Can digital infrastructure improve urban ecological resilience? Evidence from the “Broadband China” strategy

Abstract

As an important pillar of digital economy development, digital infrastructure (DI) is profoundly reshaping urban green transformation and sustainable development. Urban ecological resilience (UER) is an important indicator for evaluating the capacity of urban ecosystems to withstand disturbances, adapt to change, and sustain evolutionary development. It is also a key dimension for assessing the long-term sustainability of cities. Although existing studies have extensively examined the effects of DI on economic growth, carbon reduction, and green development, direct empirical evidence on whether and how DI enhances UER remains limited. To address this gap, this study treats the Broadband China Strategy (BCS) as a quasi-natural experiment and uses panel data for 275 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2023 to employ a multi-period difference-in-differences model. It systematically examines the impact of DI on UER and its underlying mechanisms. The results show that, first, DI significantly enhances UER. The BCS pilot policy increases the UER index by 0.0037 on average, equivalent to an improvement of about 1.65% relative to the sample mean, and this finding remains robust across a series of robustness tests. Second, the mechanism analysis indicates that DI mainly enhances UER through three channels: promoting green technological innovation, facilitating industrial structure upgrading, and strengthening environmental regulation intensity. Third, the heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive effect of DI is mainly concentrated in the eastern and central regions, resource-based cities, and small- and medium-sized cities. These findings suggest that future efforts should continue to advance DI development while placing greater emphasis on its coordinated progress with the cultivation of green technological innovation, the optimization of industrial structure, and the improvement of environmental governance capacity. Differentiated strategies should also be adopted in accordance with regional conditions, resource endowments, and city characteristics so as to more effectively strengthen UER and support the green and low-carbon transformation of cities.

Keywords

Digital infrastructure / Urban ecological resilience / “Broadband China” strategy / Conduction mechanisms / Difference-in-difference model

References

[1] Agboola OP, Tunay M. Urban resilience in the digital age: The influence of Information-Communication Technology for sustainability. J Clean Prod, 2023, 428: 139304

[2] Argyroudis SA, Mitoulis SA, Chatzi E, Baker JW, Brilakis I, Gkoumas K, Vousdoukas M, Hynes W, Carluccio S, Keou O, Frangopol DM, Linkov I. Digital technologies can enhance climate resilience of critical infrastructure. Clim Risk Manag, 2022, 35: 100387

[3] Callaway B, Anna PHCS. Difference-in-Differences with multiple time periods. J Econometrics, 2021, 225: 200-230

[4] Charfeddine L, Umlai M. ICT sector, digitization and environmental sustainability: A systematic review of the literature from 2000 to 2022. Renew Sust Energ Rev, 2023, 184: 113482

[5] Che S, Le Wen, Wang J. Global insights on the impact of digital infrastructure on carbon emissions: A multidimensional analysis. J Environ Manage, 2024, 368: 122144

[6] Chen S, Peng L. Road to Resilient Cities: The Power of Education Investment from China’s Cities. Sustainability, 2025, 17: 3213

[7] Chen Y, Jiang C, Peng L, Zhao S, Chen C. Digital infrastructure construction and urban industrial chain resilience: Evidence from the Broadband China strategy. Sustain Cities Soc, 2025, 121: 106228

[8] Chen Y, Li X, Wang X, Yang H, Guo X, Yang R. Digital Economy and Green Development in RCEP Countries: Evidence from Panel Data and Mediation Analysis. Econ Anal Policy, 2025, 90: 1607-1630

[9] Cheng A. Spatiotemporal changes and underlying factors of urban ecological resilience: evidence from Chinese cities. Environ Dev Sustain, 2025

[10] Cui X, Fu B, Chen Y, Bai S. Bridging digital and ecological resilience: spatiotemporal dynamics and coordinated development paths in the Yellow River Inverted U-Shaped Belt Metropolitan Area. J Environ Manage, 2025, 388 Article ID: 125990

[11] Deng L, Zhang Q, Cheng Y, Cao Q, Wang Z, Wu Q, Qiao J. Underlying the influencing factors behind the heterogeneous change of urban landscape patterns since 1990: a multiple dimension analysis. Ecol Indic, 2022, 140 Article ID: 108967

[12] Dong H, Tao M, Wang J, Baiocchi G. How broadband infrastructure development impacts green innovation? A corporate financialization mediated perspective. Sustain Dev, 2024, 32: 6881-6902

[13] Fan Y, Wei G. Assessment of ecological resilience and its response mechanism to land spatial structure conflicts in China’s Southeast Coastal Areas. Ecol Indic, 2025, 170 Article ID: 112980

[14] Feng X, Zeng F, Loo BPY, Zhong Y. The evolution of urban ecological resilience: an evaluation framework based on vulnerability, sensitivity and self-organization. Sustain Cities Soc, 2024, 116 Article ID: 105933

[15] Han X, Fu L, Lv C, Peng J. Measurement and spatio-temporal heterogeneity analysis of the coupling coordinated development among the digital economy, technological innovation and ecological environment. Ecol Indic, 2023, 151 Article ID: 110325

[16] He G, Jiang H, Zhu Y. The effect of digital technology development on the improvement of environmental governance capacity: a case study of China. Ecol Indic, 2024, 165 Article ID: 112162

[17] Holling CS. Resilience and stability of ecological systems. Annu Rev Ecol Syst, 1973, 4: 1-23

[18] Hu H, Yan K, Shi Y, Lv T, Zhang X, Wang X. Decrypting resilience: the spatiotemporal evolution and driving factors of ecological resilience in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration. Environ Impact Assess Rev, 2024, 106 Article ID: 107540

[19] Huang Y, Wang Z, Zhao H, Di You, Wang W, Peng Y (2025) Quantifying the nonlinear effects of urban morphological features on ecological resilience: Evidence from cities in China. Sustain Cities Soc 107072. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2025.107072

[20] Kez DA, Foley AM, Laverty D, Rio DFD, Sovacool B. Exploring the sustainability challenges facing digitalization and internet data centers. J Clean Prod, 2022, 371 Article ID: 133633

[21] Kutty AA, Kucukvar M, Abdella GM, Bulak ME, Onat NC. Sustainability performance of European smart cities: a novel DEA approach with double frontiers. Sustain Cities Soc, 2022, 81 Article ID: 103777

[22] Lan C, Li X, Peng B, Li X. Unlocking urban ecological resilience: the dual role of environmental regulation and green technology innovation. Sustain Cities Soc, 2025, 128 Article ID: 106466

[23] Lee J, Miller HJ. Simple pre-post analysis overestimates the impacts of new public transit services on ridership: evidence from a quasi-experimental study of new bus rapid transit in Columbus, Ohio, USA. J Public Transp, 2022, 24 Article ID: 100035

[24] Lee C, Yan J, Li T. Ecological resilience of city clusters in the middle reaches of Yangtze River. J Clean Prod, 2024, 443 Article ID: 141082

[25] Li H, Fu H (2025) Digital infrastructure, green technology innovation, and environmental sustainability: Evidence from China’s resource-based cities. Green Technol Sustain 100332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.grets.2025.100332

[26] Li S, Yang T. The impact of digital infrastructure on air quality: mediating role of public environmental attention and industrial development. J Environ Manage, 2025, 373 Article ID: 123893

[27] Li Y, Zhang J, Yang X, Wang W, Wu H, Ran Q, Luo R. The impact of innovative city construction on ecological efficiency: a quasi-natural experiment from China. Sustain Prod Consum, 2021, 28: 1724-1735

[28] Li B, Liu J, Liu Q, Mohiuddin M. The effects of broadband infrastructure on carbon emission efficiency of resource-based cities in China: a quasi-natural experiment from the “Broadband China” pilot policy. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022, 19 Article ID: 6734

[29] Li X, Yang G, Shao T, Yang D, Liu Z. Does digital infrastructure promote individual entrepreneurship? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment on the “Broadband China” strategy. Technol Forecast Soc Change, 2024, 206 Article ID: 123555

[30] Li Q, Ge J, Zhang X, Wu X, Fan H, Yang L. Assessment of the interaction between digital infrastructure and ecological resilience: insights from Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration in China. J Clean Prod, 2025, 486 Article ID: 144364

[31] Li T, Li R, Liu Y, Wei G, Li S, He B. Does enhanced land use efficiency promote ecological resilience in China's urban agglomerations?. Environ Impact Assess Rev, 2025, 115 Article ID: 108047

[32] Liu X, Jia X, Lyu K, Guo P, Shen J. The impact of low-carbon city pilot policy on urban energy transition: an analysis of multiple mediating effects based on government–enterprise–resident. Energy Ecol Environ, 2024, 9: 419-438

[33] Ma Z, Zhang P. Understanding how digital infrastructure construction could promote sustainable development. Sustain Cities Soc, 2024, 117 Article ID: 105977

[34] Meerow S, Newell JP, Stults M. Defining urban resilience: a review. Landsc Urban Plan, 2016, 147: 38-49

[35] Murphy J, Gouldson A. Environmental policy and industrial innovation: integrating environment and economy through ecological modernisation. Geoforum, 2000, 31: 33-44

[36] Qin B, Yu Y, Ge L, Liu Y, Zheng Y, Liu Z. The role of digital infrastructure construction on green city transformation: does government governance matters?. Cities, 2024, 155 Article ID: 105462

[37] Salman MY, Hasar H. Review on environmental aspects in smart city concept: water, waste, air pollution and transportation smart applications using IoT techniques. Sustain Cities Soc, 2023, 94 Article ID: 24

[38] Sun Z, Liu L, Attri R, Zhao L, Alofaysan H. Urban digitalization and government environmental attention: an attention allocation theory perspective. Technol Forecast Soc Change, 2025, 219 Article ID: 124268

[39] Wang Q, Liu Y. Beautifying urban environment: smart city construction and sustainable pollution control in China. J Environ Manage, 2024, 371 Article ID: 123262

[40] Wang L, Shao J. The energy saving effects of digital infrastructure construction: empirical evidence from Chinese industry. Energy, 2024, 294 Article ID: 130778

[41] Wang C, Liu Y, Hu S, Liu X. Can new digital infrastructure enhance ecological total factor productivity? Evidence from Chinese cities. Econ Anal Policy, 2024, 84: 1521-1537

[42] Wang H, Deng W, Zhang Z, Li M. Does government's environmental attention improve urban energy efficiency ?. Int Rev Financ Anal, 2024, 91 Article ID: 103046

[43] Wang H, Zheng M, Yin H, Chang C. Green innovation, industrial structure and urban eco-efficiency in Chinese cities. Econ Anal Policy, 2024, 82: 1011-1024

[44] Wang X, Suk S, Triana N, Xue Y, Ma X, Liu F, Wang L, Liu Y. Spatiotemporal dynamics and multidimensional drivers of tourism development-ecological resilience coupling coordination in Jiangxi Province, China. Environ Sustain Indic, 2025, 28 Article ID: 100875

[45] Wen H, Liang W, Lee C. Urban broadband infrastructure and green total-factor energy efficiency in China. Util Policy, 2022, 79 Article ID: 101414

[46] Wu N, Zhou Y, Yin S, Gong H, Zhang C. Revealing the nonlinear impact of environmental regulation on ecological resilience using the XGBoost-SHAP model: evidence from the Yangtze River Delta region, China. J Clean Prod, 2025, 514 Article ID: 145700

[47] Xu Q, Zhong M, Dong Y. Digital economy and risk response: how the digital economy affects urban resilience. Cities, 2024, 155 Article ID: 105397

[48] Zhang Q, Huang T, Xu S. Assessment of urban ecological resilience based on PSR Framework in the Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China. Land Basel, 2023, 12 Article ID: 1089

[49] Zhang C, Zhou Y, Yin S. Interaction mechanisms of urban ecosystem resilience based on pressure-state-response framework: a case study of the Yangtze River Delta. Ecol Indic, 2024, 166 Article ID: 112263

[50] Zhang H, Di Maria C, Ghezelayagh B, Shan Y. Climate policy in emerging economies: evidence from China’s Low-Carbon City Pilot. J Environ Econ Manage, 2024, 124 Article ID: 102943

[51] Zhang Y, Wang J, Liu Y, Zhao J. The impact of the digital economy on urban ecological resilience: empirical evidence from China’s Comprehensive Big Data Pilot Zone Policy. Sustainability, 2024, 16 Article ID: 3611

[52] Zhang X, Liu S, Guo Y, Ji X. A measurement study on the impact of fixed asset investment on China’s industrial structure upgrading. Agric Econ Manag, 2025, 8: 149-161

[53] Zhao P, Guo J, Wang Y. How does the digital economy affect green development?—Evidence from 284 cities in China. Sustainability, 2023, 15 Article ID: 11596

[54] Zhao R, Guo W, Jiang X. Evaluation and optimization of urban ecological resilience in rapidly urbanizing areas of China: a case study of Taiyuan Metropolitan Area. Environ Sustain Indic, 2026, 29 Article ID: 101077

[55] Zheng S, Tang P, Yu Z, Yao Y, Zhang L, Zhou M, Xu H. Green technology innovation and urban sprawl in China: theory and mechanism. Int Rev Econ Finance, 2026, 107 Article ID: 105084

[56] Zhong S, Wang M, Zhu Y, Chen Z, Huang X. Urban expansion and the urban–rural income gap: empirical evidence from China. Cities, 2022, 129 Article ID: 103831

[57] Zhou J, Xu W, Yan D. Breaking the resource curse: the impact of digital economy on the sustainable transformation of resource-based cities. Sustain Cities Soc, 2024, 113 Article ID: 105707

[58] Zhou Y, Wu N, Zhang C, Wang Q, Chen Z, Yin S. How green technological innovation shapes urban ecological resilience: structural, governance, and fiscal pathways in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. J Clean Prod, 2026, 543 Article ID: 147607

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(42001257)

Humanities and Social Sciences Research Project of the Ministry of Education of China(25YJA790044)

Shanxi Scholarship Council of China(2024-096)

Scientific Activities of Selected Returned Overseas Professionals in Shanxi Province(20250024)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Society of Energy and Environmental Science