The Impact of Internet Usage on CO2 Emissions in Developing Countries

Internet (as one of the most important indicators of ICT) from several channels can affect the air pollution. Accordingly, the main purpose of this paper is to answer the question of whether increasing Internet usage and filling the digital divide between developing and developing countries will affect CO2 emissions in developing countries? In order to achieve this purpos, have been used panel data analysis and fixed effects estimator (FE) and information and statistical data of 30 developing countries (including Iran). The findings of this study indicate that Internet usage has a positive and significant impact on air pollution, but the severity of this effect is negligible. In the long run, with 10 percent increase in the number of Internet users (per 100 people) CO2 emissions will increase by less than 0.01 percent in the studied countries. On this basis, it can be said that Internet usage is not a serious threat for air pollution in developing countries. Based on the results, economic growth, per capita energy consumption, trade intensity and development of market money, have a significant and positive effect on CO2 emissions in the studied countries.