The impact of coupling digital industrialization and industrial digitization on green and low carbon development: evidence from China

The coupling of digital industrialization and industrial digitization is crucial for advancing China's green, low-carbon development and achieving its “dual-carbon” goals. This study applies a coupling coordination model and analyzes provincial panel data from 2012 to 2021 to evaluate their effects on the green, low-carbon transition. The results show that: (1) digital coupling can significantly reduce carbon emissions intensity and promote green, low-carbon development, as evidenced by robust tests, including instrumental variables; (2) mediation analysis reveals that digital coupling enhances green, low-carbon development by improving energy efficiency and promoting technological innovation; (3) spatial spillover analysis demonstrates that coordinated digital coupling reduces emissions both within regions and in neighboring areas; and (4) heterogeneity analysis highlights the significant effects of digital coupling in central China, with industrial digitization exerting a particularly strong influence. These findings highlight the synergy between digital industrialization and industrial digitization, offering a novel perspective for understanding the green, low-carbon transition.