Evolution and Drivers of Coordinated Digital and Green Development in the Yangtze River Delta

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the accelerated transformation of the global economic society, the coordinated development of digitalization and greening has become a crucial choice for promoting high-quality development in China. Based on an analysis of the mechanism of the coordinated development of digitalization and greening and the construction of a comprehensive index system, this study applies various methods such as the entropy method and the revised coupling coordination degree model to analyze the data of 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2014 to 2023. The results show that: (1) The level of coordinated development of digitalization and greening in cities in the Yangtze River Delta region has been improving year by year, but there is still great room for improvement and the development is unbalanced; (2) There are significant differences in the coordinated development of digitalization and greening at the provincial and municipal levels in the Yangtze River Delta region; (3) The regional coordinated development presents the characteristics of dynamic evolution and spatial agglomeration, and the spatial Moran's I index decreased from 0.284 in 2014 to 0.188 in 2023 (P<0.1), indicating significantly weakened agglomeration effects; (4) The level of urbanization, the level of scientific and technological innovation, and the level of industrial structure optimization have a significant positive impact on coordinated development, and there are regional heterogeneities. This empirical evidence underscores the imperative for tailored, synergistic governance of digital-green transitions, offering a vital blueprint for sustainable development in China and beyond.