How Can Digital Economy Accessibility Accelerate Urban Land Green Transformation in China? Evidence from Threshold and Intermediary Effects

Guanglong Li, Xuhai Zhao, Yanfeng Jiang (), Yuandong Zou, Shuyang Liu, Xuejing Li and Liangen Zeng ()
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Guanglong Li: School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Xuhai Zhao: School of Economics and Management, Gongqing Institute of Science and Technology, Jiujiang 332020, China
Yanfeng Jiang: School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Yuandong Zou: School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Shuyang Liu: School of Economics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
Xuejing Li: School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Liangen Zeng: School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-23

Abstract: The digital economy is a new economic form that has a significant impact on urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE). With the provincial panel data between 2013 and 2021, this paper empirically tests how the digital economy development level (DEDL) promotes the improvement of ULFUE in China. The key findings include the following: (1) There were significant spatial differences for the ULGUE and DEDL of China. For China’s ULGUE, China shows an ascent after an initial decline trend from 2013 to 2017, but a decline trend after 2017. China’s DEDL took on a rising tendency during the research period. In 2021, China’s DEDL increased by 143.8% compared with that in 2013. (2) The digital economy can obviously promote the ULGUE, but the promotion effect is affected by the urbanization level; with improvements in urbanization level, the impact of that may strengthen. (3) Technological innovation demonstrates a complete intermediary effect between the digital economy and ULGUE; the mediation transmission mechanism of technological innovation is evident. These results have been verified by robustness tests, proving their stability and reliability. The research results will provide new insights into the high-quality utilization of urban land resources.

Keywords: threshold effects; digital economy; urban land green use efficiency; technological innovation; the spatial Durbin model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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