Xiaodan Wang, Yi Yang
Abstract Achieving synergistic control of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions is of utmost importance for China to promote a low-carbon transition. Against this backdrop, this study adopts a quasi-natural experiment approach to examine the impact of the establishment of National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zones (NBDCPZs) on air pollution and carbon emissions. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) model, the study analyzes balanced panel data from 2006 to 2022, covering 276 prefectural-level cities in China. The research results confirm that the establishment of NBDCPZs has a significant and positive effect on the synergistic reduction of air pollution and carbon emissions. The study also highlights three potential mechanisms involved: optimizing public transportation networks, alleviating market segmentation, and promoting green innovation. Furthermore, the positive impact of NBDCPZs is more pronounced in cities with lower administrative levels and in nonresource-based cities. These findings offer empirical support for integrating big data policies into the green transformation agenda. Significance Statement Climate change and air pollution pose severe threats to human health and societal stability. To address these dual challenges, big data has emerged as a critical technological foundation for precise and synergistic governance. By analyzing China’s National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zones, we demonstrate that this policy effectively drives the synergistic reduction of air pollution and carbon emissions. This is accomplished by optimizing public transportation networks, alleviating market segmentation, and fostering green innovation. Importantly, policy effectiveness varies by administrative level and resource endowment. These insights provide policymakers with a roadmap for designing differentiated governance strategies to advance sustainable development across diverse regions.