Urban digitalization and government environmental attention: An attention allocation theory perspective

Abstract

Attention allocation theory posits that organizational and individual decision-making processes are shaped by multiple factors. Within this framework, we explore how urban digitalization influences government environmental attention through technological pathways. Empirical results reveal that urban digitalization significantly enhances government environmental attention. This effect operates through strengthening central government environmental supervision and facilitating public environmental participation. Meanwhile, idiosyncrasies of urban officials critically moderate this relationship. The urban digitalization-government environmental attention linkage strengthens when urban officials are young or female. Conversely, frequent official turnover weakens this relationship. In addition, heterogeneity analysis demonstrates differential impacts across city types. Non-resource-based cities show greater responsiveness to digitalization effects compared to resource-dependent counterparts. Moreover, cities receiving low-carbon city pilot policy support demonstrate amplified digitalization benefits in elevating government environmental attention. These findings make valuable contributions to the literature concerning urban digitalization, government environmental attention, and attention allocation theory.