Journal of Modern Business Administration

Based on the panel data of 29 provinces in China from 2011 to 2021, this paper explores the impact and mechanism of Chinese path to modernization development on carbon emissions in a multi-dimensional way by using fixed-effects model, mediated-effects model, robustness test and heterogeneity analysis. The study finds that: first, there is a significant nonlinear relationship between Chinese-style modernization development and carbon emissions, and the relationship between the two is inverted U-shape, i.e., Chinese path to modernization development will promote the increase of carbon emissions in the early stage, and will inhibit carbon emissions as Chinese path to modernization development matures; second, there is an inverted U-shape nonlinear relationship between Chinese path to modernization development and digital economy, and Chinese path to modernization development can influence digital economy on carbon emission by influencing the digital economy. Secondly, there is an inverted U-shaped non-linear relationship between Chinese path to modernization development and digital economy, and Chinese path to modernization can have a mediating effect on carbon emissions by influencing the digital economy; thirdly, through the analysis of heterogeneity, it can be seen that there is a significant difference in the effect of Chinese path to modernization development on carbon emissions among different geographic provinces.

Chinese path to modernization; Fixed-effect model; Mediated-effect model; Robustness test; Heterogeneity analysis