The Impact of New-Quality Productivity on Environmental Pollution: Empirical Evidence from China

Abstract

Based on panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2022, this study empirically examines the impact of new-quality productivity on environmental pollution and explores the underlying mechanisms. A multidimensional index system is constructed to measure new-quality productivity, incorporating new laborers, new labor materials, new labor objects, new technologies, new production organizations, and new data elements. The results indicate that the development of new-quality productivity significantly reduces environmental pollution levels, a conclusion that remains robust after a series of robustness and endogeneity tests. Mechanism analysis reveals that green finance plays a partial mediating role in the pollution-reducing effect of new-quality productivity, with the mediating effect accounting for 11.7%. Regional heterogeneity analysis shows that the environmental improvement effect of new-quality productivity is significant in the eastern and northeastern regions but relatively weaker in the central and western regions. Based on these findings, this study proposes a three-pronged policy framework that integrates “factor upgrading, mechanism innovation, and region-specific adaptation”, emphasizing the enhancement of new-quality productivity, the development of green finance, and regionally differentiated development strategies to better mitigate environmental pollution. This study provides empirical evidence on the environmental governance effects of new-quality productivity and offers theoretical insights for developing countries seeking to resolve the “growth-pollution” paradox and optimize regional green transition pathways.