IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i2p962-d1025681.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does Information Infrastructure Promote Low-Carbon Development? Evidence from the “Broadband China” Pilot Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Hanjin Xie

    (School of Economic and Management, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013, China)

  • Xi Tan

    (School of Economic and Management, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013, China)

  • Jun Li

    (School of Public Economics and Administration, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai 200437, China)

  • Shuang Qu

    (School of Economic and Management, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013, China)

  • Chunmei Yang

    (School of Economic and Management, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013, China)

Abstract

While information infrastructure has remarkably boosted global economic prosperity in the last several decades, how it propels low-carbon development has failed to draw enough attention. Based on panel data from 284 cities in China from 2006 to 2019, this study used the “Broadband China” pilot policy as an exogenous event to examine the impact of information infrastructure on carbon emission intensity. We found the following: (1) The “Broadband China” pilot policy significantly reduced carbon emission intensity, which held true in a series of robustness tests. (2) Promoting the development of the service sector, encouraging innovation activities, and fostering low-carbon lifestyles are the influential mechanisms by which information infrastructure reduced carbon emission intensity. (3) The population size, administration rank, marketization, industrialization, and informatization base significantly strengthened the reduction effect of information infrastructure on carbon emission intensity, while the disparity in human capital does not cause an evident difference. This paper’s findings reveal a counting path through which improving information infrastructure advances low-carbon and sustainable growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Hanjin Xie & Xi Tan & Jun Li & Shuang Qu & Chunmei Yang, 2023. "Does Information Infrastructure Promote Low-Carbon Development? Evidence from the “Broadband China” Pilot Policy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-21, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:2:p:962-:d:1025681
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/962/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/962/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nathan Nunn & Diego Puga, 2012. "Ruggedness: The Blessing of Bad Geography in Africa," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(1), pages 20-36, February.
    2. Lars-Hendrik Roller & Leonard Waverman, 2001. "Telecommunications Infrastructure and Economic Development: A Simultaneous Approach," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(4), pages 909-923, September.
    3. Hardy, Andrew P., 1980. "The role of the telephone in economic development," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 4(4), pages 278-286, December.
    4. Glaeser, Edward L. & Kahn, Matthew E., 2010. "The greenness of cities: Carbon dioxide emissions and urban development," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 404-418, May.
    5. Combes, Pierre-Philippe & Gobillon, Laurent, 2015. "The Empirics of Agglomeration Economies," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: Gilles Duranton & J. V. Henderson & William C. Strange (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 0, pages 247-348, Elsevier.
    6. Simon Alder & Lin Shao & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2016. "Economic reforms and industrial policy in a panel of Chinese cities," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 305-349, December.
    7. Kaufmann, A. & Lehner, P. & Todtling, F., 2003. "Effects of the Internet on the spatial structure of innovation networks," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 402-424, September.
    8. Ashenfelter, Orley C, 1978. "Estimating the Effect of Training Programs on Earnings," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 60(1), pages 47-57, February.
    9. Gene M. Grossman & Alan B. Krueger, 1995. "Economic Growth and the Environment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(2), pages 353-377.
    10. Banerjee, Abhijit & Duflo, Esther & Qian, Nancy, 2020. "On the road: Access to transportation infrastructure and economic growth in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    11. Pradhan, Rudra P. & Arvin, Mak B. & Norman, Neville R. & Bele, Samadhan K., 2014. "Economic growth and the development of telecommunications infrastructure in the G-20 countries: A panel-VAR approach," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 634-649.
    12. He, Jie & Wang, Hua, 2012. "Economic structure, development policy and environmental quality: An empirical analysis of environmental Kuznets curves with Chinese municipal data," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 49-59.
    13. Eswaran, Mukesh & Kotwal, Ashok, 2002. "The role of the service sector in the process of industrialization," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 401-420, August.
    14. Fan, Wei & Li, Li & Wang, Feiran & Li, Ding, 2020. "Driving factors of CO2 emission inequality in China: The role of government expenditure," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    15. Zhang, Chuanguo & Zhou, Xiangxue, 2016. "Does foreign direct investment lead to lower CO2 emissions? Evidence from a regional analysis in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 943-951.
    16. Romer, Paul M, 1990. "Endogenous Technological Change," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 71-102, October.
    17. A. Greening, Lorna & Greene, David L. & Difiglio, Carmen, 2000. "Energy efficiency and consumption -- the rebound effect -- a survey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6-7), pages 389-401, June.
    18. Kim, Ji-Hyun, 2002. "Changes in consumption patterns and environmental degradation in Korea," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 1-48, March.
    19. Sikhulumile Sinyolo & Catherine Ndinda & Conrad Murendo & Sithembile A. Sinyolo & Mudzunga Neluheni, 2020. "Access to Information Technologies and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in South Africa: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-17, July.
    20. Duggal, Vijaya G. & Saltzman, Cynthia & Klein, Lawrence R., 2007. "Infrastructure and productivity: An extension to private infrastructure and it productivity," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 140(2), pages 485-502, October.
    21. Paul Almeida & Bruce Kogut, 1999. "Localization of Knowledge and the Mobility of Engineers in Regional Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(7), pages 905-917, July.
    22. Yihsu Chen & Alexander Whalley, 2012. "Green Infrastructure: The Effects of Urban Rail Transit on Air Quality," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 4(1), pages 58-97, February.
    23. Koutroumpis, Pantelis, 2009. "The economic impact of broadband on growth: A simultaneous approach," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 471-485, October.
    24. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    25. Xi Lin & Yongle Zhao & Mahmood Ahmad & Zahoor Ahmed & Husam Rjoub & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo, 2021. "Linking Innovative Human Capital, Economic Growth, and CO 2 Emissions: An Empirical Study Based on Chinese Provincial Panel Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-18, August.
    26. Wioletta Wierzbicka, 2018. "Information infrastructure as a pillar of the knowledge-based economy — an analysis of regional differentiation in Poland," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 123-139, March.
    27. Yang, Mengjun & Zheng, Shilin & Zhou, Lin, 2022. "Broadband internet and enterprise innovation," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    28. Hamilton, Clive & Turton, Hal, 2002. "Determinants of emissions growth in OECD countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 63-71, January.
    29. Zhang, Jiaping & Zhang, Huirong & Gong, Xiaomei, 2022. "Mobile payment and rural household consumption: Evidence from China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(3).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Liao, Kaicheng & Liu, Juan, 2024. "Digital infrastructure empowerment and urban carbon emissions: Evidence from China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6).
    2. Shi, Yupeng & Wang, Yao, 2024. "Possibilities for mitigating the Matthew effect in low-carbon development: Insights from convergence analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    3. Li, Xitong & He, Peiming & Liao, Honglin & Liu, Jindan & Chen, Litai, 2024. "Does network infrastructure construction reduce urban–rural income inequality? Based on the “Broadband China” policy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sawng, Yeong-wha & Kim, Pang-ryong & Park, JiYoung, 2021. "ICT investment and GDP growth: Causality analysis for the case of Korea," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7).
    2. António Madureira & Nico Baken & Harry Bouwman, 2011. "Value of digital information networks: a holonic framework," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-30, April.
    3. Ronald Kumar, 2014. "Exploring the role of technology, tourism and financial development: an empirical study of Vietnam," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 2881-2898, September.
    4. Charles Shaaba Saba & Nicholas Ngepah, 2022. "ICT Diffusion, Industrialisation and Economic Growth Nexus: an International Cross-country Analysis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2030-2069, September.
    5. Bertschek, Irene & Cerquera, Daniel & Klein, Gordon J., 2011. "More bits - more bucks? Measuring the impact of broadband internet on firm performance," ZEW Discussion Papers 11-032, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    6. Ronald Kumar & Madhukar Singh, 2014. "Role of health expenditure and ICT in a small island economy: a study of Fiji," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 2295-2311, July.
    7. Charles Shaaba Saba & Nicholas Ngepah, 2022. "Nexus between telecommunication infrastructures, defence and economic growth: a global evidence," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 139-177, October.
    8. Jerbashian, Vahagn, 2015. "The telecommunications industry and economic growth: How the market structure matters," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 515-523.
    9. Tang, Chang & Xu, Yuanyuan & Hao, Yu & Wu, Haitao & Xue, Yan, 2021. "What is the role of telecommunications infrastructure construction in green technology innovation? A firm-level analysis for China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    10. Madureira, António & den Hartog, Frank & Bouwman, Harry & Baken, Nico, 2013. "Empirical validation of Metcalfe’s law: How Internet usage patterns have changed over time," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 246-256.
    11. Taiwo Akinlo & James Temitope Dada, 2022. "Information technology, real sector and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional dependence approach," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4241-4267, December.
    12. Castells-Quintana, David & Dienesch, Elisa & Krause, Melanie, 2021. "Air pollution in an urban world: A global view on density, cities and emissions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    13. Edquist, Harald, 2022. "The economic impact of mobile broadband speed," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5).
    14. Yuan Zhao & Tian Zhang & Ting Wu & Shujing Xu & Shuwang Yang, 2021. "Effects of Technological Progress from Different Sources on Haze Pollution in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, March.
    15. Blaudin de Thé, Camille & Carantino, Benjamin & Lafourcade, Miren, 2021. "The carbon ‘carprint’ of urbanization: New evidence from French cities," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    16. Sevgi Sezer & Tezcan Abasiz, 2017. "The Impact Of Logistics Industry On Economic Growth: An Application In Oecd Countries," Eurasian Journal of Social Sciences, Eurasian Publications, vol. 5(1), pages 11-23.
    17. Kumar, Ronald Ravinesh & Stauvermann, Peter Josef & Samitas, Aristeidis, 2016. "The effects of ICT⁎ on output per worker: A study of the Chinese economy," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 102-115.
    18. Jens Ruhose, 2015. "Microeconometric Analyses on Economic Consequences of Selective Migration," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 61.
    19. repec:aei:rpaper:1008568416 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Raúl Katz & Juan Jung, 2022. "The Role of Broadband Infrastructure in Building Economic Resiliency in the United States during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(16), pages 1-14, August.
    21. Ronald Ravinesh Kumar & Peter Josef Stauvermann & Nikeel Kumar & Syed Jawad Hussain Shahzad, 2019. "Exploring the effect of ICT and tourism on economic growth: a study of Israel," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 221-254, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:2:p:962-:d:1025681. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.