How Does the Digital Economy Contribute to Regional Green Development in China? Evidence-Based on the Intermediary Effect of Technological Innovation

Abstract

This study aims to explore how the digital economy contributes to regional green development through the intermediary effect of technological innovation in China. Taking 30 provinces in China as the regional research objects, this study constructed a measurement index system for the development level of the digital economy and green development level and used the intermediary effect model and the threshold effect model for empirical testing. The empirical results show that: (1) the digital economy has a significant positive impact on the green development of China, and the digital economy can effectively promote green development at the provincial level; (2) technological innovation has a significant intermediary effect and a single threshold effect in the process of the green development of provinces driven by the digital economy; (3) the marginal effect of the digital economy on green development has an inflection point, from strong to weak. This study provides a reference for China to further plan the sustainable development strategy and provides experience for the sustainable development of other countries.