The Effects and Mechanisms of Rural Digitalization and Agricultural Carbon Reduction

Investigating the impact of rural digitalization on agricultural carbon emissions contributes to achieving carbon neutrality goals and facilitates the green transformation of agriculture with enhanced efficiency. Based on panel data from 31 provincial-level regions in China spanning 2005 to 2022, this study employs a dynamic panel model to analyze the influence of rural digitalization on agricultural carbon emission intensity. Heterogeneity analysis, mechanism testing, and spatial effect examination are also conducted. The main findings are fourfold. (1) Rural digitalization effectively promotes the reduction of agricultural carbon emissions. (2) Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the effect of rural digitalization on lowering agricultural carbon emission intensity is particularly significant in production-marketing balanced regions. (3) The carbon emission reduction effect of rural digitalization is primarily realized through the scaling of agricultural operations, the accumulation of human capital, and the improvement of total factor productivity. (4) A positive spatial correlation exists in the agricultural carbon emission intensity across provinces, and the inhibitory effect of rural digitalization on agricultural carbon emission intensity exhibits spatial spillover effects. Therefore, to accelerate rural digitalization and advance agricultural carbon emission reduction, it will be essential to promote the scaling of agricultural operations, guide farmers in adopting advanced technologies, and enhance their ability to utilize digital tools.