Digital Economy, Agricultural Technological Progress, and Agricultural Carbon Intensity: Evidence from China

Ruoxi Zhong, Qiang He and Yanbin Qi
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Ruoxi Zhong: College of Economics, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Qiang He: College of Economics, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yanbin Qi: College of Economics, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: China is the largest carbon emitter in the world, with agricultural carbon emissions accounting for 17% of China’s total carbon emissions. Agricultural carbon emission reduction has become the key to achieving the “Double Carbon” goal. At the same time, the role of the digital economy in achieving the “dual carbon” goal cannot be ignored as an important engine to boost the high-quality development of China’s economy. Therefore, this paper uses the panel data of 30 provinces in mainland China from 2011 to 2019 to construct a spatial Durbin model and a mediation effect model to explore the impact of the digital economy on agricultural carbon intensity and the mediating role of agricultural technological progress. The research results show that: (1) China’s agricultural carbon intensity fluctuated and declined during the study period, but the current agricultural carbon intensity is still at a high level; (2) The inhibitory effect of the digital economy on agricultural carbon intensity is achieved by promoting agricultural technological progress, and the intermediary role of agricultural technological progress has been verified; (3) The digital economy can significantly reduce the carbon intensity of agriculture, and this inhibition has a positive spatial spillover effect. According to the research conclusions, the government should speed up the development of internet technology and digital inclusive finance, support agricultural technology research and improve farmers’ human capital, and strengthen regional cooperation to release the contribution of digital economy space.

Keywords: digital economy; agricultural carbon intensity; agricultural technological progress; spatial Durbin model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (26)

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