IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i24p17094-d1008331.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of the Digital Economy on PM 2.5 : Experience from the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River Basin

Author

Listed:
  • Huaxue Zhao

    (College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China)

  • Yu Cheng

    (College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China)

  • Ruijing Zheng

    (College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China)

Abstract

The development of the digital economy holds great significance for alleviating haze pollution. To estimate the impact of the digital economy on haze pollution, this paper explores the spatiotemporal evolutionary characteristics of the digital economy and PM 2.5 concentration in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin from 2011 to 2019 and conducts regression analysis by combining a fixed effect (FE) model and the spatial Durbin model (SDM). Moreover, this study divides the mitigation effect of haze pollution into a direct effect and a spatial spillover effect, and it further analyzes the mechanism from the perspectives of technological innovation and the industrial structure. The empirical results show that the development level of the digital economy increases year by year and that the concentration of PM 2.5 decreases year by year. The digital economy level and PM 2.5 concentration in the downstream region are higher than those in the middle region, and the digital economy is negatively correlated with haze pollution. Similarly, the spatial spillover effect of the digital economy is conducive to curbing haze pollution. The robustness test also supports this conclusion. In addition, there is regional heterogeneity in the impact of the digital economy on haze pollution. The direct effect and spatial spillover effect of the digital economy on haze pollution in the downstream region are greater than those in the middle region. This study suggests that to realize air pollution prevention and control, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of digital infrastructure and create a good digital economy development environment based on local conditions. Encouraging the development of digital technological innovation and promoting industrial digital transformation hold great significance for alleviating haze pollution.

Suggested Citation

  • Huaxue Zhao & Yu Cheng & Ruijing Zheng, 2022. "Impact of the Digital Economy on PM 2.5 : Experience from the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River Basin," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:17094-:d:1008331
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/17094/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/17094/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Huaping Guan & Binhua Guo & Jianwu Zhang, 2022. "Study on the Impact of the Digital Economy on the Upgrading of Industrial Structures—Empirical Analysis Based on Cities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Yu, Binbin, 2022. "The Impact of the Internet on Industrial Green Productivity: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    3. Li, Mengjie & Du, Weijian, 2021. "Can Internet development improve the energy efficiency of firms: Empirical evidence from China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    4. Zihanxin Li & Nuoyan Li & Huwei Wen, 2021. "Digital Economy and Environmental Quality: Evidence from 217 Cities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    5. Ke-Liang Wang & Rui-Rui Zhu & Yun-He Cheng, 2022. "Does the Development of Digital Finance Contribute to Haze Pollution Control? Evidence from China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Songqin Zhao & Diyun Peng & Huwei Wen & Huilin Song, 2022. "Does the Digital Economy Promote Upgrading the Industrial Structure of Chinese Cities?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Pan, Wenrong & Xie, Tao & Wang, Zhuwang & Ma, Lisha, 2022. "Digital economy: An innovation driver for total factor productivity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 303-311.
    8. Yazhu Wang & Xuejun Duan & Lei Wang, 2019. "Spatial-Temporal Evolution of PM 2.5 Concentration and its Socioeconomic Influence Factors in Chinese Cities in 2014–2017," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-18, March.
    9. Zheming Yan & Rui Shi & Zhiming Yang, 2018. "ICT Development and Sustainable Energy Consumption: A Perspective of Energy Productivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-15, July.
    10. Jinqi Su & Ke Su & Shubin Wang, 2021. "Does the Digital Economy Promote Industrial Structural Upgrading?—A Test of Mediating Effects Based on Heterogeneous Technological Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-24, September.
    11. Guangzhi Qi & Zhibao Wang & Zhixiu Wang & Lijie Wei, 2022. "Has Industrial Upgrading Improved Air Pollution?—Evidence from China’s Digital Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    12. Sadorsky, Perry, 2012. "Information communication technology and electricity consumption in emerging economies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 130-136.
    13. 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.
    14. Hao, Yu & Li, Ying & Guo, Yunxia & Chai, Jingxia & Yang, Chuxiao & Wu, Haitao, 2022. "Digitalization and electricity consumption: Does internet development contribute to the reduction in electricity intensity in China?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    15. Xiaoying Zhong & Ruhe Xie & Peng Chen & Kaili Ke, 2021. "Internet Development and Environmental Quality—Evidence from the Development of Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-21, October.
    16. Xueyang Wang & Xiumei Sun & Haotian Zhang & Chaokai Xue, 2022. "Digital Economy Development and Urban Green Innovation CA-Pability: Based on Panel Data of 274 Prefecture-Level Cities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-21, March.
    17. Quah, D., 1990. "Galton'S Fallacy And The Tests Of The Convergence Hypothesis," Working papers 552, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Economics.
    18. Anders S. G. Andrae & Tomas Edler, 2015. "On Global Electricity Usage of Communication Technology: Trends to 2030," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-41, April.
    19. Wu, Haitao & Xue, Yan & Hao, Yu & Ren, Siyu, 2021. "How does internet development affect energy-saving and emission reduction? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    20. Lange, Steffen & Pohl, Johanna & Santarius, Tilman, 2020. "Digitalization and energy consumption. Does ICT reduce energy demand?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    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. Xinyu Wei & Mingwang Cheng & Kaifeng Duan & Xiangxing Kong, 2024. "Effects of Big Data on PM 2.5 : A Study Based on Double Machine Learning," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, March.

    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. Lin, Boqiang & Huang, Chenchen, 2023. "How will promoting the digital economy affect electricity intensity?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Shunbin Zhong & Huafu Shen & Ziheng Niu & Yang Yu & Lin Pan & Yaojun Fan & Atif Jahanger, 2022. "Moving towards Environmental Sustainability: Can Digital Economy Reduce Environmental Degradation in China?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Xinfeng Chang & Jian Su & Zihe Yang, 2022. "The Effect of Digital Economy on Urban Green Transformation—An Empirical Study Based on the Yangtze River Delta City Cluster in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Ting Zhu & Xiaqing Chen & Wenwen Zhang & Basil Sharp, 2023. "Analysis of the Spatial–Temporal Evolution of the Digital Economy and Its Impact on the Employment Structure in China from 2001 to 2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.
    5. Wang, Ke-Liang & Sun, Ting-Ting & Xu, Ru-Yu & Miao, Zhuang & Cheng, Yun-He, 2022. "How does internet development promote urban green innovation efficiency? Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    6. Rishan Adha & Cheng-Yih Hong & Somya Agrawal & Li-Hua Li, 2023. "ICT, carbon emissions, climate change, and energy demand nexus: The potential benefit of digitalization in Taiwan," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(5), pages 1619-1638, August.
    7. Xue, Yan & Tang, Chang & Wu, Haitao & Liu, Jianmin & Hao, Yu, 2022. "The emerging driving force of energy consumption in China: Does digital economy development matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    8. Lin Zhu & Xiaoming Li & Yao Huang & Fangyuan Liu & Chengji Yang & Dongyang Li & Hongpeng Bai, 2023. "Digital Technology and Green Development in Manufacturing: Evidence from China and 20 Other Asian Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-20, August.
    9. Yue Cheng & Dong Zheng, 2023. "Does the Digital Economy Promote Coordinated Urban–Rural Development? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    10. Ma, Ruiyang & Lin, Boqiang, 2023. "Digitalization and energy-saving and emission reduction in Chinese cities: Synergy between industrialization and digitalization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 345(C).
    11. Senhua Huang & Feng Han & Lingming Chen, 2023. "Can the Digital Economy Promote the Upgrading of Urban Environmental Quality?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-21, January.
    12. Kai Yuan & Biao Hu & Xinlong Li & Tingyun Niu & Liang Zhang, 2023. "Exploration of Coupling Effects in the Digital Economy and Eco-Economic System Resilience in Urban Areas: Case Study of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-28, April.
    13. Lingzhang Kong & Jinye Li, 2022. "Digital Economy Development and Green Economic Efficiency: Evidence from Province-Level Empirical Data in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-26, December.
    14. Guo, Bingnan & Wang, Yu & Zhang, Hao & Liang, Chunyan & Feng, Yu & Hu, Feng, 2023. "Impact of the digital economy on high-quality urban economic development: Evidence from Chinese cities," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    15. 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.
    16. Tilman Santarius & Johanna Pohl & Steffen Lange, 2020. "Digitalization and the Decoupling Debate: Can ICT Help to Reduce Environmental Impacts While the Economy Keeps Growing?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-20, September.
    17. Ke-Liang Wang & Rui-Rui Zhu & Yun-He Cheng, 2022. "Does the Development of Digital Finance Contribute to Haze Pollution Control? Evidence from China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, April.
    18. Zhang, Zhouyi & Song, Yi & Cheng, Jinhua & Zhang, Yijun, 2023. "Effects of heterogeneous ICT on critical metal supply: A differentiated perspective on primary and secondary supply," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    19. Kangxian Ji & Xiaoting Liu & Jian Xu, 2023. "Digital Economy and the Sustainable Development of China’s Manufacturing Industry: From the Perspective of Industry Performance and Green Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, March.
    20. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Wang, Jianda & Dong, Kangyin & Zhao, Jun, 2022. "The impact of digital economy on energy transition across the globe: The mediating role of government governance," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 166(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:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:17094-:d:1008331. 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.