, Cheng ZY (2020) Measuring China’s digital financial inclusion: index compilation and spatial characteristics. China Econ Qtrly 19(4):1401–1418. https://doi.org/10.13821/j.cnki.ceq.2020.03.12
Haini H (2021) Examining the impact of ICT, human capital and carbon emissions: evidence from the ASEAN economies. Int Econ 166:116–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inteco.2021.03.003
Han B, Wang D, Ding W et al (2016) Effect of information and communication technology on energy consumption in China. Nat Hazards 84:297–315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2188-1
Hansen BE (1999) Threshold effect in non-dynamic panels: estimation, testing, and inference. J Econometrics 93(2):345–368. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4076(99)00025-1
HaoY BN, Ren S, Wu H (2021) How does international technology spillover affect China’s carbon emissions? A new perspective through intellectual property protection. Sustain Prod and Consump 25:577–590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2020.12.008
Hayashi D (2020) Harnessing innovation policy for industrial decarbonization: Capabilities and manufacturing in the wind and solar power sectors of China and India. Energy Res Soc Sci 70:101644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101644
Herrerias MJ, Cuadros A, Luo D (2016) Foreign versus indigenous innovation and energyintensity: further research across Chinese regions. Appl Energy 162:1374–1384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.042
Hosan S, Karmaker SC, Rahman MM, Chapman AJ, Saha BB (2022) Dynamic links among the demographic dividend, digitalization, energy intensity and sustainable economic growth: empirical evidence from emerging economies. J Clean Prod 330:129858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129858
Husaini DH, Lean HH (2022) Digitalization and energy sustainability in ASEAN. Recour Conserv Recycl 184:106377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106377
Ivanov D, Dolgui A, Sokolov B (2018) The impact of digital technology and Industry 4.0 on the ripple effect and supply chain risk analytics. Int J Prod Res 57(3):829–846. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2018.1488086
Khan, FN, Sana, A, Arif U (2020) Information and communication technology (ICT) and environmental sustainability: a panel data analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27:36718–36731. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09704-1
Kuramochi T, Ramírez A, Turkenburg W, Faaij A (2012) Comparative assessment of CO2 capture technologies for carbon-intensive industrial processes. Prog Energy Combust Sci 38:87–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2011.05.001
Li XY, Liu J, Ni P (2021a) The Impact of the digital economy on CO2 emissions: a theoretical and empirical analysis. Sustainability 13:7267. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137267
Li Y, Dai J, Cui L (2020) The impact of digital technologies on economic and environmental performance in the context of industry 4.0: a moderated mediation model. Int J Prod Econ 229:107777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2020.107777
Li Y, Yang XD, Ran QY, Wu HT, Irfan M, Ahmad M (2021b) Energy structure, digital economy, and carbon emissions: evidence from China. Environ Sci Polluti Res 28:64606–64629. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15304-4
Li ZG, Wang J (2022) The Dynamic impact of digital economy on carbon emission reduction: evidence city-level empirical data in China. J Clean Prod 351:131570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131570
Lin BQ, Ma RY (2022) Towards carbon neutrality: The role of different paths of technological progress in mitigating China’s CO2 emissions. Sci Total Environ 813:152588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152588
Luan B, Huang J, Zou H (2019) Domestic R&D, technology acquisition, technology assimilation and China’s industrial carbon intensity: Evidence from a dynamic panel threshold model. Sci Total Environ 693:133436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.242
Luo K, Liu YB, Chen PF, Zeng M (2022) Assessing the impact of digital economy on green development efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Energy Econo 112:106127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.106127
Ma D, Zhu Q (2022) Innovation in emerging economies: Research on the digital economy driving high-quality green development. J Bus Res 2022(145):801–813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.03.041
Ma Q, Tariq M, Mahmood H, Khan Z (2022) The nexus between digital economy and carbon dioxide emissions in China: the moderating role of investments in research and development. 68:101910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.101910
Mi Z, Zheng J, Meng J, Ou J, Hubacek K, Liu Z, Coffman DM, Stern N, Liang S, Wei Y (2020) Economic development and converging household carbon footprints in China. Nat Sustain 3(7):529–537. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0504-y
Miller P, Wilsdon J (2001) Digital futures—an agenda for a sustainable digital economy. Corp Environ Strateg 8(3):275–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1066-7938(01)00116-6
Moyer JD, Hughes BB (2012) ICTs: do they contribute to increased carbon emissions? Technol Forecast Soc Change 79(5):919–931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2011.12.005
Neuhofer B, Buhalis D, Ladkin A (2015) Smart technologies for personalized experiences: a case study in the hospitality domain. Electron Mark 25(3):243–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-015-0182-1
Obobisa ES, Chen H, Mensah IA (2022) The impact of green technological innovation and institutional quality on CO2 emissions in African countries. Technol Forecast Soc Change 180:121670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121670
OECD (2014) Measuring the digital economy: a new perspective. OECD Publishing Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264221796-en
Oliveira K, Guevara, Jorba O, Querol X, García-Pando CP (2023) A new NMVOC speciated inventory for a reactivity-based approach to support ozone control strategies in Spain. Sci Total Enviro 867:161449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161449
Ouyang XL, Fang XM, Cao Y, Sun CW (2020) Factors behind CO2emission reduction in Chinese heavy industries: do environmental regulations matter? Energy Policy 145:111765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111765
Paustian K, Ravindranath NH, Amstel AV (2006) IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. Int Panel Clim Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1462-9011(99)00023-4
Proeger T, Runst P (2020) Digitization and knowledge spillover effectiveness—evidence from the “German Mittelstand.” J Knowl Econ 11(4):1509–1528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-019-00622-3
Rantaa V, Leena AS, Väisänen JM (2021) Digital technologies catalyzing business model innovation for circular economy—Multiple case study. Resour Conserv Recycl 164:105155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105155
Rehman A, Rauf A, Ahmad M, Chandio AA, Deyuan Z (2019) The effect of carbon dioxide emission and the consumption of electrical energy, fossil fuel energy, and renewable energy, on economic performance: evidence from Pakistan. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26(21):21760–21773. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05550-y
Sareen S, Haarstad H (2021) Digitalization as a driver of transformative environmental innovation. Environ Innov Soc Trans 41:93–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2021.09.016
Shobande OA, Ogbeifun L (2023) Pooling cross-sectional and time series data for estimating causality between technological innovation, affluence and carbon dynamics: A comparative evidence from developed and developing countries. Technol Forecast Soc Change 187:122192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122192
Shvakov EE, Petrova EA (2020) Newest trends and future scenarios for a sustainable digital economy development. In: Popkova E, Sergi B (eds) Scientific and Technical Revolution: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. 129:1378–1385. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47945-9_150
Spiezia V (2011) Are ICT users more innovative?: an analysis of ICT enabled innovation in OECD firms. Oecd J Econ Stu 1:1–21. https://doi.org/10.1787/eco_studies-2011-5kg2d2hkn6vg
Su CW, Xie Y, Shahab S, Faisal C, Nadeem M, Hafeez M, Qamri GM (2021) Towards achieving sustainable evelopment: Role of technology innovation, technology adoption and CO2 emission for BRICS. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18(1):277. https://doi.org/10.3390/IJERPH18010277
Sui DZ, Rejeski DW (2002) Environmental impacts of the emerging digital economy: the e-for-environment e-commerce? Environ Manage 29(2):155–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-001-0027-X
Tao L, Xiao P, Qader A, Webley PA (2019) CO2 capture from high concentration CO2 natural gas by pressure swing adsorption at the CO2CRC Otway site, Australia. Int J Greenh Gas Control 83:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2018.12.025
Tapscott D (1996) The digital economy: promise and peril in the age of networked intelligence. New York McGraw-Hill. https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.33-5199
Tursun H, Li Z, Liu R, Li Y, Wang X (2015) Contribution weight of engineering technology on pollutant emission reduction based on IPAT and LMDI methods. Clean Techn Environ Policy 17(1):225–235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-014-0780-1
Ullah S, Ozturk I, Sohail S (2020) The asymmetric effects offiscal and monetary policy instruments on Pakistan’s environmental pollution. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:7450–7461. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11093-4
Ulucak R, Khan SUD (2020) Does information and communication technology affect CO2 mitigation under the pathway of sustainable development during the mode of globalization? Sustain Dev 28(4):857–867. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2041
Vaisman YD, Nikiforova NS (2018) Development of industrial enterprises’ dynamic capabilities in the digital economy. J New Econ 19(3):126–136. https://doi.org/10.29141/2073-1019-2018-19-3-11
Varian HR (2010) Computer mediated transactions. Am Econ Rev 100:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.100.2.1
Wang JD, Dong KY, Dong XC, Farhad TH (2022) Assessing the digital economy and its carbon-mitigation effects: The case of China. Energy Econ 113:106198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.106198
Wang LL, Chen LY, Li YS (2021a) Digital economy and urban low-carbon sustainable development:the role of innovation factor mobility in China. Environ Sci Polluti Res 12:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19182-2
Wang P, Wu W, Zhu B, Wei Y (2013) Examining the impact factors of energy-related CO2 emissions using the STIRPAT model in Guangdong Province. China Appl Energy 106:65–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.01.036
Wang SJ, Zeng JY, Liu XP (2019) Examining the multiple impacts of technological progress on CO2 emissions in China: a panel quantile regression approach. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 103:140–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.12.046
Wang W, Liu L, Liao H, Wei Y (2021) Impacts of urbanization on carbon emissions:an empirical analysis from OECD countries. Energy Policy 151:112171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112171
Wang W, Liu Y, Peng D (2015) Research on effects of population aging on industrial upgrading. China Ind Econ 11:47–61. https://doi.org/10.19581/j.cnki.ciejournal.2015.11.004
Woo J, Fatima R, Kibert CJ, Newman RE, Tian YF, Srinivasan RS (2021) Applying blockchain technology for building energy performance measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) and the carbon credit market: A review of the literature. Build Environ 205:108199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108199
Wu Y, Zhang W, Shen J, Mo Z, Peng Y (2018) Smart city with Chinese characteristics against the background of big data: idea, action and risk. J Clean Prod 173:60–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.01.047
Xu B, Lin B (2016) A quantile regression analysis of China’s provincial CO2 emissions: where does the difference lie? Energy Policy 98:328–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.09.003
Yang L, Li Z (2017) Technology advance and the carbon dioxide emission in China-Empirical research based on the rebound effect. Energy Policy 101:150–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.11.020
Yang X, Yang Z, Jia Z (2021) Effects of technology spillover on CO2 emissions in China: a threshold analysis. Energy Rep 7:2233–2244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2021.04.028
Yao X, Yan W, Zhang H, Jiang ZG, Zhu S (2020) A framework for carbon emission quantification of mechanical machining process based on IoT and MEFA. IFAC-Papers on Line 53:25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2021.04.079
Zhang JN, Lyu YW, Li YT, Geng Y (2022) Digital economy: An innovation driving factor for low-carbon development. Environ Impact Assess Rev 9(6):106821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2022.106821
Zhang W, Liu XM, Wang D, Zhou JP (2022) Digital economy and carbon emission performance: Evidence at China’s city level. Energy Policy 165:112927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2022.112927
Zhao T, Zhang Z, Liang SK (2020) Digital economy, entrepreneurship, and high-quality economic development: empirical evidence from urban China. J Manage World 36(10):65–76. https://doi.org/10.19744/j.cnki.11-1235/f.2020.0154
Zhao X, Ma X, Chen B, Shang Y, Song M (2022) Challenges toward carbon neutrality in China: strategies and countermeasures. Recour Conserv Recycl 176:105959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105959
Zhou XY, Zhou DQ, Zhao ZY, Wang QW (2022) A framework to analyze carbon impacts of digital economy: the case of China. Sustain Prod Consump 31:357–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.03.002
Zhu W, Chen J (2022) The spatial analysis of digital economy and urban development:a case study in Hangzhou. China. Cities 123:103563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.103563
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Tan Liu: idea generation and construction; software; data analysis; original manuscript writing.
Kaili Zhang: review and provide amendments.
All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Eyup Dogan
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, T., Zhang, K. Effects of the digital economy on carbon emissions in China: an analysis based on different innovation paths. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 79451–79468 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27975-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27975-2