Under the theoretical framework of new structural economics, this paper measures China’s regional development strategy index from 1995 to 2019, and uses the panel fixed model to examine the impact and mechanism of development strategy on energy consumption intensity. The empirical results show that: (1) China’s sub-regional development strategy index generally shows a significant downward trend, that is, the development strategy increasingly conforms to comparative advantages. The development strategy index of the eastern region is the lowest, followed by the central region and the western region. (2) The fixed effect model shows that when a region implements a development strategy that violates comparative advantages, it will increase energy consumption intensity, and the effect reflects the heterogeneity of time and space. (3) The mechanism test shows that a development strategy that violates comparative advantages makes firms lack viability, distorts industrial structure, and increases fiscal pressure, which weakens environmental constraints, thereby increasing energy consumption intensity. In order to promote energy conservation and emission reduction, China should devote itself to implementing a development strategy based on comparative advantages and promoting high-quality development in the western region. 