Digital Economy Effects on Urban Air Pollution and Ecosystem Service Trade-Offs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71465/jgs52Keywords:
Digital Economy, Air Pollution, Ecosystem Services, Spatial Spillover, Urban SustainabilityAbstract
The rapid expansion of the digital economy has profoundly reshaped urban socioeconomic structures, presenting complex implications for environmental sustainability and ecosystem dynamics. This comprehensive academic paper investigates the intricate relationships between digital economic development, urban air pollution mitigation, and the resultant trade-offs within urban ecosystem services. By synthesizing extensive theoretical frameworks and employing advanced spatial econometric narratives, this research explores how digital transformations—such as the integration of big data, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence—influence the concentration of major air pollutants including particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide. Furthermore, the study delves into the ecological consequences of these changes, specifically addressing the trade-offs between provisioning services, such as urban economic output driven by digital infrastructure, and regulating services, such as air quality maintenance and climate regulation. The analysis reveals that while the digital economy significantly reduces local air pollution through industrial upgrading and technological innovation, it also generates complex spatial spillover effects that can inadvertently shift environmental burdens to adjacent regions. Additionally, the proliferation of digital infrastructure introduces new ecological challenges, necessitating a re-evaluation of ecosystem service trade-offs. Ultimately, this research provides vital theoretical insights and policy recommendations for leveraging digital innovation to foster sustainable urban environments while maintaining critical ecological balances.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Romain Blanchard (Author)
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All articles published in the Journal of Geospace Science (JOGSS) are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows others to share, copy, distribute, and adapt the work, provided proper attribution is given to the original author(s) and source.