Research on the Boundary of Spatial Spillover Effect of Carbon Emissions in the Digital Economy

Analysis based on the Yangtze River Delta Urban Network

Abstract

The rapid rise of the digital economy has provided a new path for carbon emission reduction in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. The spatial spillover effect of carbon emissions brought about by it, along with its boundary characteristics, can directly affect the actual effectiveness of collaborative emission reduction across the entire urban agglomeration. This paper focuses on the boundary issues of the spatial spillover effect of digital economy carbon emissions, using the Yangtze River Delta urban network as the main research scenario. By reviewing relevant theoretical knowledge and current development status, we successfully identified three core issues: blurry spillover boundary definition, fragmented transmission mechanisms, and ineffective collaborative governance. During the research process, we found that the spatial spillover of digital economy carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta exhibits three distinct characteristics: geographical distance attenuation, network hierarchy differentiation, and institutional boundary constraints. However, existing research and practical work have not accurately delineated these spillover boundaries or achieved effective control. Based on this current situation, this paper constructs a three-dimensional boundary definition framework encompassing "geography-network-institution", and proposes optimization strategies to smooth technology, industry, and energy transmission mechanisms and upgrade the cross-regional collaborative governance system. This provides a theoretical basis and practical path for the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration to achieve collaborative carbon emission reduction relying on the digital economy, and also offers valuable references for the digital low-carbon transformation efforts of other urban agglomerations across the country.