Abstract
Under the global digitalization trend, enhancing the construction of new-generation information network infrastructure is crucial for China to break the high-carbon path dependence formed during traditional economic development. This study uses city-level data of China from 2010 to 2021 to calculate the carbon lock-in degree of 283 cities. It employs the “Broadband China” strategy as a quasi-natural experiment and utilizes a difference-indifferences model to explore the impact and mechanisms of network infrastructure construction on carbon lockin. The study also examines network infrastructure construction’s heterogeneous and spatial spillover effects. The results indicate that demonstration cities not only help reduce carbon lock-in within their region but also significantly promote carbon unlocking in neighboring cities. Furthermore, the pilot policy’s inhibitory effect on carbon lock-in is achieved by reducing government intervention, curbing energy market segmentation, stimulating green technology innovation, and enhancing public environmental awareness. Additionally, the carbon unlocking effect induced by network infrastructure is more prominent in the first batch of demonstration cities, as well as in cities with higher administrative levels, urbanization rates, and network infrastructure maturity. However, the establishment of demonstration cities does not effectively address institution carbon lock-in. This research not only enhances the existing analytical framework of carbon lock-in but also offers valuable policy insights to accelerate broadband strategies implementation.
Tao, W.; Weng, S.; Chen, X.; Song, M. 2025. Breaking the inertia of traditional economic development: Does network infrastructure construction achieve urban carbon unlocking? Sustainable cities and society : Elsevier. ISSN 2210-6707. eISSN 2210-6715. 121, 106197, p. 1–18. DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2025.106197. [Scopus; Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science)].