Digital economy and green development: Empirical evidence from China’s cities

With prominent environmental pollution and depleted resources, how to coordinate economic growth eco-environmental protection guide green development represented by total factor productivity (GTFP) is an urgent issue. This study aims empirically evaluate the direct effect, indirect spatial spillover effect non-linear of digital economy on using data 284 prefecture-level cities in China. The empirical results indicate that: (1) significantly improves GTFP, which still valid after testing for robustness, including introducing instrumental variables, taking “broadband China” pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment, changing core explanatory variables dependent sample size; (2) influence GTFP characterized significant heterogeneity among resource dependence, geographical location, financial level openness level; (3) mechanism analysis shows that promotes technological innovation, industrial structure upgrading energy conservation; (4) econometric models enhances neighboring cities; (5) there relationship between threshold model. findings could provide references policymakers promote urban development.