Policy effects and mechanisms of ecological civilization demonstration area on carbon efficiency in resource-based cities

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the construction of ecological civilization demonstration areas (CECDA) on the carbon efficiency (CE) of resource-based cities (RCs) and to understand its mechanism. The CE indicator of 114 prefecture-level RCs in China was measured from 2004 to 2018 using the Slack Based Measure (SBM) model. We found that the index showed an overall fluctuating upward trend followed by a fallback phenomenon. Spatially, it exhibits an east-high and west-low distribution pattern. In an empirical study using a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model and balanced panel data, we found that CECDA significantly contributes to CE. Resource industry dependence is an important transmission factor of CECDA affecting CE, and the rationalization of the industrial structure level and advanced human capital level are important regulating factors. Simultaneously, compared with the central and northeastern regions, the impact of CECDA on CE is more evident in the eastern and western regions.