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How Does Digital Economy Influence Green Mobility for Sustainable Development? Moderating Effect of Policy Instruments

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The role of green mobility as a low-carbon lifestyle in carbon reduction and sustainable development cannot be ignored. The digital economy effectively promotes green mobility for sustainable energy use in the broader setting of the significant data era and sustainable development. This study utilizes the panel data of 264 cities in China from 2011 to 2021 to construct a two-way fixed-effects regression model to analyze the impact of the digital economy on residents’ green mobility and the indirect impact mechanism of the two policy tools, a low-carbon transportation pilot and carbon emissions trading, from theoretical and empirical aspects. The results show that digital economic development helps promote residents’ green mobility. In addition, the implementation of low-carbon transportation pilots and carbon trading policies has strengthened the role of the digital economy in promoting green mobility. The findings remain after introducing robustness tests such as “smart city” pilots as exogenous shock policies. A heterogeneity study suggests that the effect of the digital economy on green mobility for residents is more significant in economically developed and human capital-rich areas. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of the digital economy in promoting sustainable urban transportation and by demonstrating the moderating effects of policy instruments, thereby offering practical insights for policymakers aiming to reduce urban pollution and enhance sustainable development.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su16219316

Authors: Xingmin Yin, Jing Zhang, Xiaochen Zheng

Institutions: Ocean University of China, Hunan First Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Digital Economy and Transformation

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,728