[Impact and Mechanism of the Digital Economy on Energy Carbon Emissions in Coastal Areas]

Based on panel data of 81 cities at or above the prefecture level in China's coastal provinces from 2012 to 2021 and relying on the quasi-natural experiment of the National Digital Economy Innovation and Development Pilot Zone， this paper uses DID and PSM-DID methods to explore the digital economy driven by data elements and the impact of development on energy carbon emissions in coastal areas. The research results show that the development of the digital economy has significantly reduced energy carbon emissions in coastal areas and that the emission reduction effect has strong potential. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the emission reduction effect of the digital economy is particularly significant in the northern coastal area and that the effect is more prominent in cities with low Internet development levels and low social consumption levels. The intermediary effect test further confirms that the digital economy has effectively reduced energy carbon emissions in coastal areas by improving technological innovation， adjusting industrial structure， and optimizing resource allocation. Remarkably， development of the digital economy not only mitigates local emissions but also positively influences energy carbon emissions in neighboring cities. Consequently， leveraging the Pilot Zone's development experiences， policy strategies should be optimized for inclusivity and flexibility， emphasizing the digital economy's pivotal role in pollution and carbon reduction efforts in coastal areas and thereby contributing to achievement of the "double carbon" goals.