IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i20p13034-d938974.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can Green Innovation Improve Regional Environmental Carrying Capacity? An Empirical Analysis from China

Author

Listed:
  • Juan Hu

    (School of Discipline Inspection and Supervision, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000, China
    Collaborative Innovation Center for Emissions Trading System Co-Constructed by the Province and Ministry, Wuhan 430205, China)

  • Chengjin Ma

    (Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA)

  • Chen Li

    (School of Management, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China)

Abstract

Green innovation has become an important driving force for China’s economic transformation and development. This paper selects the 2010–2020 provincial-level regions in China as samples, and adopts a multi-indicator comprehensive evaluation method to comprehensively, objectively and scientifically evaluate the environmental carrying capacity of air pollution in two dimensions: natural resource endowment and human activity impact, and also measures and calculates the green innovation in each province, city and autonomous region to explore the specific impact of green innovation on environmental carrying capacity and its spatial spillover effect; it also explores the heterogeneous effects of green innovation on environmental carrying capacity under different pollution environments. The conclusions show that: (1) Green innovation has a positive impact on environmental carrying capacity. (2) There is a spatial spillover effect of green innovation on environmental carrying capacity. In other words, in areas with higher PM2.5 concentration, that is, lower environmental quality, green innovation has a weaker ability to improve environmental carrying capacity; in areas with lower PM2.5 concentration, that is higher environmental quality, green innovation has a stronger ability to improve environmental carrying capacity. (3) In the process of green innovation affecting environmental carrying capacity, PM2.5 plays the part of a mediating effect, indicating that green innovation is an intermediate transmission mechanism affecting environmental carrying capacity, and the results show that the absolute value of the short-term indirect effect is greater than the absolute value of the short-term direct effect, and the long-term direct effect is greater than the long-term indirect effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Hu & Chengjin Ma & Chen Li, 2022. "Can Green Innovation Improve Regional Environmental Carrying Capacity? An Empirical Analysis from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13034-:d:938974
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13034/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13034/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jing Xie & Qi Sun & Shaohong Wang & Xiaoping Li & Fei Fan, 2020. "Does Environmental Regulation Affect Export Quality? Theory and Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-23, November.
    2. Fei Fan & Dailin Cao & Ning Ma, 2020. "Is Improvement of Innovation Efficiency Conducive to Haze Governance? Empirical Evidence from 283 Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Fei Fan & Shangze Dai & Keke Zhang & Haiqian Ke, 2021. "Innovation agglomeration and urban hierarchy: evidence from Chinese cities," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(54), pages 6300-6318, November.
    4. Gordon Akon-Yamga & Chux U. Daniels & Wilhemina Quaye & Blanche M. Ting & Adelaide A. Asante, 2021. "Transformative innovation policy approach to e-waste management in Ghana: Perspectives of actors on transformative changes," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(3), pages 387-397.
    5. Yuan-Chieh Chang & Po-Hsuan Chen & Min-Jun Teng, 2021. "Erratum to: How do institutional changes facilitate university-centric networks in Taiwan? The triple-helix model of innovation view," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(4), pages 602-603.
    6. Guoxiang Li & Keqiang Wang & Hongmei Liu, 2021. "Construction land reduction, rural financial development, and industrial structure optimization," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 1783-1803, September.
    7. Nasser Al‐Baimani & Nick Clifton & Eleri Jones & Rhiannon Pugh, 2021. "Applying the ecosystem model in a new context? The case of business incubation in Oman," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 663-686, June.
    8. Jian-qing Zhang & Tingting Chen & Fei Fan & Song Wang, 2018. "Empirical research on time-varying characteristics and efficiency of the Chinese economy and monetary policy: evidence from the MI-TVP-VAR model," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(33), pages 3596-3613, July.
    9. Markus M. Bugge & Fazilat Siddiq, 2021. "Empowering professionalism in mission-oriented innovation," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(3), pages 423-437.
    10. Song Wang & Mengyuan Jia & Yahui Zhou & Fei Fan, 2020. "Impacts of changing urban form on ecological efficiency in China: a comparison between urban agglomerations and administrative areas," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(10), pages 1834-1856, August.
    11. Shuai Liu & Fei Fan & Jianqing Zhang, 2019. "Are Small Cities More Environmentally Friendly? An Empirical Study from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Haichao Yu & Yan Liu & Chengliang Liu & Fei Fan, 2018. "Spatiotemporal Variation and Inequality in China’s Economic Resilience across Cities and Urban Agglomerations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, December.
    13. Siliang Guo & Heng Ma, 2021. "Does industrial agglomeration promote high‐quality development of the Yellow River Basin in China? Empirical test from the moderating effect of environmental regulation," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2040-2070, December.
    14. Balázs Borsi, 2021. "The Balanced State of Application-oriented Public Research and Technology Organisations," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(5), pages 612-629.
    15. Haiqian Ke & Wenyi Yang & Xiaoyang Liu & Fei Fan, 2020. "Does Innovation Efficiency Suppress the Ecological Footprint? Empirical Evidence from 280 Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-23, September.
    16. Charles Ayoubi & Michele Pezzoni & Fabiana Visentin, 2021. "Does It Pay to Do Novel Science? The Selectivity Patterns in Science Funding," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(5), pages 635-648.
    17. Sowjanya Dhulipala & Gopal R. Patil, 2021. "Identification of freight generating industry complexes: A descriptive spatial analysis," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2680-2712, December.
    18. Ernest Kay Bakpa & Hu Xuhua & Abigail Konadu Aboagye, 2021. "Ghana’s economic growth: Directing our focus on the contributing influences of innovation activities and trade," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2213-2237, December.
    19. Wang, Xueli & Wang, Lei & Zhang, Xuerong & Fan, Fei, 2022. "The spatiotemporal evolution of COVID-19 in China and its impact on urban economic resilience," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    20. Song Wang & Caizhi Sun & Xin Li & Wei Zou, 2016. "Sustainable Development in China’s Coastal Area: Based on the Driver-Pressure-State-Welfare-Response Framework and the Data Envelopment Analysis Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-19, September.
    21. Giuseppe Calignano, 2022. "Not all peripheries are the same: The importance of relative regional innovativeness in transnational innovation networks," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 276-312, March.
    22. Julie L. Hotchkiss & Anil Rupasingha, 2021. "Individual social capital and migration," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 808-837, June.
    23. Biranchi Narayan Adhikari & Ajay Kumar Behera & Rabindra Narayan Mahapatra & Harish Chandra Das, 2022. "Retracted: Effect of driving domain on driving attitude profiles in winter seasons of India," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 4-34, March.
    24. Elisa Cordeiro Bastos & Aline Rossales Sengik & Jorge Tello-Gamarra, 2021. "Fifty years of University-industry collaboration: a global bibliometrics overview," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(2), pages 177-199.
    25. Michael Clormann, 2021. "Switching between worlds apart: Negotiating European space sector cultures through innovation," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(4), pages 521-530.
    26. Jianqing Zhang & Song Wang & Peilei Yang & Fei Fan & Xueli Wang, 2020. "Analysis of Scale Factors on China’s Sustainable Development Efficiency Based on Three-Stage DEA and a Double Threshold Test," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-26, March.
    27. Tommaso Agasisti & Jasmina Berbegal-Mirabent, 2021. "Cross-country analysis of higher education institutions’ efficiency: The role of strategic positioning," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(1), pages 66-79.
    28. Camilla Adelle & Tristan Görgens & Florian Kroll & Bruno Losch, 2021. "Co-production of knowledge in transdisciplinary communities of practice: Experiences from food governance in South Africa," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(2), pages 145-153.
    29. Marcos Álvarez‐Díaz & Béatrice D’Hombres & Lewis Dijkstra & Claudia Ghisetti & Nicola Pontarollo, 2021. "Unveiling the local determinants of population growth in the European Union," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 150-166, March.
    30. Jia Gao & Ge Song & Shuhan Liu, 2022. "Factors influencing farmers’ willingness and behavior choices to withdraw from rural homesteads in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 112-131, March.
    31. Yuan-Chieh Chang & Po-Hsuan Chen & Min-Jun Teng, 2021. "How do institutional changes facilitate university-centric networks in Taiwan? The Triple Helix model of innovation view," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(3), pages 309-324.
    32. Song Wang & Jiexin Wang & Chenqi Wei & Xueli Wang & Fei Fan, 2021. "Collaborative innovation efficiency: From within cities to between cities—Empirical analysis based on innovative cities in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 1330-1360, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cheng Zhan & Mingjing Guo & Jinhua Cheng & Hongxia Peng, 2022. "Evaluation of Resources and Environment Carrying Capacity Based on Support Pressure Coupling Mechanism: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-21, December.
    2. Tiantian Guo & Jidong Wang & Chen Li, 2022. "Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Influencing Mechanism of Tourism Ecological Efficiency in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Jia Lv & Hao Zeng & Zhi Liu, 2023. "The Impact of Green Innovation Capacity on Urban Economic Resilience: Evidence from China’s Yangtze River Delta Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-28, October.
    4. Zhang, Han & Zheng, Jinhui & Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Zhao, Shikuan & Bouri, Elie, 2024. "How does urban land use efficiency improve resource and environment carrying capacity?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    5. Chen Li & Jiaji Wu & Yi Huang, 2023. "Spatial–Temporal Patterns and Coupling Characteristics of Rural Elderly Care Institutions in China: Sustainable Human Settlements Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-27, February.

    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. Liang Zhao & Lifei Xu & Ling Li & Jing Hu & Lin Mu, 2022. "Can Inbound Tourism Improve Regional Ecological Efficiency? An Empirical Analysis from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-19, September.
    2. Min Qian & Zhenpeng Cheng & Zhengwen Wang & Dingyi Qi, 2022. "What Affects Rural Ecological Environment Governance Efficiency? Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, May.
    3. Jianwei Zhang & Heng Li & Guoxin Jiao & Jiayi Wang & Jingjing Li & Mengzhen Li & Haining Jiang, 2022. "Spatial Pattern of Technological Innovation in the Yangtze River Delta Region and Its Impact on Water Pollution," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-20, June.
    4. Lili Yang & Ning Ma, 2022. "Empirical Study on the Influence of Urban Environmental Industrial Structure Optimization on Ecological Landscape Greening Construction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-16, December.
    5. Wenyi Yang & Xueli Wang & Keke Zhang & Zikan Ke, 2020. "COVID-19, Urbanization Pattern and Economic Recovery: An Analysis of Hubei, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-21, December.
    6. Chen Li & Heng Li & Xionghe Qin, 2022. "Spatial Heterogeneity of Carbon Emissions and Its Influencing Factors in China: Evidence from 286 Prefecture-Level Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-29, January.
    7. Jie Fan & Zhuo Shen & Zhengwen Wang, 2022. "The Threshold Effect of Urban Levels on Environmental Collaborative Governance: An Empirical Analysis from Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-11, March.
    8. Ning Ma & Puyu Liu & Yadong Xiao & Hengyun Tang & Jianqing Zhang, 2022. "Can Green Technological Innovation Reduce Hazardous Air Pollutants?—An Empirical Test Based on 283 Cities in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-20, January.
    9. Zuoming Liu & Changbo Qiu & Min Sun & Dongmin Zhang, 2022. "Environmental Performance Evaluation of Key Polluting Industries in China—Taking the Power Industry as an Example," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-21, June.
    10. Jing Ma & Dan Liu & Zhengwen Wang, 2023. "Sponge City Construction and Urban Economic Sustainable Development: An Ecological Philosophical Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-17, January.
    11. Qianrui Hwang & Min Yao & Shugang Li & Fang Wang & Zhenmin Luo & Zheng Li & Tongshuang Liu, 2023. "Risk Spillovers between China’s Carbon and Energy Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-17, September.
    12. Jianqing Zhang & Haichao Yu & Keke Zhang & Liang Zhao & Fei Fan, 2021. "Can Innovation Agglomeration Reduce Carbon Emissions? Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-24, January.
    13. Haiqian Ke & Wenyi Yang & Xiaoyang Liu & Fei Fan, 2020. "Does Innovation Efficiency Suppress the Ecological Footprint? Empirical Evidence from 280 Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-23, September.
    14. Yunling Ye & Sheng Ye & Haichao Yu, 2021. "Can Industrial Collaborative Agglomeration Reduce Haze Pollution? City-Level Empirical Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-22, February.
    15. Haiqian Ke & Bo Yang & Shangze Dai, 2022. "Does Intensive Land Use Contribute to Energy Efficiency?—Evidence Based on a Spatial Durbin Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.
    16. Fei Fan & Dailin Cao & Ning Ma, 2020. "Is Improvement of Innovation Efficiency Conducive to Haze Governance? Empirical Evidence from 283 Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-20, August.
    17. Liang Zhao & Liangyu Chen, 2022. "Research on the Impact of Government Environmental Information Disclosure on Green Total Factor Productivity: Empirical Experience from Chinese Province," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-20, January.
    18. Mingxia Liu & Wei Jiang, 2022. "Empirical Research on the Influence Mechanisms of Digital Resources Input on Service Innovation in China’s Finance Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-22, June.
    19. Yiping Sun & Xiangyi Li & Tengyuan Zhang & Jiawei Fu, 2022. "Does Trade Policy Uncertainty Exacerbate Environmental Pollution?—Evidence from Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-21, February.
    20. Song Wang & Yixiao Wang & Chenxin Zhou & Xueli Wang, 2022. "Projections in Various Scenarios and the Impact of Economy, Population, and Technology for Regional Emission Peak and Carbon Neutrality in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-31, September.

    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:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13034-:d:938974. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.