The Impact of the Digital Economy on Green Development Efficiency in the Pearl River Delta Region: Internal Mechanisms and Empirical Tests

Against the backdrop of promoting high-quality and sustainable economic development, the digital economy is regarded as a key driver for enhancing green efficiency. To thoroughly analyze its driving role, this paper constructs a benchmark framework of “digital economy → transmission mechanism → green development efficiency.” Based on panel data from nine cities in the Pearl River Delta region, it employs a two-way fixed effects model to empirically examine the impact of the digital economy on green development efficiency and further expands the analysis to include influencing mechanisms and heterogeneity. The results indicate that the digital economy has a significant positive impact on the efficiency of green development in the Pearl River Delta region. Innovation of green technology and upgrading of industrial structure emerge as two key ways in which the digital economy improves the efficiency of green development. Further heterogeneity analysis reveals that for cities with moderate digital economic development, the marginal benefit of the digital economy in promoting green development efficiency is higher. Simultaneously, the digital economy’s promotional effect on green development efficiency is more pronounced in high-tier cities. Accordingly, this paper proposes prioritizing institutional development and cost reduction to enhance efficiency. This should be achieved through differentiated institutional supply, strengthened transmission pathway empowerment, optimized resource allocation, reduced transmission costs, amplified effects of leading cities, and maximized marginal benefits of leading cities, ultimately achieving comprehensive improvements in green development efficiency across the entire region.