Exploring the impact of new economic forms such as the digital economy (DE) on carbon emissions is crucial for China’s “dual carbon” goals. This paper assesses the impact of the DE on carbon emission intensity (CI) from a 2011–2021 perspective on energy consumption in 30 provinces (Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Tibet are excluded) by using a double fixed-effects model for evaluating the DE. Based on the results from 2011 to 2021, (1) China’s DE and CI differ spatially and temporally. In contrast to CI, DE shows a pattern of low in the northwest and high in the southeast. The changes are similar to Hu Huanyong’s line, with considerable changes in the southeast, especially the coastal region. (2) Chinese DE’s carbon control effects (−0.027) vary by region. A significant negative effect is seen in both the eastern and western regions, with the western region having the greatest negative effect (−0.030), and a positive but insignificant impact in the central region. (3) Total energy consumption (TEC), structure (EC) and efficiency (EI) are all pathways of its influence. Path changes in China are mainly dominated by dual paths (Accounting for over 47%), with fewer single and multiple paths. Among them, the main dual path types are TEC and EC in the east and central regions, TEC and EC, and EC and EI in the western regions; meanwhile, the paths are unchanged in most of the provinces in China, and the changed provinces are mainly in the west. Based on these findings, DE development policies based on regional energy consumption differentiation are crucial to reducing carbon emissions.

The design of ecological compensation (EC) programs from the perspectives of the supply, demand, and flow of ecosystem services (ESs) is important for promoting sustainable regional development. In this study, the supply–demand levels of carbon sequestration (CS) on the Loess Plateau (LP) in 2001, 2010, and 2020 were analyzed, interregional flows of CS were simulated, and an implementation scheme for EC was developed that takes priorities into account by establishing an ecological compensation index that considers for supply–demand risks and flows. The results revealed that the degree of deficit of CS in the LP enhanced from 2001 to 2020, and the total flow rate first increased and then decreased. Based on the prioritization of receipts and payments, an EC program combining vertical and horizontal compensation mechanisms was finally obtained. This study provides a theoretical and practical basis for understanding the flow process of ESs and formulating EC programs.