How Does Digital Transformation of City Governance Affect Environmental Pollution: A Natural Experiment from the Pilot Policy of “National Information City for Public Service” in China

Bochao Zhang, Wanhao Dong () and Jin Yao
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Bochao Zhang: Institute of Economics, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai 200020, China
Wanhao Dong: School of Public Finance and Administration, Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance, Shanghai 201209, China
Jin Yao: Institute of Economics, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai 200020, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-23

Abstract: This article investigated the “National Information City for Public Service” policy as the representative policy of China’s digital transformation of urban governance to empirically analyze its impact on urban environmental pollution using the DID method. The results indicated that: ① The “National Information City for Public Service” policy has significantly reduced the level of urban environmental pollution by 1.65–2.11% on average. After conducting the robustness test of the PSM-DID method and excluding the effect of exogenous interference of the smart city pilot policy in China, the evaluation showed no significant difference from the conclusion above. ② The mechanism test results showed that the “National Information City for Public Service” policy could reduce urban environmental pollution through the technological innovation effect, industrial structure upgrading effect, resource allocation optimization effect, and urban informatization level improvement effect. ③ The heterogeneity analysis of the city scale presented a positive relationship between the city scale and the level of environmental pollution improvement effect under the “National Information City for Public Service” framework. Meanwhile, the heterogeneity analysis of city characteristics showed that cities with better human capital qualities, stronger local government financial strength, and more advanced financial development levels would obtain greater benefit from the environmental improving effect of this policy. Notably, the environmental improving effect of digital transformation of urban governance would be further amplified in cities with the dual superposition of the Innovative City Pilot Policy and the policy of “National Information City for Public Service”. This paper contributed significant referential insights into promoting urban digital transformation and improving urban ecological environment.

Keywords: national information city for public service; digital transformation of city governance; environmental pollution; technological innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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