Research on the coupling coordination and spatial influence effect of the digital economy and carbon emission

Purpose The twin digital and green transition is crucial for sustainable development, with human intellectual capital playing a pivotal role. This study aims to examine how the chief information officer (CIO) affects corporate twin digital and green transition. Design/methodology/approach Using data from Chinese A-share listed companies between 2008 and 2023, this study uses a staggered difference-in-differences analysis to identify causal effects. This study measures companies’ digital and green transitions based on word frequency in annual reports, with digital and green patent applications serving as supplementary indicators. This study further applies a coupling coordination model to capture the synergy between digital and green transitions. Findings The CIO establishment significantly accelerates the pace of digital and green transitions, while also strengthening the synergy between them. Plausible mechanisms include managerial myopia reduction, internal control quality enhancement, intangible asset accumulation and environmental investment improvement, and the economic intuition behind this is that the CIO provides strategic and technical guidance for the twin transition. The study also finds that the CIO yields more pronounced effects on companies with relaxed financing constraints, non-high-tech industries, light-polluting industries and those located in central and western China. Originality/value This study highlights the critical role of human intellectual capital in the twin transition, offering valuable managerial insights from a strategic decision-making perspective to promote sustainable development.

Background/Objectives: This study investigates the interaction and coordinated development of the digital economy and the tourism economy in China’s Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, using panel data from 27 cities covering the period from 2013 to 2022. Methods: Composite indices are constructed for the two subsystems, with indicator weights determined using the entropy method. A coupling coordination model is then applied to assess the extent and quality of their joint development. Exploratory spatial data analysis is further employed to examine spatial dependence and clustering patterns, with Moran’s I serving as a key analytical measure. Results: The findings indicate that both subsystems improved over the study period, although the digital economy advanced more quickly and showed greater regional disparity. The overall coordination level rose from a medium stage to a relatively high stage, yet uneven development persisted, particularly in Anhui. Spatially, coordination followed an east-high, west-low pattern, and high-level areas gradually spread outward from leading cities to form a core–periphery structure. Positive spatial clustering was evident in most years, pointing to clear regional agglomeration in digital–tourism coordination. Conclusions: These results underscore the importance of differentiated regional policies, stronger inter-city collaboration, and deeper integration between digital development and tourism transformation.

Abstract Urban agglomerations are central to China’s development strategy, but technological progress does not always improve environmental and social outcomes. Understanding whether innovation and sustainability advance together is therefore critical for regional policy. Here we analyse sustainable development and technological innovation across 33 districts and counties in the Central Guizhou Urban Agglomeration, China, using panel data from 2013 to 2022 and a coupled coordination model. We find persistently low levels of both innovation and sustainability, pronounced spatial disparities, and weak coordination between the two. Although the influence of technological innovation has strengthened over time, its contribution to sustainable development remains limited. Urbanisation and economic growth are the dominant forces shaping this relationship, highlighting persistent tensions between innovation-led development and long-term environmental and social goals. These findings show the need to align innovation policy more closely with sustainability objectives in rapidly urbanising regions.

Digital transformation has injected core momentum into industrial integration. Based on four dimensions including digital technology innovation, this paper constructs a comprehensive evaluation index system covering five dimensions, uses the coupling coordination model to measure the integration level of the two industries in 29 provinces in China from 2009 to 2024, and analyzes the heterogeneity from three dimensions: time, space, and industry. The research finds that: the integration of the two industries has steadily climbed, with the coordination level advancing from barely coordinated to moderately coordinated; spatially, it presents a pattern of "southeastern leadership and inland catch-up", forming three radiation centers; industries such as education are leading in integration with advanced manufacturing, while industries such as finance are slower in integration. Based on this, four suggestions are put forward, including optimizing the regional layout and promoting the differentiated development of industries, to provide reference for the in-depth integration of the two industries and empowering high-quality economic development.

Abstract E-commerce has become a key driver of rural revitalization, and the intrinsic demands of rural revitalization have provided new momentum to e-commerce development. Drawing on panel data from 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China from 2013 to 2023, this study analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution patterns and influencing factors of the synergistic relationship between e-commerce and rural revitalization using a coupling coordination model, an obstacle degree model (to identify obstacle factors), and a panel fixed-effects model (to determine external driving factors). The findings of this study are as follows: (1) During the study period, the coupling coordination degree between e-commerce and rural revitalization in China exhibited an overall trend of low growth, with significant regional differences. (2) Insufficient internet infrastructure and relatively low living standards constituted the key constraints restricting the coordinated development of the two systems.(3) With respect to external factors, high economic and financial development levels significantly promoted the enhancement in coordination both nationally and across regions. However, the effects of fiscal support, tax burden, social consumption, and population density exhibited regional heterogeneity. In response, targeted policies should be designed to address specific shortcomings, such as internet access and household income, as well as regional disparities. Differentiated action guidelines should be provided for market entities including platforms, logistics providers, and rural operators.

Willingness to visit and perceived crowding are key indicators for assessing the quality of outdoor recreation experiences. This study develops an approach for assessing normative populations on urban aerial trails with varying landscapes. Researching the Xiamen Aerial Trail in China, six landscape nodes with distinct population scenarios were simulated using photographs. Following the use of questionnaires to investigate people’s preferences and perceived crowding to these nodes, this study employs the coupling coordination model and norm curve to quantify the relationships between these perceptions, finally identifying population thresholds. The findings revealed that spatial enclosure, landscape type, and node design characteristics significantly influence crowding perceptions and willingness to visit. Participants exhibited varying crowding tolerance across nodes, with distinct willingness to visit specific landscapes. Furthermore, the population thresholds that disrupt the balance between willingness to visit and crowding perception varied across nodes, underscoring the need for landscape-sensitive management strategies.

As an important form of green space within densely built urban environments, optimizing the layout of city parks based on the synergistic integration of carbon stock and recreational services level holds significant importance. Taking Hangzhou Jinsha Lake Park as a case, this research employs remote sensing inversion to analyze the spatial distribution of the park’s carbon stock. A set of indexes was used to evaluate the park’s recreational services level. Finally, a coupling coordination model was applied to generate and visualize the coupling coordination degree between the park’s carbon stock and recreational services level. Results indicate that the coupling coordination degree between recreational services level and carbon stock in Jinsha Lake Park exhibits a distribution pattern characterized by higher values in the west and lower values in the east, as well as higher values in the south and lower values in the north. Most of these coupling coordination degrees fall in the “primary coordination” range and exhibit different spatial characteristics, such as “high recreational level – low carbon stock” and “low recreational level – high carbon stock”. Park road accessibility serves as a fundamental prerequisite for activating spaces. The rational allocation of functional zones provides a structural framework for balancing ecological and recreational interests, while optimized vegetation configuration acts as the core engine that directly drives the simultaneous growth of carbon stock and recreational vitality. Appropriate plant configuration not only directly increases regional carbon stock but also boosts recreational vitality by increasing plant diversity and vegetation coverage. This study proposes a park optimization strategy based on the synergy between carbon stock and recreational functions, which is of great significance for advancing the dual objectives of enhancing ecological services and social services in urban parks.

This study examines the coupling coordination between energy consumption and carbon emissions in China’s agricultural sector and explores its implications for the low carbon transition. Using a coupling coordination model and provincial panel data from 2012 to 2021, the study assesses the level of energy carbon coordination in China’s agricultural sector and analyzes its key determinants. Fixed effects models evaluate the impact of terminal energy structure, while mediation analysis tests whether agricultural carbon emission intensity transmits these effects. Additionally, out of sample validation and short term scenario projections are used to examine temporal stability. The results show that energy carbon coordination in China’s agricultural sector is generally at a moderate to good level, indicating progress toward green transformation, although substantial regional disparities remain. Terminal energy structure is a key determinant, higher coal and diesel shares significantly reduce coordination, whereas a higher natural gas share improves it. Mediation analysis further shows that agricultural carbon emission intensity partly transmits these effects. Regional heterogeneity is observed, low GDP provinces are mainly constrained by coal dependence, while high GDP provinces face stronger diesel and electricity related emission pressures. The out of sample validation and short term scenario projections provide additional support for the temporal stability of these findings. These findings highlight the need for region specific decarbonization strategies in China’s agricultural sector, including accelerated clean energy substitution, power sector decarbonization, stronger carbon monitoring, and improved cross sector policy coordination.

Age-appropriate services, such as optimizing traffic facilities, have garnered significant interest because of the increasing age of drivers on the road. This study explores differences in cognitive abilities and driving performance between elderly drivers (EDs) and young and middle-aged drivers (Y & MDs) across different transport facilities, and quantitatively assesses the traffic risks of drivers’ driving behaviors under different traffic conditions based on a coupling coordination degree model. Specifically, this study focuses on intersections as the typical scenario to collect data on cognitive abilities and driving behavior from 17 EDs and 19 Y & MDs. First, statistical analytic techniques are employed to investigate the differences in driving performance between EDs and Y & MDs. Second, a model utilizing entropy-weight and coupling coordination degree is developed to assess traffic risk based on cognition, risk awareness, behavior control, and operational status under diverse traffic conditions. The findings indicate that the cognitive abilities of EDs often decline, contributing to traffic risk. Therefore, behavior control and operational status are key factors to consider in optimizing traffic facilities at yield signs, stop signs, and signal intersections. In addition, EDs face heightened traffic risk, specifically at signal intersections. With a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive and driving behavioral processes of EDs across different traffic facilities, the findings can yield crucial support for optimizing age-appropriate traffic facilities.

To explore the benefit of soil improvement and restoration models in typical counties of Shandong Province，we constructed a multi-dimensional system of "soil condition-ecological environment-economic society" comprehensive benefit evaluation index system and utilized the entropy-weighted TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation model，Kernel density estimation，coupling coordination model，and obstacle factor diagnostic model to fully analyze the comprehensive benefits of soil improvement and restoration model in typical counties of Shandong Province from 2019 to 2022. The results showed that：① The comprehensive benefit level of soil improvement and restoration model in typical counties showed a fluctuating upward trend，the gap between counties was narrowing，and there was a non-synchronization in the development of subsystems. ② The coupling coordination degree of soil improvement and restoration model in various counties showed a fluctuating increasing trend，which revealed a strong "Matthew effect." ③ The influence of each system layer on the level of comprehensive benefits，in descending order，was the economic and social system，the soil condition system，and the ecological environment system，and the main obstacles were the use of agricultural plastic film，the use of agricultural fertilizers，the effective phosphorus of the soil，and the total power of agricultural machinery. The results of the study have important reference value for enhancing the comprehensive benefits of soil ecological remediation，promoting the safe utilization of contaminated arable land，and contributing to the guarantee of national food security.

This study investigates the impacts of infrastructure policy on the dynamic coordination between urban development and ecological sustainability in China. We construct an urban–environment composite system synergy degree using a coupling coordination model. To identify causal effects, we apply a continuous treatment difference-in-differences design to panel data from 31 provinces, evaluating the implementation strength of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure development guidelines (2015–2020). Our findings reveal two key insights. First, there exists a structural asymmetry in policy effectiveness: while ecological conditions improve significantly, the urban subsystem, however, exhibits a slower and more delayed coordination response, leading to a statistically significant but unbalanced enhancement in overall system synergy. Second, we observe notable spatial heterogeneity, with the Central region experiencing the most pronounced coordination gains, whereas the Western region exhibits weaker responses to policy implementation. This research advances the theory of sustainable urban development by highlighting the critical roles of policy intensity, subsystem imbalance, and regional diversity. It offers actionable evidence for tailoring EV infrastructure strategies to the differentiated needs of regional development contexts.

The integrated development of functional and spatial dimensions in traditional villages constitutes both a practical necessity for functional renewal and spatial revitalization and a critical subject in global theoretical and practical research on traditional village conservation. Grounded in field investigation-based analysis of functional–spatial relationships, this study identifies key elements of their synergistic integration and introduces a coupling coordination model to construct a measurable methodology for assessing such integration. The research demonstrates that a function–space integrated development evaluation index system, developed through the index weighting method, enables quantitative assessment of functional–spatial synergy in traditional villages. Empirical analysis of four case villages reveals two distinct coordination types: good coordination and quality coordination, validating the methodological robustness of the proposed framework. This approach exhibits continued research potential because targeted optimization strategies can further enhance functional–spatial synergy, offering scalable applications for studies on spatial restructuring and functional transformation in traditional villages worldwide.

The continuous development of industrial technology has led to significant environmental pollution and climate change, both of which have severely impacted human health. Investigating the coupling coordination between ecological environment quality (EEQ) and public health of residents (PHR) is beneficial for enhancing public health and promoting sustainable development. This study uses panel data from 55 cities within urban agglomerations of the Yellow River Basin, China (YRBC) from 2011 to 2022 to construct evaluation index systems for both EEQ and PHR. The entropy method is first employed to quantify the development levels of these systems. Subsequently, a modified coupling coordination degree (CCD) model is applied to evaluate the coordination between the two systems. Furthermore, the study utilizes the Dagum Gini coefficient, Kernel density estimation, and Markov chains to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of CCD. The Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) is finally used to empirically test the factors influencing regional differences in CCD. The findings reveal that both EEQ and PHR levels in the YRBC exhibited an overall upward trend during the study period, although PHR showed declines in certain years. The CCD demonstrated a steady increase across the entire sample and within all three major regions. Analysis using the Dagum Gini coefficient indicates a narrowing disparity in CCD, with the Gini coefficient decreasing from 0.0617 in 2011 to 0.0536 in 2022. Kernel density estimation suggests that the CCD distribution curve has shifted rightward, becoming higher and steeper, indicative of reduced absolute differences in coupling coordination levels. QAP regression analysis reveals that factors such as regional disparities in per capita GDP significantly influence CCD regional disparities.

Balancing recreational services of national parks with the protection of ecological environment quality is essential for the sustainable use of natural resources. Taking Qianjiangyuan National Park as a case study, this study integrated remote sensing data, trajectories, and geotagged photos, and applied the remote sensing ecological index, a clustering algorithm, and the coupling coordination model to investigate the spatiotemporal coupling relationship between ecological environment quality and tourist spatial activities from 2017 to 2024. The results showed that: (1) The ecological environment quality of the study area remained generally high, with over 79.20% of the area classified as good and above. High-value areas were primarily located in the northwest and southern regions. In contrast, low-value areas were primarily located along the periphery, in residential zones, and adjacent to roads. (2) Tourist activities were primarily concentrated in forest ecosystem regions with high ecological and recreational value. The distribution of trajectories exhibited distinct seasonal patterns and a fluctuating trend from 2017 to 2024, characterized by an initial increase, a subsequent decline, and eventual recovery. The 18 areas of interest demonstrated a spatial distribution characterized by linear continuity and localized aggregation; (3) The ecological environment quality and tourist spatial activities generally exhibited strong coupling and basic coordination. High values were primarily observed in the northwest and southwest of the study area, while low values were concentrated in the northeast, central, and southern regions. These spatial patterns provide actionable insights for targeted management strategies to balance tourism utilization and ecological conservation in national parks.

In the context of the digital economy, digital new-quality productivity is reshaping the high-quality development of the logistics industry, while logistics provides key application scenarios and endogenous momentum for its cultivation. This study explores the coupling coordination mechanism and evolutionary characteristics between the two systems in the BeijingTianjinHebei region. Using regional data from 2016 to 2023, a comprehensive evaluation system is constructed, and a coupling coordination model combined with grey relational analysis is applied to examine inter-system relationships and driving factors. The results show that both digital new-quality productivity and logistics quality exhibit steady upward trends. The coupling coordination degree evolves from a fluctuating adjustment stage to recovery and then toward stable optimization, with clear regional heterogeneity. Technological innovation and infrastructure development are identified as core drivers, while urbanization, openness, and government support play important supporting roles. This study not only empirically clarifies the synergistic evolution mechanism between digital new-quality productivity and high-quality logistics development, but also provides references for optimizing regional collaborative paths and formulating differentiated policies.

Ecological management zoning is a crucial tool for land use governance and spatial optimization， serving as a foundational strategy for implementing differentiated regional management and protection. It plays a key role in mitigating human-environment conflicts and fostering the sustainable development of both ecological and socio-economic systems. Focusing on the Three Gorges Reservoir area， an essential ecological corridor in the middle Yangtze River Basin， this study quantitatively analyzes the supply and demand of ecosystem services. Using a bivariate local spatial autocorrelation model and a coupling coordination model， the study explores the relationship between ecosystem service supply and demand and the intensity of land use. The study then delineates ecological management zones and simulates changes in zoning patterns under two distinct scenarios for 2030. The results show that： ① In 2020， both natural factors and human activities influenced the supply and demand of ecosystem services in the Three Gorges Reservoir area， resulting in significant spatial heterogeneity. Notably， the main urban area of Chongqing exhibited a severe imbalance in the supply-demand relationship of ecosystem services. ② Based on the coupling coordination analysis of ecosystem service supply-demand and land use intensity， the Three Gorges Reservoir area was categorized into four ecological zones： the ecological coordinated development zone， ecological potential development zone， ecological imbalance risk zone， and ecological strict control zone. This zoning approach aids in accurately identifying the ecological status of different regions and formulating targeted protection and development strategies， thereby promoting the sustainable integration of ecological and economic development. ③ Scenario simulations for 2030 indicated an expansion of the ecological coordinated development zone in both scenarios， particularly in certain areas of the urban core of Chongqing. This suggests that urban areas are not entirely dominated by human-environment conflicts and that regions of ecological coupling coordination still exist. Future research should focus on enhancing ecological coordination within urban areas to further optimize the relationship between ecological conservation and human activities. These findings provide valuable insights for maintaining ecological balance and advancing sustainable development in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.

Environmental pollution and carbon emissions predominantly stem from fossil fuel consumption， sharing common sources and processes. This inherent co-production relationship establishes a scientific foundation for implementing coordinated governance to enhance the Synergistic Effect of Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction （SEPCR）， thereby accelerating socio-economic green transition. However， existing literature lacks comprehensive assessments of SEPCR at the urban level in China and seldom examines its influencing factors from a spatiotemporal heterogeneity perspective. To address this gap， this study comprehensively uses the SBM-DEA model with unexpected outputs and coupling coordination model to measure the SEPCR of cities in China. The spatial Markov chain and data visualization methods are used to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution pattern of SEPCR in Chinese cities from 2004 to 2022. The spatiotemporal geographic weighted regression model （GTWR）， kernel density curve， and map visualization methods are used to investigate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of factors influencing the SEPCR. The study revealed that： ① The overall SEPCR was on the rise， with a fluctuating decline prior to 2014 before entering a rapid growth period. ② The SEPCR exhibited strong stability， with a gradual evolution process. SEPCR levels of neighboring cities were positively correlated with the upward transfer probability of the city， while negatively correlated with the downward transfer probability of the city. ③ The SEPCR showed a spatial differentiation pattern of northeast>east>west>central regions， with high-value clusters concentrating in eastern coastal and northeastern regions， while central and western regions were generally stable and emerging progress. Low-value areas centered in Shanxi Province showed spatial convergence. ④ The regression results of GTWR indicate that industrial structure， energy efficiency， and technological innovation had a promoting effect on the SEPCR， while population expansion， economic development， and energy structure mainly exhibited an inhibitory effect. Each influencing factor demonstrated significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity.

Achieving a balance between ecological conservation and economic development is essential for regional coordination and sustainable development. This study examines 56 national key ecological function counties （cities） in Sichuan Province， employing a coupling coordination model to assess the current state and dynamic evolution of ecological-economic coupling coordination. Temporal analysis， trend surface analysis， and spatial autocorrelation analysis are utilized to delineate spatiotemporal evolution patterns， while a geographically and temporally weighted regression （GTWR） model is applied to explore influencing factors and spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The results indicate that： ① The coupling coordination degree generally fell within the range of 0.4-0.5 （mild imbalance） and 0.5-0.6 （primary coordination）， exhibiting a U-shaped trend of initial decline followed by subsequent improvement. ② High coordination areas were mainly concentrated in the eastern and southern regions of Sichuan Province， with an expanding north-south disparity. ③ Spatial correlation of the coupling coordination degree weakened initially before strengthening， revealing significant spatial heterogeneity and regional clustering characteristics. ④ Key influencing factors， including river network density， road network density， government intervention， industrial structure， and population density， displayed pronounced spatiotemporal heterogeneity. These findings suggest that while the alignment between ecological protection policies and economic development strategies in Sichuan's national key ecological function areas is strengthening， regional disparities remain prominent. Therefore， targeted policies should be formulated based on local conditions to achieve a sustainable synergy between environmental conservation and economic growth.

The coordinated advancement of pollution reduction， carbon reduction， and the development of new-quality productive forces is significant for addressing ecological and environmental issues and promoting high-quality economic development in the Yangtze Economic Belt. This study employs a revised coupling coordination model， kernel density estimation， Theil index， and spatio-temporal geographically weighted regression models to explore the spatio-temporal evolution patterns and influencing factors of the coupling coordination effects between pollution reduction， carbon reduction， and the development of new-quality productive forces in the provinces and cities of the Yangtze Economic Belt from 2010 to 2022. The results indicate that： （1） The coupling coordination levels of pollution reduction， carbon reduction， and the development of new-quality productive forces in the provinces and cities of the Yangtze Economic Belt showed an upward trend year by year， with the coupling coordination grades gradually evolving from mild disorder and near disorder to primary coordination. The spatial distribution exhibited characteristics of "higher in the north and lower in the south" and an "increasing stepwise gradient from upstream to downstream." （2） The regional differences in coupling coordination levels among the provinces and cities of the Yangtze Economic Belt initially decreased continuously and then fluctuated within a narrow range. Inter-regional differences were the dominant factor of overall differences， while intra-regional differences contributed increasingly. （3） Environmental protection， industrial structure， technological innovation， and economic development primarily had positive impacts on the coupling coordination effects of pollution reduction， carbon reduction， and the development of new-quality productive forces. Energy consumption mainly had a negative impact， and there was significant spatio-temporal heterogeneity in the influence of various factors.