Can Industrial Robotization Drive Sustainable Industrial Wastewater Governance in Developing Regions? Empirical Evidence from China

The conflict between rapid industrialization and ecological deterioration constitutes a critical bottleneck for developing regions, particularly concerning industrial wastewater governance. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate whether industrial robotization (IR) can break this deadlock. This study proposes the central hypothesis that adopting IR significantly mitigates industrial wastewater emissions (IWE). Utilizing comprehensive panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2013 to 2022, this proposition is rigorously tested using fixed effects models. The main results clearly demonstrate that IR acts as a robust suppressant against IWE. Importantly, mechanism verification shows that this pollution reduction effect is propelled by stimulating green patents and amplifying technical expenditure. The empirical evidence reveals distinct nonlinear features regarding how IR affects IWE. Crucially, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the emission reduction utility of IR becomes significantly more pronounced in territories with robust financial depth and targeted policy backing. Consequently, this study provides vital strategic blueprints for policymakers to leverage industrial automation to navigate the sustainability crisis.