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Arid Land Geography ›› 2026, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (10): 2171-2181.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2025.640

• Regional Development • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatiotemporal evolution and multiple paths for the coordinated development of digitalization and greening in China’s logistics industry: Based on the AIS theoretical framework

LI Xuhui(), NIAN Qingyu   

  1. Environmental Economic Policy Evaluation Center, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, Anhui, China
  • Received:2025-10-13 Revised:2025-11-04 Online:2026-10-25 Published:2026-10-26

Abstract:

Coordinating the development of digitalization and greening in the logistics industry can promote high-quality transformation in the sector while helping to achieve China’s “dual carbon” goals. Based on data from 30 provinces (autonomous regions) of China from 2013 to 2023, this study construct a system to measure coordinated development of digitalization and greening in logistics using the vertical and horizontal scatter degree method, coupling coordination model, and spatial Moran’s I to analyze its spatiotemporal characteristics. Furthermore, based on the theoretical frameworks of change dynamism, institutional environment dynamics, and spatial organizational structure, we use a dynamic qualitative comparative analysis to explore multiple development pathways. The results indicated that: (1) In terms of temporal evolution, the degree of coupling coordination in digitalization and greening transformation in China’s logistics industry generally increased from 2013 to 2023, evolving from a state of primary coordination to medium coordination, with a geographic distribution characterized by eastern leading, central and western accelerating, and northeastern lagging. (2) The coordinated development of digitalization and greening in China’s logistics industry exhibits a significant positive spatial correlation with a fluctuating downward trend. The regional spatial pattern has gradually evolved from agglomeration toward a relative balance characterized by typical “high-high” and “low-low” spatial clustering patterns. (3) No single factor represents a necessary condition for achieving high coupling coordination. Multiple factors are matched and linked to form three configuration paths to high-level coordination, namely collaborative digital innovation, green agglomeration, and multidimensional collaborative innovation. This study provide both theoretical guidance and a practical basis for various regions to improve the “dual coordination” needed to achieve high-quality development within China’s logistics industry in a way that reflects local conditions.

Key words: digitalization of the logistics industry, greening of the logistics industry, coordinated development, AIS framework, dynamic QCA, multiple paths