Impact of Intelligent Transformation on Industrial Carbon Emission Efficiency and Its Spatial Spillover Effect: Evidence from 284 Chinese Cities

This study explores the impact of industrial intelligent transformation on industrial carbon emission efficiency and its spatial spillover effect, which is closely related to industrial sustainability. Based on panel data of 284 cities in China from 2011 to 2023, we find that intelligent transformation significantly improves urban industrial carbon emission efficiency, and reducing energy consumption intensity and promoting green technological innovation are two critical mediating channels. Moreover, both marketization level and environmental regulation stringency strengthen the promoting role of intelligent transformation on industrial carbon emission efficiency. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the promotional effect of intelligent transformation on industrial carbon emission efficiency is strongest in Eastern China, followed by Central China, and weakest in Western China. In addition, this effect is significant in non-resource-based cities but insignificant in resource-based cities. Furthermore, intelligent transformation exerts a negative “competitive spillover effect” on industrial carbon emission efficiency of geographically adjacent cities, while generating a positive “demonstration spillover effect” on cities with similar economic development levels.