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Does Smart City Construction Reduce Haze Pollution?

Author

Listed:
  • Li Wang

    (School of Economics & Management, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Qian Xie

    (School of Economics & Management, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Fei Xue

    (Faculty of applied economics, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 102488, China)

  • Zongxin Li

    (School of Economics & Management, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China)

Abstract

Smart city construction plays an important role in environmental governance and public health. Based on the panel data of 216 prefecture-level cities across China during the period 2009–2018, this study uses the multi-time difference-in-differences method to evaluate the haze reduction effect of smart city construction. The estimated results demonstrate that the construction of smart cities can reduce haze pollution in pilot cities significantly. The main conduction mechanisms are the technical effects and the environmental regulatory effects that promote the reduction of corporate emissions. The heterogeneity analyses show that the haze reduction effect of smart city construction is more evident in southern cities, inland cities and resource-efficient cities. In addition, the benefit analyses show that smart cities can reduce the carbon emission intensity and promote economic growth. These results provide empirical support for accelerating the construction of a new type of smart city and building a new type of people-oriented urbanization.

Suggested Citation

  • Li Wang & Qian Xie & Fei Xue & Zongxin Li, 2022. "Does Smart City Construction Reduce Haze Pollution?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16421-:d:996462
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    References listed on IDEAS

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