The impact of new digital infrastructure construction on substantive green innovation

Abstract The new digital infrastructure is the cornerstone of the digital transformation of the regional innovation ecosystem and the key engine driving green, low‐carbon, and intelligent development in the era of the digital economy. The findings demonstrate that substantive green innovation is significantly positively impacted by the new digital infrastructure, and its effect shows a “Central > Eastern > Western.” New digital infrastructure construction can indirectly enhance substantive green innovation by improving the level of digital finance, entrepreneurial activity, and informatization index. Based on the characteristics of regional heterogeneity, new digital infrastructure construction has different threshold effects on substantive green innovation.