Abstract:

Based on the prefectural urban panel data from 2011 to 2018, this paper uses the instrumental variable method to empirically analyze the impact and mechanism of digital inclusive finance on carbon dioxide emission intensity. It finds that the development of digital inclusive finance can effectively curb urban carbon emission intensity; as far as its mechanism is concerned, digital inclusive finance mainly reduces the carbon emission intensity of cities by promoting regional technological innovation; digital inclusive finance has a greater inhibitory effect on the carbon emission intensity of resource-based cities than non-resource-based cities, and its inhibition effects on the carbon emission intensity of resource-based cities are decreasing based on different stages of development, in order of maturity, decline, regeneration, and growth. To promote the high-quality development of China’s economy and the early realization of the “dual carbon goals”, on the one hand, we should facilitate the level of digital financial inclusion in the cities so as to make it play a more active role in both the economic and technological fields, and on the other hand, we should implement differentiated development strategies and formulate digital inclusive financial and technological innovation policies based on the city’s resource base and development stage.

Key words: digital financial inclusion, carbon emission intensity, technological innovation, resource-based cities