Research on the Impact of Digital Economy on Carbon Emission Intensity of Logistics

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the digital economy is reshaping the logistics industry. Its environmental effects are critical for the sector’s green transition. Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2022, this study constructs a digital economy composite index via the entropy method. It then applies a two-way fixed effects model to examine the impact of the digital economy on logistics carbon emission intensity, including its heterogeneity and nonlinear characteristics. The results show that the digital economy significantly increases logistics carbon emission intensity during the sample period. This finding remains robust across several tests. The overall relationship is on the left side of an inverted U-shaped curve, with no significant turning point yet observed. Heterogeneity is evident across regions and development levels. The positive effect is stronger in western regions and areas with lower digital economy development. Key drivers include demand expansion, energy rebound effects, and lags in the development stage. Accordingly, this paper proposes region-specific strategies for smart logistics, curbing excessive logistics demand, and enhancing green technology R&D. These findings offer insights for coordinating digital growth with low-carbon transition in the logistics sector to support China's dual carbon goals.