The Impact of Industrial Agglomeration on Urban Carbon Emissions: An Empirical Study Based on the Panel Data of China’s Prefecture-Level Cities

In the context of accelerating global climate change, it has become increasingly important to study the vital relationship between industrial agglomeration and urban carbon emissions for sustainable development. The present study focuses on the influence of industrial agglomeration on urban carbon emissions, by investigating a sample of 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2009 to 2021. Methodologically, this study empirically tests the effect of industrial agglomeration on the urban carbon emissions through the use of a spatial Durbin model and mediating effect model. The following are the main conclusions: first, the impact of industrial agglomeration on urban carbon emissions shows an inverted U-shaped relationship, which first intensifies and then inhibits, and has spatial spillover effect; second, industrial agglomeration has different impacts on urban carbon emissions in the eastern, central and western regions. Industrial agglomeration shows different impacts on urban carbon emissions between resource-based and non-resource-based cities. Industrial agglomeration shows different impacts on urban carbon emissions between old industrial cities and non-old industrial cities. Third, green technology innovation and green talent agglomeration mediate the relationship between industrial agglomeration and urban carbon emissions. This study highlights the significance of industrial agglomeration in promoting sustainable urban development and offers valuable insights for the planning and formulation of industrial development policies.