智慧城市试点政策对节能减排影响机制分析

[Research purpose] In conjunction with China’s swift economic ascent, the initiation of smart city pilot policies in a phased manner from the year 2012 has been instrumental in propelling energy conservation and emission reduction, as well as the advancement of industrial structure optimization. This initiative holds profound significance and possesses substantial research merit in the context of achieving socialist modernization. [Research method] This paper leverages panel data from 282 prefecture-level cities over the decade from 2009 to 2019. It employs a multi-period difference-in-differences regression approach to scrutinize the impact of smart city pilot policies on energy conservation and emission reduction. To fortify the validity of the study, robustness checks are implemented through parallel trend analysis, temporal heterogeneity assessment, and propensity score matching (PSM) methods. [Research conclusion] The research uncovers that the smart city pilot policies have markedly diminished energy consumption per unit of GDP, with an observable escalation of the policy’s efficacy over time. To bolster the development of smart cities, the following recommendations are proffered. First, the national authorities do the promulgation and strategic guidance of policies. Second, local governments and academic institutions take vigorous collaboration to ensure the enduring and stable implementation of policies. Third, it gives a endorsement of the high-tech and green industry sectors to harness the full potential of smart cities in the realm of energy conservation and emission reduction.