The impact of global value chains (GVC) division of labor on carbon emissions embodied in trade has received extensive attention from academics. The paper empirically tests the theoretical mechanism of forward GVC embedding affecting carbon emissions embodied in exports, and further analyzes the moderating effect of digital service trade liberalization. The findings indicate that the impact of forward GVC embedding on carbon emissions embodied in exports is in an inverted U-shape; simple embedding has an inverted U-shape relationship with carbon emissions embodied in exports, while complex embedding has a significant inhibitory effect; the forward embedding of GVCs in developed countries and the European value chain network has an inverted U-shape effect on carbon emissions embodied in exports, while forward GVC embedding in developing countries, North American value chains and the Asian value chain network has a significant dampening effect; compared with high-technology industries, the inverted U-shaped relationship between forward GVC embedding and carbon emissions embodied in exports is more significant. The mechanism test shows that digital service trade liberalization advances the inflection point of the inverted U-shaped curve between forward GVC embedding and carbon emissions embodied in exports, and the effect is more pronounced in developed countries, European value chain network regions and low-tech industries. It enhances the export reduction effect in developing countries, Asian value chain network regions and complex embedding.