Exploring the synergies between digitalization and decarbonization: From data disclosure perspective

Global climate change poses a significant challenge to achieving sustainable economic and social development goals. In pursuing carbon reduction goals, cities play an indispensable role, and enhancing their carbon efficiency is of critical significance. This study is designed to present fresh empirical evidence on urban low-carbon transition through the lens of public data openness. By adopting the launch of government data platforms as a quasi-natural experiment, it constructs a multi-period differences-in-differences (DID) model. The research uses data from 282 Chinese prefecture-level cities spanning from 2010 to 2021 to thoroughly explore the impact and mechanisms of public data access (PDA) on urban carbon emission efficiency. The study found that: (1) PDA significantly enhances urban carbon emission efficiency, thereby facilitating urban low-carbon transition. The implementation of PDA has led to an average increase of 6.78 % in urban carbon emission efficiency. (2) Based on the “technology–structure–configuration” framework, “technology” denotes the adoption of low-carbon technology, “structure” refers to the shift from high-carbon to low-carbon industries, and “configuration” captures the reduction of factor misallocation, technological upgrading, structural upgrading and resource allocation optimization are effective mechanisms for PDA to promote urban carbon emission efficiency. (3) There are city cluster effects and resource endowment differences in the effect of PDA on carbon emission efficiency. (4) Extended analysis further highlights the positive moderating role of digital infrastructure development and urban business environment in the impact of PDA on urban carbon emission efficiency.