Impact of Digital Economy Industrial Agglomeration on Carbon Emissions: A Case Study of the Four City Clusters Along the Eastern Seaboard of China

Abstract

Digital economy industrial agglomeration is significant for economic development and the realization of “dual carbon” goals. Based on the point of interest (POI) data of digital enterprises, this study uses kernel density estimation, a fixed-effect model, a spatial Durbin model, and other methods to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of digital industrial agglomeration in the four major urban clusters along the east coast of China and examines their corresponding influence on carbon emissions, including spatial spillover effects. The key conclusions are as follows: First, digital industry development and the degree of agglomeration display increasing trends. The degree of agglomeration is high in the east and low in the west, with high-value areas characterized by core prominence and orderly expansion. Second, a negative relationship is observed between digital industrial agglomeration and carbon emissions, with specialized agglomeration significantly reducing carbon emissions, while diversified agglomeration has a weaker effect. Third, the influence of digital industrial agglomeration on carbon emissions exhibits spatial spillover effects with heterogeneity. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of regional digital industry agglomeration and have significance as a reference for the formulation of energy conservation and carbon-reduction policies.