IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eneeco/v140y2024ics0140988324006650.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Trade dynamics of environmental goods within global energy economy and their impacts on green technological innovation: A complex network analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Yu, Yuyuan
  • Qayyum, Muhammad
  • Li, Shijie

Abstract

Trade in environmental goods, primarily renewable energy plants and wastewater management equipment, facilitates the dissemination of technologies essential for ecological preservation. Traditional indicators like trade intensity fail to capture the network advantage that a country may possess in advancing environmental-related technologies. Therefore, this study develops a directed trade network of environmental goods (EGTN) from 2002 to 2021 across 234 countries or regions. By applying network topology, we investigate the structural features and dynamic changes of the EGTN. Our analysis reveals that the EGTN has become increasingly interconnected, predominantly influenced by certain OECD countries (i.e., France, Germany and the US) and developing countries (i.e., South Africa, China, and India). Utilizing panel data from 27 OECD countries and 5 BRICS countries between 2002 and 2019, our baseline quantile regressions show that enhanced trade central status can significantly promote green innovation across all percentiles. Non-linear and U-shaped relationships are detected for betweenness centrality and closeness centrality variables. In contrast, the effects of eigenvector centrality diminish in more innovative countries. The above findings remain robust after accounting for potential endogeneity problems. Moreover, while stricter environmental policies tend to promote the development of green innovations in OECD countries, non-market-based policies in BRICS may pose challenges to advancing such innovations. Policies that facilitate information dissemination and strengthen partnerships with influential trade partners can help local organizations leverage their network advantages to spur innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu, Yuyuan & Qayyum, Muhammad & Li, Shijie, 2024. "Trade dynamics of environmental goods within global energy economy and their impacts on green technological innovation: A complex network analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:140:y:2024:i:c:s0140988324006650
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107957
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988324006650
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107957?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bosetti, Valentina & Carraro, Carlo & Massetti, Emanuele & Tavoni, Massimo, 2008. "International energy R&D spillovers and the economics of greenhouse gas atmospheric stabilization," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 2912-2929, November.
    2. Maggio, Marco Di & Franzoni, Francesco & Kermani, Amir & Sommavilla, Carlo, 2019. "The relevance of broker networks for information diffusion in the stock market," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(2), pages 419-446.
    3. Rehman, Shafique Ur & Kraus, Sascha & Shah, Syed Asim & Khanin, Dmitry & Mahto, Raj V., 2021. "Analyzing the relationship between green innovation and environmental performance in large manufacturing firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    4. Peiyu Wang & Xiyan Mao & Xianjin Huang, 2024. "How does global trade in environmental goods contribute to the SDGs in developing countries?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 496-519, February.
    5. Natalia Zugravu-Soilita, 2019. "Trade in Environmental Goods and Air Pollution: A Mediation Analysis to Estimate Total, Direct and Indirect Effects," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 74(3), pages 1125-1162, November.
    6. Feng, Wei & Li, Jiajia, 2021. "International technology spillovers and innovation quality: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 289-308.
    7. Deb, Pragyan & Furceri, Davide & Ostry, Jonathan D. & Tawk, Nour, 2023. "Creative destruction during crises: An opportunity for a cleaner energy mix," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    8. Ricardo Hausmann & Jason Hwang & Dani Rodrik, 2007. "What you export matters," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, March.
    9. Bayramoglu, Basak & Jacques, Jean-François & Nedoncelle, Clément & Neumann-Noel, Lucille, 2023. "International climate aid and trade," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    10. Madsen, Jakob B., 2007. "Technology spillover through trade and TFP convergence: 135 years of evidence for the OECD countries," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 464-480, July.
    11. Zhang, Hongwei & Wang, Ying & Zhu, Xuehong & Guo, Yaoqi, 2020. "The impact of energy trade patterns on CO2 emissions: An emergy and network analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    12. Aller, Carlos & Ductor, Lorenzo & Herrerias, M.J., 2015. "The world trade network and the environment," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(PA), pages 55-68.
    13. Jeremy Galbreath, 2019. "Drivers of Green Innovations: The Impact of Export Intensity, Women Leaders, and Absorptive Capacity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 47-61, August.
    14. Fu, Xin & Yang, Yu & Dong, Wen & Wang, Changjian & Liu, Yi, 2017. "Spatial structure, inequality and trading community of renewable energy networks: A comparative study of solar and hydro energy product trades," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 22-31.
    15. Nicholas Bloom & Mirko Draca & John Van Reenen, 2016. "Trade Induced Technical Change? The Impact of Chinese Imports on Innovation, IT and Productivity," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 83(1), pages 87-117.
    16. Herzer, Dierk, 2022. "The impact on domestic CO2 emissions of domestic government-funded clean energy R&D and of spillovers from foreign government-funded clean energy R&D," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    17. Liu, Hongxun & Gao, Jinfeng & Tian, Peng & Ma, Xiaoming & Meng, Guanfei & Yang, Jingnan & Li, Zhi, 2023. "The impact of environmental regulation on productivity with co-production of goods and bads," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    18. Enrico Botta & Tomasz Koźluk, 2014. "Measuring Environmental Policy Stringency in OECD Countries: A Composite Index Approach," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1177, OECD Publishing.
    19. Zou, Zongsen & Zhang, Yu & Wang, Meng & Wang, Xiuling, 2022. "Do export quality and destination income matter for exchange rate pass-through? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    20. Sun, Huaping & Edziah, Bless Kofi & Sun, Chuanwang & Kporsu, Anthony Kwaku, 2019. "Institutional quality, green innovation and energy efficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    21. Yalabik, Baris & Fairchild, Richard J., 2011. "Customer, regulatory, and competitive pressure as drivers of environmental innovation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(2), pages 519-527, June.
    22. Zhu, Xuehong & Ding, Qian & Chen, Jinyu, 2022. "How does critical mineral trade pattern affect renewable energy development? The mediating role of renewable energy technological progress," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    23. Halleck Vega, Solmaria & Mandel, Antoine, 2018. "Technology Diffusion and Climate Policy: A Network Approach and its Application to Wind Energy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 461-471.
    24. Xi, Xian & Zhou, Jinsheng & Gao, Xiangyun & Liu, Donghui & Zheng, Huiling & Sun, Qingru, 2019. "Impact of changes in crude oil trade network patterns on national economy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    25. Paul Goldsmith-Pinkham & Isaac Sorkin & Henry Swift, 2020. "Bartik Instruments: What, When, Why, and How," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(8), pages 2586-2624, August.
    26. Amrit Tiwana, 2008. "Do bridging ties complement strong ties? An empirical examination of alliance ambidexterity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 251-272, March.
    27. Federica Coelli & Andreas Moxnes & Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe, 2022. "Better, Faster, Stronger: Global Innovation and Trade Liberalization," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 104(2), pages 205-216, May.
    28. Chakraborty, Pavel & Chatterjee, Chirantan, 2017. "Does environmental regulation indirectly induce upstream innovation? New evidence from India," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5), pages 939-955.
    29. Martínez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada & Bengochea-Morancho, Aurelia & Morales-Lage, Rafael, 2019. "Does environmental policy stringency foster innovation and productivity in OECD countries?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    30. David Powell, 2022. "Quantile regression with nonadditive fixed effects," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(5), pages 2675-2691, November.
    31. Wang, Lu & Luo, Gong-li & Sari, Arif & Shao, Xue-Feng, 2020. "What nurtures fourth industrial revolution? An investigation of economic and social determinants of technological innovation in advanced economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    32. James Bisbee & Rajeev Dehejia & Cristian Pop-Eleches & Cyrus Samii, 2017. "Local Instruments, Global Extrapolation: External Validity of the Labor Supply-Fertility Local Average Treatment Effect," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 35(S1), pages 99-147.
    33. Li, Yingli & Huang, Jianbai & Zhang, Hongwei, 2022. "The impact of country risks on cobalt trade patterns from the perspective of the industrial chain," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    34. Giammario Impullitti & Omar Licandro, 2018. "Trade, Firm Selection and Innovation: The Competition Channel," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(608), pages 189-229, February.
    35. Liu, Huiling & Zhang, Jianhua & Lei, Heng, 2022. "Do imported environmental goods reduce pollution intensity? The end use matters," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    36. Zhao, Longfeng & Yang, Yajie & Bai, Xiao & Chen, Lin & Lu, An-Liang & Zhang, Xin & Chen, Wei-Qiang, 2023. "Structure, robustness and supply risk in the global wind turbine trade network," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    37. Wei, Na & Xie, Wen-Jie & Zhou, Wei-Xing, 2022. "Robustness of the international oil trade network under targeted attacks to economies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    38. Zhu, Bo & Liu, Jiahao & Lin, Renda & Chevallier, Julien, 2021. "Cross-border systemic risk spillovers in the global oil system: Does the oil trade pattern matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    39. Artuc, Erhan & Bastos, Paulo & Rijkers, Bob, 2023. "Robots, tasks, and trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    40. Akbar Zaheer & Geoffrey G. Bell, 2005. "Benefiting from network position: firm capabilities, structural holes, and performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(9), pages 809-825, September.
    41. Hu, Xiurong & Pollitt, Hector & Pirie, Jamie & Mercure, Jean-Francois & Liu, Junfeng & Meng, Jing & Tao, Shu, 2020. "The impacts of the trade liberalization of environmental goods on power system and CO2 emissions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    42. Yang, Mu-Jeung & Li, Nicholas & Lorenz, Kueng, 2021. "The impact of emerging market competition on innovation and business strategy: Evidence from Canada," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 117-134.
    43. Lota D. Tamini & Zakaria Sorgho, 2018. "Trade in Environmental Goods: Evidences from an Analysis Using Elasticities of Trade Costs," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 70(1), pages 53-75, May.
    44. de Melo, Jaime & Solleder, Jean-Marc, 2020. "Barriers to trade in environmental goods: How important they are and what should developing countries expect from their removal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    45. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    46. Lapologang, Sebaka & Zhao, Shuliang, 2023. "The impact of environmental policy mechanisms on green innovation performance: the roles of environmental disclosure and political ties," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    47. Xie, Rong-hui & Yuan, Yi-jun & Huang, Jing-jing, 2017. "Different Types of Environmental Regulations and Heterogeneous Influence on “Green” Productivity: Evidence from China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 104-112.
    48. Furceri, Davide & Ganslmeier, Michael & Ostry, Jonathan, 2023. "Are climate change policies politically costly?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    49. Xu, Le & Fan, Meiting & Yang, Lili & Shao, Shuai, 2021. "Heterogeneous green innovations and carbon emission performance: Evidence at China's city level," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    50. Zhang, Wei & Li, Guoxiang & Guo, Fanyong, 2022. "Does carbon emissions trading promote green technology innovation in China?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    51. Jehan Sauvage, 2014. "The Stringency of Environmental Regulations and Trade in Environmental Goods," OECD Trade and Environment Working Papers 2014/3, OECD Publishing.
    52. Zhang, Dan & Zheng, Mingbo & Feng, Gen-Fu & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2022. "Does an environmental policy bring to green innovation in renewable energy?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 1113-1124.
    53. Chiou, Tzu-Yun & Chan, Hing Kai & Lettice, Fiona & Chung, Sai Ho, 2011. "The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 822-836.
    54. Wurlod, Jules-Daniel & Noailly, Joëlle, 2018. "The impact of green innovation on energy intensity: An empirical analysis for 14 industrial sectors in OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 47-61.
    55. Liu, Xiaohui & Buck, Trevor, 2007. "Innovation performance and channels for international technology spillovers: Evidence from Chinese high-tech industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 355-366, April.
    56. Zhang, Hongwei & Wang, Ying & Yang, Cai & Guo, Yaoqi, 2021. "The impact of country risk on energy trade patterns based on complex network and panel regression analyses," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    57. Blanchard, Emily J. & Olney, William W., 2017. "Globalization and human capital investment: Export composition drives educational attainment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 165-183.
    58. Bo Zhu & Jiahao Liu & Renda Lin & Julien Chevallier, 2021. "Cross-border systemic risk spillovers in the global oil system: Does the oil trade pattern matter?," Post-Print halshs-04250280, HAL.
    59. Erik Frohm & Filippo Maria D’Arcangelo & Tobias Kruse & Mauro Pisu & Urban Sila, 2023. "Environmental policy stringency and CO2 emissions: Evidence from cross-country sector-level data," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1773, OECD Publishing.
    60. Zheng, Huiling & Zhou, Jinsheng & Gao, Xiangyun & Xi, Xian & Liu, Donghui & Zhao, Yiran, 2021. "Global impacts of the topological structure of industrial driving networks on energy intensity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    61. Giammario Impullitti & Omar Licandro, 2018. "Trade, Firm Selection and Innovation: The Competition Channel," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(608), pages 189-229, February.
    62. Zhong, Sheng & Goh, Tian & Su, Bin, 2022. "Patterns and drivers of embodied carbon intensity in international exports: The role of trade and environmental policies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    63. Liu, Qing & Lu, Ruosi & Lu, Yi & Luong, Tuan Anh, 2021. "Import competition and firm innovation: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    64. Ren, Shuai & Li, Huajiao & Wang, Yanli & Guo, Chen & Feng, Sida & Wang, Xingxing, 2021. "Comparative study of the China and U.S. import trade structure based on the global chromium ore trade network," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bacchetta, Marc & Bekkers, Eddy & Solleder, Jean-Marc & Tresa, Enxhi, 2023. "The potential impact of environmental goods trade liberalization on trade and emissions," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2023-05, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    2. Bacchetta, Marc & Bekkers, Eddy & Solleder, Jean-Marc & Tresa, Enxhi, 2025. "The potential impact of environmental goods trade liberalization on trade and emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    3. Peiyu Wang & Xiyan Mao & Xianjin Huang, 2024. "How does global trade in environmental goods contribute to the SDGs in developing countries?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 496-519, February.
    4. Philippe Aghion & Antonin Bergeaud & Matthieu Lequien & Marc J. Melitz, 2024. "The Heterogeneous Impact of Market Size on Innovation: Evidence from French Firm-Level Exports," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 106(3), pages 608-626, May.
    5. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2024. "Trade Policy Space, Aid for Trade and, Intra-African and External African Manufactured Exports," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    6. Xiyan Mao & Peiyu Wang, 2023. "Import–export nexus and China's emerging trade in environmental goods," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 157-181, March.
    7. Chen, Jinyu & Luo, Qian & Sun, Xin & Zhang, Zitao & Dong, Xuesong, 2023. "The impact of renewable energy consumption on lithium trade patterns: An industrial chain perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    8. Carl Gaigné & Lota D. Tamini, 2021. "Environmental Taxation and Import Demand for Environmental Goods: Theory and Evidence from the European Union," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(2), pages 307-352, February.
    9. Wang, Jun-Zhuo & Feng, Gen-Fu & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "How does political instability affect renewable energy innovation?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    10. Li, Xiaogang, 2020. "Innovation, market valuations, policy uncertainty and trade: Theory and evidence," ISU General Staff Papers 202001010800009179, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    11. Chen, Ji & Wu, Liudan & Hao, Lili & Yu, Xiao & Streimikiene, Dalia, 2024. "Does the import of green products encourage green technology innovation? Empirical evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    12. Feng, Chao & Liu, Yu-Qi & Yang, Jun, 2024. "Do energy trade patterns affect renewable energy development? The threshold role of digital economy and economic freedom," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    13. Li, Juncheng & Qin, Xiuting & Tang, Jian & Yang, Lu, 2022. "Foreign trade and innovation sustainability: Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    14. Xiao Ma, 2024. "College Expansion, Trade, And Innovation: Evidence From China," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 65(1), pages 315-351, February.
    15. Zi Hui Yin & Wei Ping Zeng, 2024. "Path to sustainable development: Can industrial intelligence and technological innovation balance economic growth and environmental quality in China?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(5), pages 4486-4504, October.
    16. Zhang, Yongji & Lan, Minghui & Zhao, Yapu & Su, Zhi & Hao, Yu & Du, Heran, 2024. "Regional carbon emission pressure and corporate green innovation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 360(C).
    17. Chao Wang & Yue‐Jun Zhang, 2020. "Does environmental regulation policy help improve green production performance? Evidence from China's industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 937-951, March.
    18. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2023. "Do Aid for Trade flows affect Technology Licensing in Recipient Countries?," EconStor Preprints 273419, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    19. Aurelien Quignon, 2022. "Market Regulation and Innovation: Direct and Indirect Effects," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 429-456, December.
    20. Sun, Huaping & Edziah, Bless Kofi & Kporsu, Anthony Kwaku & Sarkodie, Samuel Asumadu & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad, 2021. "Energy efficiency: The role of technological innovation and knowledge spillover," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green innovation; Trade in environmental goods; Complex network; Panel quantile regression;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • F64 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Environment

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:140:y:2024:i:c:s0140988324006650. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eneco .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.