Dual Pilot Policies and Urban Ecological Resilience: Evidence from New Energy Demonstration and Smart City Initiatives

Enhancing urban ecological resilience (UER) is essential for achieving sustainable development in the context of global climate change. Using urban panel data and a difference-in-differences (DID) framework, this study empirically examines the effects of dual pilot policies combining new energy demonstration (NED) and smart city initiatives on UER and investigates the underlying transmission mechanisms. The results show that the coordinated implementation of the two pilot policies generates a statistically significant positive effect on UER that exceeds the effects of either policy implemented independently. This synergistic effect is more pronounced in western and non-resource-based cities in China. The mechanism analysis further indicates that the dual pilot policies enhance UER primarily by strengthening pollution control, promoting green technological development, and improving energy efficiency. In addition, favorable external conditions, including greater government attention, stronger public oversight, improved access to green finance, and more developed green infrastructure, amplify the positive effects of the dual pilot policies. Overall, this study demonstrates that a coordinated policy mix can generate synergistic benefits for UER and provides empirical evidence and theoretical insights to inform sustainable urban development.