Spatial impact of digital finance on carbon productivity

Abstract

Low carbon productivity has been identified as a key direction for China’s future development. As an important driving force for economic growth, the question of whether digital finance that is reliant on digital technology can support the development of a low-carbon urban economy remains unresolved. Based on the carbon productivity measured by panel data from 201 cities for the period 2011–2020, this study applies the spatial Dubin model and threshold regression model to explore the impact of digital finance on carbon productivity, yielding the following key conclusions. First, the spatial distribution heterogeneity of carbon productivity in China’s eastern region is higher than that in the western region, and both productivity and digital finance are characterized by high (low)–high (low) dotted spatial agglomeration. Second, digital finance can significantly improve carbon productivity via two transmission channels: the human capital and marketization effects. At the same time, digital finance exerts a spatial spillover effect on carbon productivity, and rising local digital finance levels will increase carbon productivity in neighboring areas. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the spillover effect of digital finance in urban agglomerations and eastern regions is more significant. Third, fixed-asset investment has a positive nonlinear moderating effect on digital finance, thus improving carbon productivity. When the per capita investment in fixed assets does not exceed 682.73 yuan, digital finance exerts only a limit pulling effect on carbon productivity; when it is higher than this value, the pulling effect is intensified.