The Spatial Effect of Industrial Intelligence on High-Quality Green Development of Industry under Environmental Regulations and Low Carbon Intensity

Abstract

In order to thoroughly investigate how industrial intelligence influences green industrial development through direct, indirect, and spatial spillover effects in China and fill in the gaps left by earlier studies, the study combines industrial intelligence and green industrial development into a single analytical framework. The findings show that implementing industrial intelligence can proactively encourage high-quality green industrial development; additionally, a strong spatial correlation is shown between industrial intelligence and high-quality green industrial development. According to spatial spillover analysis, industrial intelligence fosters the development of green industries both inside and between regions. When regional heterogeneity is analyzed, it is revealed that the eastern part of China experiences industrial intelligence effects more strongly than the central region, while the western areas are unaffected. Environmental regulations are a crucial mediating mechanism for the operation of industrial intelligence; in particular, public-participation environmental regulation and market base environmental regulations strengthen the baseline relationship; however, industrial intelligence does not impact high-quality green industrial development through administrative environmental regulation. The partial mediating effect of carbon intensity was also observed. The findings could be used as a guide for decision-making by experts and policymakers in China and other developing nations to use industrial intelligence and support the green development of the sector during economic transformation.