Can the collaboration of information infrastructure construction and integrated infrastructure construction achieve the double dividend of emission reduction and efficiency enhancement? ——based on the perspective of double objective constraints

As a critical component of new infrastructure construction, information infrastructure construction and integrated infrastructure construction play the roles of “underlying technical support”and“cross-border integration”in promoting economic development, respectively. The collaboration between information infrastructure construction and integrated infrastructure construction (IIC) can contribute to achieving the dual development goals of economic prosperity (“gold Mountain and silver Mountain”) and environmental sustainability (“green water and green mountains”). Based on panel data from 277 prefecture-level cities in China spanning from 2011 to 2022, this study empirically investigates the impact of IIC on emission reduction (ERL) and efficiency enhancement (EIL). The findings indicate that (1) IIC can achieve the dual dividends of ERL and EIL, and this conclusion remains robust after a series of rigorous tests. (2) Mechanism analysis reveals that IIC enhances ERL and EIL levels by fostering technological innovation (TIL), optimizing energy consumption structure (ECS), accelerating industrial agglomeration (IAL), and enhancing public environmental concern (PEC). (3) Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates significant variations in the enabling effects of IIC due to differences in resource dependence, city size, transportation infrastructure, and urban vitality. (4) Expansion analysis shows that economic growth target constraints weaken the driving effect of IIC on ERL and EIL, whereas environmental target constraints strengthen its driving effect. (5) IIC exhibits spatial asymmetric spillover effects on ERL and EIL. Regionally, the spatial spillover effects of IIC on ERL and EIL are greater in southern regions than in northern regions. (6) From a policy coordination perspective, the dual pilot policy for information and integrated infrastructure construction exhibits a more pronounced driving effect on ERL and EIL. The findings of this research not only enrich the literature on the environmental impacts of new infrastructure but also provide empirical evidence to inform government strategies for promoting orderly infrastructure development. • IIC can achieve the dual dividends of ERL and EIL. • The channels include TIL, ECS, IAL, and PEC. • Heterogeneity in resource dependence, city size, transportation infrastructure, and urban vitality is evident. • The constraints of economic growth targets and environmental targets have different regulatory effects. • IIC exhibits spatially asymmetric spillover effects and policy synergy effects on ERL and EIL.