Cross-border e-commerce and carbon emission reduction: A quasi-natural experiment based on the establishment of cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones

Cross-border e-commerce, as a novel form of trade in the digital economy era, represents a critical pathway for advancing low-carbon development in the economy and society. This research adopts China's cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone (CEPZ) as a quasi-natural experiment. It applies a multi-period DID model and city statistical data, customs import-export data, as well as national tax survey data to systematically investigate the impact of the CEPZ policy on the reduction of carbon emissions. The research findings reveal that the establishment of the CEPZs significantly promotes carbon emissions reduction in both cities and enterprises. Furthermore, the promotional effect of the CEPZs on carbon emissions reduction exhibits substantial heterogeneity. At the urban level, CEPZs primarily facilitate the reduction of carbon emissions in areas characterized by well-developed digital infrastructure, inland regions, and non-traditional industrial cities. At the enterprise level, the CEPZs favor carbon emissions reduction in enterprises with high carbon intensity and low market competition. Mechanism analysis underscores that the CEPZs play a crucial role in driving carbon emissions reduction through three mechanisms, including the producer services agglomeration effects, industrial digitalization effects, and resource allocation optimization effects. Further analysis indicates that although the CEPZs generate significant positive spillover effects on carbon emissions reduction in neighboring enterprises, they do not propel carbon emissions reduction in adjacent cities. The conclusions offer empirical evidence and policy insights to align the development of new trade formats with low-carbon socioeconomic transitions.