Modern　cities　are　the　primary　sources　of　carbon　dioxide　and　pollutant　emissions,　and　information　technology　is　a　crucial　component　of　city　development.　To　promote　the　dispersion　of　information　consumption,　China　constructed　an　information　consumption　demonstration　city　(ICDC)　in　2015;　however,　the　impact　of　ICDC　policies　on　green　city　development　remains　unclear.　Thus,　this　study　aimed　to　explore　the　impact　of　ICDC　policies　on　city-level　carbon　dioxide　and　pollutant　emissions.　Based　on　panel　data　of　204　cities　in　China　from　2010　to　2019,　a　quasi-experiment　method　was　adopted　to　evaluate　the　effects　of　the　ICDC　policy　on　CO2　and　SO2　emissions　using　a　difference-in-differences　model.　The　results　indicated　a　significant　effect　of　ICDC　policies　on　green　development,　reducing　urban　CO2　and　SO2　growth　rates　by　36%　and　31%,　respectively.　This　conclusion　was　validated　using　several　robustness　tests.　The　mechanism　analysis　revealed　that　ICDC　policies　increased　government　spending　on　science　and　technology,　reduced　passenger　traffic　volumes,　and　promoted　the　city＇s　digital　finance　development　but　had　a　negative　impact　on　innovative　research　and　development.　This　study　provides　novel　insights　for　assessing　the　externalities　of　ICDC　policies　and　promoting　a　city＇s　green　and　low-carbon　development.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.