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. 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).
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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).
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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).
    9. 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.
    10. 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).
    11. Eric Williams, 2011. "Environmental effects of information and communications technologies," Nature, Nature, vol. 479(7373), pages 354-358, November.
    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. 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. 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.
    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. 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.
    2. 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).
    3. Xiao Ling & Zhangwei Luo & Yanchao Feng & Xun Liu & Yue Gao, 2023. "How does digital transformation relieve the employment pressure in China? Empirical evidence from the national smart city pilot policy," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Andrea Pufahl & Christoph R. Weiss, 2009. "Evaluating the effects of farm programmes: results from propensity score matching," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 36(1), pages 79-101, March.
    5. Ellison, Richard B. & Ellison, Adrian B. & Greaves, Stephen P. & Sampaio, Breno, 2017. "Electronic ticketing systems as a mechanism for travel behaviour change? Evidence from Sydney’s Opal card," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 80-93.
    6. Hye Yoon Chung & Youjin Hahn, 2021. "Work Transitions, Gender, and Subjective Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(5), pages 2085-2109, October.
    7. 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.
    8. González-Uribe, Juanita & Reyes, Santiago, 2021. "Identifying and boosting “Gazelles”: Evidence from business accelerators," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(1), pages 260-287.
    9. Tiantian Gu & Shuyu Liu & Xuefan Liu & Yujia Shan & Enyang Hao & Miaomiao Niu, 2023. "Evaluation of the Smart City and Analysis of Its Spatial–Temporal Characteristics in China: A Case Study of 26 Cities in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, September.
    10. Dettmann, E. & Becker, C. & Schmeißer, C., 2011. "Distance functions for matching in small samples," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 55(5), pages 1942-1960, May.
    11. Alexander Hijzen & Sébastien Jean & Thierry Mayer, 2011. "The effects at home of initiating production abroad: evidence from matched French firms," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 147(3), pages 457-483, September.
    12. Simon Levin & Anastasios Xepapadeas, 2021. "On the Coevolution of Economic and Ecological Systems," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 13(1), pages 355-377, October.
    13. Gunther Bensch & Jörg Peters, 2013. "Alleviating Deforestation Pressures? Impacts of Improved Stove Dissemination on Charcoal Consumption in Urban Senegal," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 89(4), pages 676-698.
    14. James J. Heckman, 1991. "Randomization and Social Policy Evaluation Revisited," NBER Technical Working Papers 0107, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Jeffrey Smith, 2000. "A Critical Survey of Empirical Methods for Evaluating Active Labor Market Policies," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 136(III), pages 247-268, September.
    16. Agnes Quisumbing & Neha Kumar, 2011. "Does social capital build women's assets? The long-term impacts of group-based and individual dissemination of agricultural technology in Bangladesh," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(2), pages 220-242.
    17. Meng, Xuechen & Lin, Shanlang & Zhu, Xiaochuan, 2018. "The resource redistribution effect of high-speed rail stations on the economic growth of neighbouring regions: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 178-191.
    18. Jan Fałkowski & Maciej Jakubowski & Paweł Strawiński, 2014. "Returns from income strategies in rural Poland," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 22(1), pages 139-178, January.
    19. Cameron Truong, 2013. "The January effect, does options trading matter?," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 38(1), pages 31-48, April.
    20. Ichimura, Hidehiko & Todd, Petra E., 2007. "Implementing Nonparametric and Semiparametric Estimators," Handbook of Econometrics, in: J.J. Heckman & E.E. Leamer (ed.), Handbook of Econometrics, edition 1, volume 6, chapter 74, Elsevier.

    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.