The Impact of E‑Commerce on Rural Energy Carbon Emissions: Income Effects and Regional Heterogeneity

Abstract

Drawing on provincial panel data from 2007 to 2020, this study empirically examines the impact of e‑commerce development on carbon emissions from rural household energy consumption and identifies the underlying mechanism through the income effect. The results show that e‑commerce development significantly increases both the aggregate scale and per capita level of rural household energy‑related carbon emissions. This promotional effect declines over time and is more pronounced in eastern and northern regions than in central, western, and southern regions. Mechanism analysis reveals that income growth induced by e‑commerce is the primary driver: it elevates emissions through expanded consumption scale and upgraded consumption structure, while simultaneously reducing emissions by facilitating cleaner energy transitions. These findings extend the environmental impact literature on e‑commerce and offer practical implications for rural carbon emission management.