IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/engenv/v35y2024i8p4272-4293.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How does information and communication technology affect carbon efficiency? Evidence at China's city level

Author

Listed:
  • Ge Li
  • Da Gao
  • Xiao Xia Shi

Abstract

Increasing carbon efficiency is a key path to sustainable development, and information and communication technology (ICT) may help realize a win-win situation for the economy and the environment. However, the existing literature on the impact of ICT on carbon efficiency is relatively shallow. Using a database of Chinese cities, this study empirically explores the role of ICT in carbon efficiency from the aspects of direct impact, mediation effect, and threshold effect. Results show that ICT significantly improves the carbon efficiency represented by single-factor and total-factor carbon efficiency. The mediation effect indicates that technological innovation, industrial structure upgrading, and external openness are effective ways for ICT to play its role. The threshold model shows that the promoting effect between the two depends on the local institutional environment. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that ICT plays a more remarkable role in promoting carbon efficiency in eastern regions. This study provides evidence for aggressively digitizing economies to shift towards a low-carbon economy. Policymakers are encouraged to consider better integrating ICTs into sustainable development strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Ge Li & Da Gao & Xiao Xia Shi, 2024. "How does information and communication technology affect carbon efficiency? Evidence at China's city level," Energy & Environment, , vol. 35(8), pages 4272-4293, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:35:y:2024:i:8:p:4272-4293
    DOI: 10.1177/0958305X231156405
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0958305X231156405
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0958305X231156405?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    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:sae:engenv:v:35:y:2024:i:8:p:4272-4293. 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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.