Unleashing the Influence of Digitizationon Low-Carbon Emissions: Evidence from China

Abstract

To achieve carbon emission reduction targets, enterprises play a pivotal role in the economic landscape. This study investigates the intricate relationship between digital transformation and carbon emissions for listed Chinese manufacturing firms from 2011 to 2020. Our analysis offers substantial evidence that digital transformation significantly influences the reduction in corporate carbon emissions. Mechanistic analysis further highlights the pivotal roles of industrial robots and green technology innovations as critical contributors to carbon emissions reduction through enterprises’ digital transformation initiatives. Notably, the quality of green technology innovations is more decisive than quantity. Moreover, enterprise digitalization has a more significant inhibiting effect on carbon emissions in state-owned enterprises, high-pollution industries, and high-tech industries, as well as during the maturity and decline stages of the life cycle. This paper provides a digital solution to curb carbon emissions.