Research on the Low-Carbon Spatial Spillover Effect Development of the Digital Economy Enabled by New Quality Productivity

Abstract

China has commenced a high-quality development phase, necessitating significant promotion of the digital economy (DE), which includes green advancement as its foundation. Transitioning from a DE into high-quality development requires advancing the concept of new quality productivity (NQP), which unequivocally delineates the direction of Chinese socio-economic progress. Therefore, this study developed a new quality productivity indicator model encompassing three components aligning with NQP: (i) scientific and technological, (ii) green, and (iii) digital productivity. The analysis investigated the crucial role of the NQP in achieving the “double carbon” goal within the DE by utilizing panel data from 30 Chinese provinces between 2012 and 2022. Consequently, the DE substantially reduced carbon emissions (CEs) and exhibited a notable spatial spillover effect. The impact coefficient of the DE on CEs is −0.0583, which is significant at the 1% level. The direct effect and indirect effect analysis revealed that the inhibition effect of the DE on regional CEs was −0.0725 and −0.0964, respectively (significant at the 1% level). The heterogeneity outcomes denoted lower carbon emissions in non-resource-based regions due to the DE. Nevertheless, this process did not exhibit the same impact on resource-based regions. Furthermore, the NQP functioned as the intermediary factor in the correlation between DE development and CEs. This outcome then led to three critical recommendations: (i) the complete release of the digital dividend, (ii) enhanced government attention toward low-carbon environmental protection, and (iii) the establishment of a green technology innovation platform to achieve higher rates of NQP development.