The Impact Mechanism and Effect of Digital Economy on Industrial Green Development Efficiency: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta Region

In the context of the Yangtze River Delta integration strategy and the "dual-carbon" goal, promoting green and low-carbon economic and social development has become a key link to achieve high-quality development. The Yangtze River Delta, as a core growth pole of China's economy, faces the dilemma of high energy consumption and high emissions in traditional industrial models. While the digital economy is booming in this region, research on the linkage between digital economy and industrial green development efficiency remains insufficient, especially lacking empirical analysis at the prefecture-level city level. This study aims to fill this gap by constructing a theoretical framework to explore how the digital economy affects industrial green development efficiency through technological progress, resource optimization, and industrial upgrading. Using data from 41 prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Delta, it employs dual fixed-effect models and spatial Durbin models to quantify direct impacts and spatial spillover effects, verifying the mediating roles of industrial upgrading and human capital. Additionally, it calculates Moran's I to test spatial correlation, providing a basis for spatial econometric models. Finally, it proposes policy combinations involving digital infrastructure upgrading, industrial collaborative innovation, and cross-regional governance to support the green transformation of industries in the Yangtze River Delta and offer a regional model for the nation.