Does Digital Economy Contribute to Regional Carbon Productivity? Evidence of China

With breakthroughs in big data, communication networks, artificial intelligence, and other next-generation information technologies, intelligent production methods and digital lifestyles have risen rapidly. Digital economy has become a significant force in promoting regional low-carbon development as a new economic form in the important period of the intersection of digitalization and “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.” This paper empirically explores the moderating role and threshold role of human capital in digital economy and regional carbon productivity by systematically measuring digital economy indicators. Research shows that China’s digital economy development index is rising annually. However, the development of digital economy varies significantly between different regions. The results of moderating effect showed that human capital accumulation could dramatically strengthen the role of digital economy in promoting regional carbon productivity. The results of the threshold effect showed that human capital plays an important threshold role in the relationship between digital economy and regional carbon productivity. This paper provides a practical reference for exploring power sources, policy design, and path selection of low-carbon development.