Household green consumption: Does digital inclusion matter?

Abstract

The rise in household consumption has raised concerns about meeting energy requirements to fulfill the demand for goods and services and the subsequent increase in carbon emissions. This study examines the relationship between digital inclusion and household energy use and carbon emissions, concluding that households with greater digital inclusion tend to have higher carbon emissions. Digital inclusion could improve the household’s consumption, leading to higher energy use and carbon emissions. We further find that digital inclusion reshapes consumption patterns and heterogeneously affects household consumption among categories, which explains how digital inclusion works on household carbon emissions. Furthermore, digital inclusion could also improve green consumption of high energy efficiency. Our findings could benefit policymakers aiming to improve digital infrastructure to achieve carbon emission targets.