Robots, firm relocation, and air pollution
Unveiling the unintended spatial spillover effects of emerging technology
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22235666 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yanying Wang (0000-0002-5090-7861, Peking University), Qingyang Wu (0000-0001-7888-4940, University of California, Los Angeles, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2024-05-06 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2662-9992 • E-ISSN: 2662-9992 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1057/s41599-024-03100-7 |
| OpenAlex | W4396674730 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 86 |
Amidst the global upsurge in industrial robot deployment, there remains a notable gap in our understanding of their environmental impact. This paper explores how the introduction of industrial robots has changed air quality at both the local and neighborhood levels in China. Using the Spatial Durbin Model, we investigate the regional spillovers of PM 2.5 concentration and the diffusion of this innovative technology. Our findings reveal that the rise of robots significantly reduces air pollution in the local area, while exacerbating it in neighboring regions. This contrast is mainly because pollution-intensive industries are more inclined to relocate to neighboring regions than their cleaner counterparts, after the local use of robots increases. Throughout the process, internal costs rather than external costs dominate firms’ relocation decisions. This study provides novel insights into the complex environmental externalities associated with the spread of industrial robots and highlights the critical issue of growing environmental inequality in the era of emerging technologies
Air pollution · Business · Economic geography · Economics · Environmental planning · Microeconomics · Natural resource economics · Political science · Relocation · Spillover effect · Unintended consequences · Chemistry · Computer Science · Energy, Environment, Economic Growth · Environmental Science · Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis · Spatial and Panel Data Analysis · Pollution
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| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |