From Automation to Decarbonization: The Role of Industrial Robots in Reducing Carbon Emission Intensity

In the era of Industry 4.0, industrial robots are being widely adopted across countries, revolutionizing production processes. However, their deployment comes with a trade-off: while enhancing efficiency, the production of industrial robots demands high energy consumption, posing new challenges to environmental sustainability. Despite its significance, the link between industrial robot penetration (RP) and carbon emission intensity (CMI) has received insufficient attention. This study systematically explores this relationship and finds that (1) a rise in RP significantly reduces CMI, with a 1% increase in RP leading to a 0.0265% decline in CMI; (2) this effect is primarily driven by RP’s role in fostering green technology innovation and optimizing the energy mix, with a stronger impact observed in economies with higher income inequality; (3) technology spillover effects between upstream and downstream industries further amplify CMI reduction; and (4) RP is particularly effective in mitigating CMI within capital-intensive manufacturing sectors. These findings underscore the need for policies that promote digital platform development and facilitate the integration of emerging technologies with capital-intensive industries, paving the way for a more sustainable and technologically advanced industrial landscape.