Does Government Digitization Reform Reduce Cities Natural Resource Dependence

Against the backdrop of increasing globalisation and digitisation, the resource curse continues to constrain the economic and social development of some resource-rich regions. How to alleviate the resource curse, optimise resource allocation and achieve sustainable development is the core issue of concern for governments and academics. In this context, government digital reform (GDD) is seen as a possible solution path. Government Digital Reform has opened up new paths to alleviate the resource curse dilemma. This study utilizes the data of Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2011 to 2020 to delve into the effects of GDD on the degree of natural resource dependence (RSD). The main findings are as follows: first, GDD significantly mitigates urban RSD. second, the effect of GDD on attenuating RSD geographically exhibits a trend of west > central > east; moreover, this effect is particularly significant in third- and fourth-tier cities as well as those with relatively low levels of digital finance and marketization. Finally, GDD further reduces urban RSD by optimizing the allocation of land resources, promoting the development of the digital economy (DE), and raising public awareness of environmental issues. Overall, the research in this paper provides us with a new perspective to deeply explore the formation mechanism and change trend of RSD from the perspective of GDD. This provides important theoretical support and practical guidance for relevant policy makers, and helps to promote resource-based cities to achieve green, low-carbon and sustainable development in the era of digital economy.