The Induced Effects of Carbon Emissions for China’s Industry Digital Transformation

Abstract

Studying the carbon emissions resulting from digital transformation can provide a reference for the realization of the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in the era of the digital economy. This study calculated the value added to the digital economy and carbon emissions for 97 industry divisions from 1997 to 2018. Using the input–output model, we estimated the carbon emissions induced by the digital transformation of different industries, and used the structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to identify their driving factors. The results show that the carbon emissions induced by the digital economy in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery decreased in 2010, those from mining increased year by year, and those from scientific research and technical services showed a decreasing trend from 2011 to 2015. The induced rate of digital economy carbon emissions for production and supply of electricity, heat, gas, and water has persistently remained high. At present, digital economy labor productivity has not shown a promoting effect on carbon emission reduction. China should strengthen the construction of a digital platform for ecological and environmental governance and build a green and low-carbon industrial chain and supply chain to promote the realization of the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.