The impact of the digital economy on carbon emission intensity: Evidence from China

Abstract

Evaluating the impact of the digital economy on carbon emission intensity has great significance in promoting sustainable development. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2019, the level of the digital economy is estimated by using entropy weight and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) model. The panel vector auto-regressive (PVAR) model is used to analyze the impact of the digital economy on carbon emission intensity. The results show that, first, the comprehensive development level of the digital economy in China is not high, and it tends to rise slowly from 0.208 in 2013 to 0.221 in 2019. Second, the carbon emission intensity of China shows a downward trend from 0.720 in 2013 to 0.607 in 2019. There are significant differences in carbon emission intensity among different regions, and a decreasing trend is seen from the western region to the eastern region. Third, there is a long-term equilibrium relationship between the digital economy and carbon emission intensity. Fourth, the digital economy has a long-term negative effect on carbon emission intensity, but carbon emission intensity has no negative effect on the digital economy. According to the research conclusion, this study puts forward some suggestions.