Digital carbon platforms enable measurable demand-side mitigation: evidence from large-scale behavioral data

Demand-side mitigation is increasingly recognized as essential for achieving climate targets, yet empirical evidence linking individual behavior to measurable emission reductions remains limited. Here, demand-side emission reduction refers to measurable reductions in consumption-related emissions generated through individual low-carbon behaviors, including mobility choices, household energy-saving practices, workplace resource conservation, and low-carbon consumption. We evaluate whether digital carbon platforms can operationalize consumption-based mitigation using verified behavioral data from 15 351 individuals. Combining platform records with survey data, we apply propensity score matching to address selection bias between participants and non-participants. Results show that platform participation is associated with substantially higher per-capita emission reductions, with participants achieving approximately 42% greater reductions in the full behavioral dataset; propensity score matching in the survey-linked subsample further supports the robustness of this association. The largest effects are observed in mobility-related behaviors, including new energy vehicle use and bike-sharing. Psychological factors, particularly perceived behavioral control and environmental self-efficacy, are positively associated with mitigation outcomes. At the regional level, population size and disposable income significantly predict aggregate carbon reduction, highlighting structural constraints on scaling demand-side action. Our findings provide large-scale, verified evidence that digital carbon platforms can translate low-carbon behaviors into measurable emission reductions. These results suggest that integrating behavioral tracking, standardized carbon accounting, and incentive mechanisms within digital infrastructures can complement supply-side policies and support scalable demand-side climate mitigation.