Investigating the Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Environmental Quality in Major Asian Emitters

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.

2 Senior Expert in Theoretical Economics, Department of Economics, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

3 Professor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

10.22051/ieda.2024.45399.1380

Abstract

Information and communication technology (ICT) is considered one of the most important factors of industrialization, and it greatly impacts economic growth and environmental quality. This study aims to investigate the impact of information and communication technology on the quality of the environment in major Asian Emitters. This survey was conducted between 2000 and 2020 for two groups of developing and developed countries. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to construct ICT and good governance (GG) composite index. The environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis is confirmed in both groups of countries. In both groups of countries, energy consumption and trade openness lead to a decrease, and good governance leads to an increase in the quality of the environment. The ICT composite index significantly reduces the quality of the environment in developing countries. In developed countries, the ICT composite index does not significantly affect the quality of the environment (positive and meaningless), while access to the Internet significantly improves the quality of the environment. It is expected that the carbon-increasing effects of ICT development, such as direct and rebound effects, will be larger in developing countries than the carbon-reducing effect of ICT, such as the substitution effect. Therefore, optimizing energy consumption and activating the substitution effect (use of intelligent transportation systems, intelligent traffic control systems and reduction of outdoor activities) is recommended in developing countries.

Keywords

References

 
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