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A Win–Win Opportunity: The Industrial Pollution Reduction Effect of Digital Economy Development—A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on the “Broadband China” Strategy

Author

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  • Guanghao Li

    (School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China)

  • Xiaoliang Zhou

    (School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China)

  • Zhe Bao

    (School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China)

Abstract

The digital economy and industrial sustainable development are important issues at this stage. The economic welfare effects of digital economy development have been confirmed by the existing literature, while the impact of digital economy development on industrial pollution emissions remains to be studied. This paper takes the implementation of the “Broadband China” strategy as a quasi-natural experiment, and uses a time-varying difference in difference model (Time-Varying DID) to identify the “industrial pollution reduction effect” of digital economic development. The results show that, (1) digital economy development can significantly reduce industrial SO 2 emission intensity, and this “industrial pollution reduction effect” will be heterogeneous according to the changes in geographical location characteristics, urban scale characteristics, and environmental regulation intensity characteristics; (2) digital economy development can reduce industrial pollution emissions without inhibiting industrial output, and this “industrial pollution reduction effect” is mainly caused by the improvement of energy efficiency and the cleaner transformation of industrial production mode brought by biased technological progress, rather than by the traditional neutral technological progress and end-of-pipe treatment; and (3) that the improvement of industrial basic capacity can significantly enhance the “industrial pollution reduction effect” of digital economy development. In the process of promoting the development of the digital economy, China should consider urban characteristics and improve industrial basic capacity.

Suggested Citation

  • Guanghao Li & Xiaoliang Zhou & Zhe Bao, 2022. "A Win–Win Opportunity: The Industrial Pollution Reduction Effect of Digital Economy Development—A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on the “Broadband China” Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-21, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5583-:d:809507
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    Cited by:

    1. Jing Jin & Duozhang Chen, 2022. "Research on the Impact of the County-to-District Reform on Environmental Pollution in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-12, May.
    2. Ran, Qiying & Yang, Xiaodong & Yan, Hongchuan & Xu, Yang & Cao, Jianhong, 2023. "Natural resource consumption and industrial green transformation: Does the digital economy matter?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    3. Guo, Bingnan & Hu, Peiji & Lin, Ji, 2024. "The effect of digital infrastructure development on enterprise green transformation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Yong Hu & Qian Liu, 2023. "Local Digital Economy and Corporate Social Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    5. Bei Liu & Yukun Li & Xiaoya Tian & Lipeng Sun & Pishi Xiu, 2023. "Can Digital Economy Development Contribute to the Low-Carbon Transition? Evidence from the City Level in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Yuqi Zhu & Siwei Shen & Linyu Du & Jun Fu & Jian Zou & Lina Peng & Rui Ding, 2023. "Spatial and Temporal Interaction Coupling of Digital Economy, New-Type Urbanization and Land Ecology and Spatial Effects Identification: A Study of the Yangtze River Delta," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-27, March.

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