IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i4p1628-d1339714.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can Infrastructure Upgrading Achieve the Synergistic Effect of Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction? Evidence from the High-Speed Rail and “Broadband China” Strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Mengyu Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China
    Xinjiang Innovation Management Research Center, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China)

  • Xiaoyu Ma

    (School of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China
    Xinjiang Innovation Management Research Center, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China)

  • Jiamin Liu

    (School of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China
    Xinjiang Innovation Management Research Center, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China)

Abstract

Infrastructure upgrading has an important impact on environmental protection and low-carbon development. Based on the panel data of 277 prefecture-level cities in China from 2005 to 2021, we examined the impact of infrastructure upgrading on the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction (Pc) by using the multiple-period difference-in-differences method. The results show that infrastructure upgrading can achieve Pc. Additionally, compared with resource-based cities, peripheral cities, and central and western cities, the impact of infrastructure upgrading on Pc is more significant in non-resource-based cities, central cities, and eastern cities. Meanwhile, infrastructure upgrading can promote Pc by promoting scientific and technological talent agglomeration (Tg) and industrial agglomeration (Ig). Finally, the policy of synergy analysis shows that compared with the single pilot cities, the dual pilot cities have a more obvious effect on Pc, and becoming first high-speed rail (HSR) cities and then becoming “Broadband China” strategy (BCS) cities has a stronger effect on Pc. Therefore, to effectively alleviate the dual environmental pressures of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, emphasis should be placed on promoting the common development of transportation infrastructure and digital infrastructure.

Suggested Citation

  • Mengyu Zhang & Xiaoyu Ma & Jiamin Liu, 2024. "Can Infrastructure Upgrading Achieve the Synergistic Effect of Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction? Evidence from the High-Speed Rail and “Broadband China” Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:1628-:d:1339714
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/4/1628/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/4/1628/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James J. Heckman & Hidehiko Ichimura & Petra E. Todd, 1997. "Matching As An Econometric Evaluation Estimator: Evidence from Evaluating a Job Training Programme," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 64(4), pages 605-654.
    2. Li, Chengming & Zhang, Xinyi & Dong, Xiaoqi & Yan, Qiangming & Zeng, Liangen & Wang, Zeyu, 2023. "The impact of smart cities on entrepreneurial activity: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    3. Qiuqiu Guo & Xiaoyu Ma, 2023. "How Does the Digital Economy Affect Sustainable Urban Development? Empirical Evidence from Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, February.
    4. Feng, Yuan & Chen, Zhi & Nie, Changfei, 2023. "The effect of broadband infrastructure construction on urban green innovation: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 581-598.
    5. J. Barrera-Santana & Gustavo A. Marrero & Luis A. Puch & Antonia Díaz, 2021. "CO2 emissions and energy technologies in Western Europe," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 12(2), pages 105-150, June.
    6. Wen, Jun & Okolo, Chukwuemeka Valentine & Ugwuoke, Ifeanyi Celestine & Kolani, Kibir, 2022. "Research on influencing factors of renewable energy, energy efficiency, on technological innovation. Does trade, investment and human capital development matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    7. Yu, Weihua & Peng, Yiwen & Yao, Xin, 2022. "The effects of China's supporting policy for resource-exhausted cities on local energy efficiency: An empirical study based on 284 cities in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    8. Chen, Pengyu & Dagestani, Abd Alwahed, 2023. "Urban planning policy and clean energy development Harmony- evidence from smart city pilot policy in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 251-257.
    9. Ndubuisi, Gideon & Otioma, Chuks & Tetteh, Godsway Korku, 2021. "Digital infrastructure and employment in services: Evidence from Sub-Saharan African countries," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(8).
    10. Eric Williams, 2011. "Environmental effects of information and communications technologies," Nature, Nature, vol. 479(7373), pages 354-358, November.
    11. Yang Liu & Yanlin Yang & Huihui Li & Kaiyang Zhong, 2022. "Digital Economy Development, Industrial Structure Upgrading and Green Total Factor Productivity: Empirical Evidence from China’s Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-23, February.
    12. Su, Weijian & Xie, Chengxuan, 2023. "High-speed rail, technological improvement, and PM2.5: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1349-1362.
    13. Zhang, Zhenhua & Wang, Jing & Feng, Chao & Chen, Xi, 2023. "Do pilot zones for green finance reform and innovation promote energy savings? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    14. Sun, Xianming & Xiao, Shiyi & Ren, Xiaohang & Xu, Bing, 2023. "Time-varying impact of information and communication technology on carbon emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    15. Taotao Deng & Shuai Shao & Lili Yang & Xueliang Zhang, 2014. "Has the transport-led economic growth effect reached a peak in China? A panel threshold regression approach," Transportation, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 567-587, May.
    16. Zhang, Weike & Fan, Hongxia & Zhao, Qiwei, 2023. "Seeing green: How does digital infrastructure affect carbon emission intensity?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PB).
    17. H. Damon Matthews & Nathan P. Gillett & Peter A. Stott & Kirsten Zickfeld, 2009. "The proportionality of global warming to cumulative carbon emissions," Nature, Nature, vol. 459(7248), pages 829-832, June.
    18. Yu, Yantuan & Zhang, Ning, 2021. "Low-carbon city pilot and carbon emission efficiency: Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    19. Wang, Qingxi & Hu, An & Tian, Zhihua, 2022. "Digital transformation and electricity consumption: Evidence from the Broadband China pilot policy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Saige Wang & Chenchen Zhai & Yunxiao Zhang, 2024. "Evaluating the Impact of Urban Digital Infrastructure on Land Use Efficiency Based on 279 Cities in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, March.
    2. Kangjuan Lv & Jiaqi Li & Ye Zhao, 2023. "Can Internet Construction Promote Urban Green Development? A Quasi-Natural Experiment from the “Broadband China”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-21, March.
    3. Chen, Ke & Li, Qiyuan & Shoaib, Muhammad & Ameer, Waqar & Jiang, Tao, 2024. "Does improved digital governance in government promote natural resource management? Quasi-natural experiments based on smart city pilots," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    4. Du, Yanan & Zhou, Jianping & Bai, Jiancheng & Cao, Yujia, 2023. "Breaking the resource curse: The perspective of improving carbon emission efficiency based on digital infrastructure construction," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    5. Xin Tan & Jinfang Jiao & Ming Jiang & Ming Chen & Wenpeng Wang & Yijun Sun, 2024. "Digital Policy, Green Innovation, and Digital-Intelligent Transformation of Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-23, August.
    6. Chen, Lifeng & Wang, Kaifeng, 2022. "The spatial spillover effect of low-carbon city pilot scheme on green efficiency in China's cities: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    7. Nie, Song, 2024. "Does intellectual property rights protection matter for low-carbon transition? The role of institutional incentives," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    8. Zhang, Weike & Zeng, Ming, 2024. "Is artificial intelligence a curse or a blessing for enterprise energy intensity? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    9. Sun, Jingjing & Zhai, Chenchen & Dong, Xiaoqi & Li, Chengming & Wang, Zeyu & Li, Dandan & Sun, Yongping, 2023. "How does digital infrastructure break the resource curse of cities? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    10. Jin, Zhida & Li, Zheng & Yang, Mian, 2022. "Producer services development and manufacturing carbon intensity: Evidence from an international perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    11. Wang, Yafei & Zhao, Zihan & Liu, Jing & Bai, Ying & Tan, Zhixiong, 2024. "Mechanisms and effect assessment of smart city policy pilots on employment resilience: Empirical evidence based on 275 sample cities in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 631-651.
    12. Liu, Yajun & Zhang, Xiuwu & Shen, Yang, 2024. "Technology-driven carbon reduction: Analyzing the impact of digital technology on China's carbon emission and its mechanism," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    13. Jiang, Zhengyu & Zhang, Xinyi & Zhao, Yingzhi & Li, Chengming & Wang, Zeyu, 2023. "The impact of urban digital transformation on resource sustainability: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    14. Libin Feng & Zhengcheng Sun, 2023. "The Impact of Green Finance Pilot Policy on Carbon Intensity in Chinese Cities—Based on the Synthetic Control Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-21, July.
    15. Jia, Zhijie & Wen, Shiyan, 2024. "Interaction effects of market-based and incentive-driven low-carbon policies on carbon emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    16. Chao Zeng & Shanying Jiang & Fengxiu Zhou, 2024. "Can Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy Promote Regional Green High-Quality Development?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-23, June.
    17. Wang, Lianghu & Shao, Jun, 2024. "The energy saving effects of digital infrastructure construction: Empirical evidence from Chinese industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    18. Li, Rui & Fang, Debin & Xu, Jiajun, 2024. "Does China's carbon inclusion policy promote household carbon emissions reduction? Theoretical mechanisms and empirical evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    19. Kaifeng Wang & Chunping Zhong & Lifeng Chen & Yunmin Zeng, 2023. "The spatial spillover effect of China’s pollutants emission trading pilot scheme on green efficiency: evidence from 285 China’s cities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8137-8163, August.
    20. Tang, Zhipeng & Yu, Haojie & Zou, Jialing, 2023. "Neighbor impacts of environmental regulation: The case of low-carbon pilot program in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).

    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:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:1628-:d:1339714. 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.