Based on panel data from 279 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2020, this study employs the Undesirable Output-Super Efficiency SBM model to measure the level of Low-Carbon Total Factor Productivity (CTFP), the empirical analysis reveals the spatiotemporal heterogeneous impact of the digital economy on CTFP. The core findings of this research are as follows: First, the development of the digital economy has a significant promoting effect on CTFP, but there exists certain spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Specifically, the enhancing effect of the digital economy on urban CTFP is more pronounced in central and western cities than in eastern cities; stronger in southern cities compared to northern cities; and higher in low-carbon pilot cities than in non-pilot cities, the promoting effect of the digital economy on CTFP shows a periodic attenuation trend corresponding to the Five-Year Plans for National Economic and Social Development. Based on the above findings, this study proposes the following policy recommendations: establishing a hierarchical and categorized digital infrastructure system, implementing region-specific digital decarbonization pathways, and enhancing digital environmental governance mechanisms.

Weipeng Yuan, Fanjing Guo, Yarong Gu. The Impact of the Digital Economy on Low-Carbon Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from Chinese Cities. Academic Journal of Environment & Earth Science (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 5: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJEE.2025.070501.

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