ABSTRACT
Improved productivity is the main driver of economic growth, but rapid growth can increase pollutant emissions due to the greater use of resources.1 Consequently, there is a conflict between economic growth and environmental concerns. In research on growth theory, analyses of economic growth and the environment have shown the importance of productivity increases and found that improved productivity decreases the input demand for lower pollution levels (Akao and Managi, 2007). Thus, emission reductions should be considered for continuous productivity progress. This study analyzed productivity by considering environmental policies on the provision and dissemination of environmental information in the United States (U.S.) and Japan.
