Analysis of Carbon Emission Reduction Effect and Mechanism of Digital Economy: A Perspective to Protect Environment

In recent years, digital technology has comprehensively empowered the economic and social system, which has undergone earth-shaking and far-reaching changes, and the digital economy has also shown good effects of energy conservation and emission reduction. In order to achieve environmental sustainability as soon as possible, this paper analyzes the theoretical mechanism and transmission process of the digital economy's impact on carbon emission from the perspectives of direct effects, indirect effects and spatial spillover effect. It takes 17 cities in Henan province as research objects to conduct an empirical analysis of their panel data from 2011 to 2019. The main findings are: (1) In the process of promoting the development of digital economy, Henan province indeed reduced carbon emissions on the whole; (2) The development of digital economy in Henan province ultimately reduced carbon emissions by promoting industrial structure upgrading and green technology innovation. (3) The carbon emission reduction effect of the digital economy in Henan province has obvious spatial spillover effect, which can reduce the carbon emissions in the surrounding areas; (4) The development of digital economy indeed increases carbon emissions in the early stage, which is an inevitable phenomenon. This paper not only provides a provincial perspective for systematically understanding the impact of digital economy on carbon emissions, but also provides theoretical foundation for promoting the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, actively and steadily promoting carbon neutrality.