Impact of internet electronic commerce on SO2 pollution: evidence from China.

This paper probes the impact and working mechanism of e-commerce development on prevention and control of SO2 air pollution in cities in China. The research reveals that, first, e-commerce development can significantly reduce the SO2 air pollution degree in cities in China, which helps improve air quality, and compared with e-commerce services, an e-commerce application is more effective at reducing SO2 air pollution degree and improving air quality. Second, e-commerce development can significantly reduce SO2 emissions in cities in China, decreasing SO2 emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) of cities. Compared with e-commerce services, an e-commerce application has a greater effect on reducing SO2 emissions in urban unit GDP. Finally, by reducing SO2 emissions in cities in China, e-commerce can reduce SO2 emissions in unit GDP, reducing SO2 air pollution degree and improving air quality, and in comparison with e-commerce services, an e-commerce application can reduce SO2 emissions in city unit GDP more significantly, thus significantly reducing SO2 air pollution degree and improving air quality in cities in China.