As a new factor of production, data play a key role in driving low-carbon and sustainable development relying on the digital economy. However, previous studies have ignored this point. Based on the panel data of 283 cities in China from 2007 to 2019, we investigated the construction of national big data comprehensive pilot zones (NBDCPZs) in China as a quasi-natural experiment, using the difference-in-differences (DID) model to empirically test the impact of NBDCPZ policies on urban low-carbon transformation. The following conclusions can be drawn: NBDCPZ construction significantly promotes urban low-carbon transformation, and a series of robustness analysis supports this conclusion. NBDCPZ constructions mainly promotes urban low-carbon transformation by stimulating urban green innovation and optimizing the allocation of urban resource elements. Compared with eastern cities, small and medium-sized cities, and resource-based cities, the construction of NBDCPZs can promote the low-carbon transformation of cities in central and western China, large cities, and non-resource-based cities. Further analysis shows that the construction of NBDCPZs can only improve the low-carbon transformation of local cities, with negative spatial spillover effects on the low-carbon transformation of surrounding cities. Therefore, in the future, it is vital to consider the promotion effect of the construction of NBDCPZs on the low-carbon transformation of local cities and prevent its negative impact on the low-carbon transformation of surrounding cities.

Improving the low-carbon utilization efficiency of urban land is crucial to the low-carbon transformation and sustainable development of China and the world economy. Innovation-driven development, especially the construction of National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zones (NIIDZs), is an important measure to realize the low-carbon transformation of urban land use and sustainable economic development in China. However, previous studies have neglected to study the impact of the construction of NIIDZs on the low-carbon utilization efficiency of urban land. Based on a theoretical analysis and using the panel data of 283 cities in China from 2006 to 2019, we took NIIDZ construction in China as a quasi-natural experiment and adopted the progressive difference-in-differences method (DID) to evaluate the impact and action mechanism of NIIDZ construction on urban land low-carbon utilization efficiency. We found that NIIDZ construction can significantly promote the improvement of the low-carbon utilization efficiency of urban land, and a series of robustness analysis results support this research conclusion. With the passage of time, this kind of promotion effect shows a trend of increasing fluctuation. NIIDZ construction mainly improves the low-carbon utilization efficiency of urban land by promoting green technology innovation and generating economies of scale. In addition, compared with eastern cities, small-scale cities and resource-based cities, the promotion effect of NIIDZ construction in central and western cities, large cities, and non-resource-based cities is more obvious. This study provides a theoretical basis and practical reference for the low-carbon utilization of urban land from the perspective of innovation in China.

Against the background of global climate change and the rapid rise of the digital economy, the digital transformation of agriculture is profoundly changing the agricultural production and operation mode with the help of digital technology, becoming a new driving force for low-carbon and sustainable development of agriculture. However, previous studies rarely examined the impact of agricultural digital transformation on agricultural low-carbon transformation from the perspective of carbon productivity. To fill this gap, this study attempts to build a theoretical analysis framework for the impact of agricultural digital transformation on agricultural carbon productivity (ACP). By using a set of panel data from 30 provinces (cities) in China from 2011 to 2019, this study explores the impact of agricultural digital transformation on ACP, as well as its conduction mechanism and the non-linear mechanism. Empirical results show that the transformation of agricultural digitalization is conducive to the promotion of ACP. A series of robustness analyses support this conclusion. The main transmission mechanisms for digital transformation to affect ACP include agricultural industrial structure upgrading, and the agricultural scale operation. In addition, with the improvement of urbanization level and rural human capital, the impact of agricultural digital transformation on ACP presents a “U” type non-linear feature of inhibition first and promotion later. Furtherly, heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of digital transformation on ACP will vary greatly depending on the levels of ACP, the geographical location of the studied area and whether it is a main grain-producing area. This study provides a theoretical and empirical basis for the improvement of China’s agricultural carbon productivity from the perspective of the digital economy.