<p>In the context of the intensifying greenhouse effect, effectively addressing climate risks has become a shared challenge for countries worldwide. As a new economic form, the digital economy’s potential value in climate governance warrants in-depth exploration. This study utilizes panel data from 104 countries spanning from 2003 to 2020, and employs a combination of two-way fixed effects models, panel threshold models, and spatial panel models to systematically evaluate the impact mechanism of a country’s digital economy on climate risk vulnerability and its spatial spillover effects. The findings indicate that digital economy development contributes to reducing a country’s vulnerability to climate risks and enhances resilience, with the most pronounced effects observed in the infrastructure and food sectors. The digital economy primarily achieves this by improving government governance effectiveness and promoting renewable energy innovation. Furthermore, its impact varies across different stages of a country’s energy transition; when energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy are relatively low, the digital economy has a stronger mitigating effect on climate risk vulnerability. Additionally, the development of a country’s digital economy exerts a significant negative spatial spillover effect on the climate risk vulnerability of neighboring countries. These conclusions provide theoretical foundations and policy insights for governments seeking to coordinate digital economy development with climate governance efforts.</p>