Can government digital transformation improve corporate energy efficiency in resource-based cities?

Abstract

Corporations in resource-based cities have long faced unique challenges in achieving sustainable development. Digital government construction, a critical strategy for enhancing governance capacity through information technology, presents significant potential to improve corporate energy efficiency and foster sustainable growth. This study explores the impact of digital government construction on corporate energy efficiency in China's resource-based cities, utilizing data from listed companies. The findings are as follows: First, digital government construction significantly enhances corporate energy efficiency in resource-based cities, with this effect remaining robust across a series of robustness checks. Second, the extent of this beneficial effect varies with factors such as digital infrastructure level, environmental policy stringency, local financial constraints, and corporate ownership structure. Third, the improvement in energy efficiency is primarily driven by advances in technological innovation and reductions in non-productive expenditures. These findings underscore the pivotal role of digital government construction as an effective tool for enhancing energy efficiency and supporting sustainable development in resource-based cities.