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Examining Whether Government Environmental Regulation Promotes Green Innovation Efficiency—Evidence from China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt

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Listed:
  • Feng Wu

    (Criminal Justice School, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China)

  • Xiaopeng Fu

    (Chongqing Intellectual Property School, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China)

  • Ting Zhang

    (Chongqing Intellectual Property School, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China)

  • Dan Wu

    (School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China)

  • Stavros Sindakis

    (School of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece)

Abstract

Based on the panel data of 11 provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2005 to 2018, this paper uses the SBM-DEA efficiency model with undesired output to measure the green innovation efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The panel Tobit empirical analysis model was used to quantitatively analyze the impact of three different forms of government environmental regulations on the efficiency of green innovation. The research results show that the government’s mandatory environmental regulations and government financial subsidies for green innovation technology are two regulatory methods that positively promote the efficiency of regional green innovation, but government investment in environmental governance has a negative impact on the efficiency of regional green innovation. Then the study found that this negative impact has a significant inflection point effect: when it exceeds a certain threshold, the negative impact turns into a positive effect. At the same time, the impact of environmental regulations on the efficiency of green innovation has significant regional heterogeneity, and the three environmental regulations have a greater impact on downstream provinces and cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Feng Wu & Xiaopeng Fu & Ting Zhang & Dan Wu & Stavros Sindakis, 2022. "Examining Whether Government Environmental Regulation Promotes Green Innovation Efficiency—Evidence from China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-14, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:1827-:d:742712
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yunyao Li & Yanji Ma, 2022. "Research on Industrial Innovation Efficiency and the Influencing Factors of the Old Industrial Base Based on the Lock-In Effect, a Case Study of Jilin Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, October.
    2. Chuang Li & Chen Li & Liping Wang, 2023. "The Docking Mechanism of Public and Enterprise Green Behavior in China: A Scenario Game Experiment Based on Green Product Classification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-27, June.
    3. Wanfang Shen & Jianing Shi & Qinggang Meng & Xiaolan Chen & Yufei Liu & Ken Cheng & Wenbin Liu, 2022. "Influences of Environmental Regulations on Industrial Green Technology Innovation Efficiency in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-25, April.
    4. Guoqun Ma & Minjuan Li & Yuxi Luo & Tuanbiao Jiang, 2023. "Agri-Ecological Policy, Human Capital and Agricultural Green Technology Progress," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Wang, Qian & Ren, Shuming, 2022. "Evaluation of green technology innovation efficiency in a regional context: A dynamic network slacks-based measuring approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    6. Biao Hu & Kai Yuan & Tingyun Niu & Liang Zhang & Yuqiong Guan, 2022. "Study on the Spatial and Temporal Evolution Patterns of Green Innovation Efficiency and Driving Factors in Three Major Urban Agglomerations in China—Based on the Perspective of Economic Geography," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-28, July.
    7. Yang Yang & Simo Li & Zhaoxian Su & Hao Fu & Wenbin Wang & Yun Wang, 2023. "Research on the Ecological Innovation Efficiency of the Zhongyuan Urban Agglomeration: Measurement, Evaluation and Optimization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-24, September.
    8. Yan Li & Xiaohan Zhang & Chenxin Jin & Qingbo Huang, 2022. "The Influence of Reverse Technology Spillover of Outward Foreign Direct Investment on Green Total Factor Productivity in China’s Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-17, December.

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