Dual dimension assessment and green driven model for high quality industrial development level in Yangtze River Delta

Reflecting the essence of high-quality development., this paper constructs a dual-dimensional measurement index system for High-Quality Industrial Development Level (HQIDL) in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration, grounded in the five development concepts and three development dimensions. The study employs the QAP model, Tobit model, and path analysis to explore the driving modes of green development in YRD industry through the lens of the digital economy. The results indicate that: (1) The overall trend of HQIDL across the four provinces and municipalities in YRD is “Shanghai > Jiangsu > Zhejiang > Anhui,” with the green dimension playing a significant role in driving this trend. (2) QAP analysis shows that the innovation dimension and economic development disparities have a decisive influence on promoting HQIDL, while shared development disparities play a crucial role within each subregion. (3) Considering the digital economy, industries, digital technology, environment, and resources all positively influence HQIDL, with digital technology exerting the most significant impact.