Can the Digital Economy Enhance Ecological Resilience – Based on Empirical Data from 53 Cities in the Yellow River Basin of China

Abstract

The preservation of the ecology in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) has become a major national strategy for China, so the study of the impact of the digital economy (Dige) on the ecological resilience (UER) of cities in the YRB is of great significance for sustainable development. Based on panel data from 53 prefecture-level cities in the YRB from 2011 to 2020, this paper studies the impact and transmission mechanism of Dige on UER in the YRB using fixed effect models, intermediary effect models, and spatial Durbin models. Empirical results show that Dige significantly improves UER in the YRB, and there is heterogeneity in the basin and city scales. Technological innovation (Inn) has a significant channel effect in improving the UER of the YRB with Dige. The Dige has spatial spillover effects and has the capacity to improve the UER of adjacent cities in the Yellow River Basin. So, to improve the UER of cities in the YRB, we should speed up the development of the Dige, promote Inn, and improve the level of economic development.