Industrial robots and pollution: Evidence from Chinese enterprises

Abstract

Scientific and technological revolutions have given rise to a new generation of general-purpose intelligent manufacturing technology represented by industrial robots, which have become the emerging growth engine in many countries worldwide, leading to significant improvements in productivity and innovation. However, it remains unclear whether the industrial robot adoption can help address the increasingly severe environmental issues. This study investigates the impact of imported industrial robots on the pollutant emission intensity of Chinese manufacturing enterprises using micro panel data from 1998 to 2013. Our findings suggest that the industrial robot adoption leads to a significant reduction in SO2 emission intensity at the enterprise level. These results remain robust even after conducting various robustness checks, addressing endogeneity concerns and adjusting matching strategies. Furthermore, our investigation reveals three channels through which robot adoption reduces SO2 emission intensity: technological progress spillover, clean energy transition, and improvement in end-of-pipe treatment. By providing micro-level evidence on the environmental impacts of industrial robots, this study contributes to our understanding of the positive environmental externality associated with the diffusion of imported intelligent technology across nations and offers valuable insights for the sustainable development of emerging economies.