IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/scient/v129y2024i12d10.1007_s11192-024-05200-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Heterogeneous effects of environmental regulations on green technology innovation: measurement by using patents and evidence from China’s prefecture-level cities

Author

Listed:
  • Na Zhang

    (Dalian Maritime University)

  • Yanran Bi

    (Dalian Maritime University)

  • Wenyue Gao

    (Dalian Maritime University)

  • Jia Deng

    (Dalian Maritime University)

  • Erzi Tang

    (Nanjing Audit University)

Abstract

Environmental regulations have great practical significance for promoting green technology innovation in cities, leading to green transformation and sustainable development. This study focuses on the effects of environmental regulations, including command-and-control (air quality standards) and market-incentive types (carbon emissions trading systems), on green technology innovation behaviours, with production-side and pollution-side types, respectively. To measure green technology innovation, the number of invention patents per capita in the subfields of energy conservation and alternative energy was selected as the measurement on the production side, and the number of invention patents per capita in the subfield of waste management was selected as the measurement on the pollution side. By examining panel data of 273 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2019 and taking China’s air quality standards and carbon emissions trading system as a quasi-natural experiment, we empirically tested the hypotheses using the difference-in-difference method and found the following important results. (1) Command-and-control and market-incentive environmental regulations have an important role in promoting green technology innovation overall. (2) Command-and-control environmental regulations have a stronger promoting effect on the pollution side of green technology innovation, whereas market-inventive environmental regulations have a stronger promoting effect on the production side. (3) Command-and-control environmental regulations have important short- and long-term roles, whereas market-incentive environmental regulations play a significant role only in the long term. This study verifies the heterogeneous effects of environmental regulations on green technology innovation behaviour and timeliness. Finally, the empirical results provide valuable recommendations for implementing suitable environmental policies that stimulate green technology innovation to protect the environment and reduce emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Na Zhang & Yanran Bi & Wenyue Gao & Jia Deng & Erzi Tang, 2024. "Heterogeneous effects of environmental regulations on green technology innovation: measurement by using patents and evidence from China’s prefecture-level cities," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(12), pages 7667-7698, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:129:y:2024:i:12:d:10.1007_s11192-024-05200-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-024-05200-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11192-024-05200-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11192-024-05200-2?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. Rubashkina, Yana & Galeotti, Marzio & Verdolini, Elena, 2015. "Environmental regulation and competitiveness: Empirical evidence on the Porter Hypothesis from European manufacturing sectors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 288-300.
    2. Wagner, Marcus, 2007. "On the relationship between environmental management, environmental innovation and patenting: Evidence from German manufacturing firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1587-1602, December.
    3. Laura Bottazzi & Giovanni Peri, 2007. "The International Dynamics of R&D and Innovation in the Long Run and in The Short Run," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(518), pages 486-511, March.
    4. Ouyang, Xiaoling & Li, Qiong & Du, Kerui, 2020. "How does environmental regulation promote technological innovations in the industrial sector? Evidence from Chinese provincial panel data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    5. Na Zhang & Lu Cheng & Chao Sun & Julie Callaert & Bart Looy, 2023. "The role of inter- and intra-organisational networks in innovation: towards requisite variety," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(7), pages 4117-4136, July.
    6. Turken, Nazli & Carrillo, Janice & Verter, Vedat, 2020. "Strategic supply chain decisions under environmental regulations: When to invest in end-of-pipe and green technology," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 283(2), pages 601-613.
    7. Karen Palmer & Wallace E. Oates & Paul R. Portney & Karen Palmer & Wallace E. Oates & Paul R. Portney, 2004. "Tightening Environmental Standards: The Benefit-Cost or the No-Cost Paradigm?," Chapters, in: Environmental Policy and Fiscal Federalism, chapter 3, pages 53-66, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Ashenfelter, Orley & Card, David, 1985. "Using the Longitudinal Structure of Earnings to Estimate the Effect of Training Programs," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 67(4), pages 648-660, November.
    9. Fengchao Liu & Na Zhang & Cong Cao, 2017. "An evolutionary process of global nanotechnology collaboration: a social network analysis of patents at USPTO," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 111(3), pages 1449-1465, June.
    10. Du, Kerui & Cheng, Yuanyuan & Yao, Xin, 2021. "Environmental regulation, green technology innovation, and industrial structure upgrading: The road to the green transformation of Chinese cities," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    11. Pan, Xiongfeng & Ai, Bowei & Li, Changyu & Pan, Xianyou & Yan, Yaobo, 2019. "Dynamic relationship among environmental regulation, technological innovation and energy efficiency based on large scale provincial panel data in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 428-435.
    12. de Miguel, Carlos & Pazó, Consuelo, 2017. "Environmental protection, innovation and price-setting behavior in Spanish manufacturing firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(S1), pages 116-124.
    13. Bergek, Anna & Berggren, Christian, 2014. "The impact of environmental policy instruments on innovation: A review of energy and automotive industry studies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 112-123.
    14. Zhu, Chen & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "The effects of low-carbon pilot policy on technological innovation: Evidence from prefecture-level data in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    15. 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.
    16. Henriques, Irene & Sadorsky, Perry, 1996. "The Determinants of an Environmentally Responsive Firm: An Empirical Approach," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 381-395, May.
    17. X. D. Xu & S. X. Zeng & H. L. Zou & Jonathan J. Shi, 2016. "The Impact of Corporate Environmental Violation on Shareholders' Wealth: a Perspective Taken from Media Coverage," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 73-91, February.
    18. Zhu, Xuehong & Zuo, Xuguang & Li, Hailing, 2021. "The dual effects of heterogeneous environmental regulation on the technological innovation of Chinese steel enterprises—Based on a high-dimensional fixed effects model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(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. Xie, Ronghui & Teo, Thompson S.H., 2022. "Green technology innovation, environmental externality, and the cleaner upgrading of industrial structure in China — Considering the moderating effect of environmental regulation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    2. Du, Kerui & Cheng, Yuanyuan & Yao, Xin, 2021. "Environmental regulation, green technology innovation, and industrial structure upgrading: The road to the green transformation of Chinese cities," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    3. Qi, Xiulin & Wu, Zhifang & Xu, Jinqing & Shan, Biaoan, 2023. "Environmental justice and green innovation: A quasi-natural experiment based on the establishment of environmental courts in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    4. Chuantang Ren & Tao Wang & Yue Wang & Yizhen Zhang & Luwei Wang, 2023. "The Heterogeneous Effects of Formal and Informal Environmental Regulation on Green Technology Innovation—An Empirical Study of 284 Cities in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Zhou, Peng & Song, Frank M. & Huang, Xiaoqi, 2023. "Environmental regulations and firms' green innovations: Transforming pressure into incentives," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Wunhong Su & Chun Guo & Xiaobao Song, 2022. "Media coverage, Environment Protection Law and environmental research and development: evidence from the Chinese-listed firms," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(5), pages 6953-6983, May.
    7. Liu, Cenjie & Fang, Jiayu & Xie, Rui, 2021. "Energy policy and corporate financial performance: Evidence from China's 11th five-year plan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    8. Wenjing Ma & Mingyue Wang, 2023. "Discussion on the Relationship between Environmental Regulation and Green Technology Innovation from the Perspective of Innovation External Cooperation: Evidence from Chinese Private Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-28, November.
    9. Xu, Deyi & Abbas, Shah & Rafique, Kalsoom & Ali, Najabat, 2023. "The race to net-zero emissions: Can green technological innovation and environmental regulation be the potential pathway to net-zero emissions?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    10. Zhenyu Jiang & Zongjun Wang & Yanqi Zeng, 2020. "Can voluntary environmental regulation promote corporate technological innovation?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 390-406, February.
    11. Chen, Xinmin & Huang, Yuhong & Gao, Yajia, 2024. "Can urban low-carbon transitions promote enterprise digital transformation?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    12. Li, Shuangmei & Zhu, Xuehong & Zhang, Tao, 2023. "Optimum combination of heterogeneous environmental policy instruments and market for green transformation: Empirical evidence from China's metal sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    13. Zihao Wu & Ye Wang, 2023. "Does Heterogeneous Environmental Regulation Induce Regional Green Economic Growth? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, June.
    14. 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).
    15. Zhouzhou Lin & Dezhi Liang & Shengnan Li, 2022. "Environmental Regulation and Green Technology Innovation: Evidence from China’s Heavily Polluting Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-18, September.
    16. Guo, Mengmeng & Wang, Huixin & Kuai, Yicheng, 2023. "Environmental regulation and green innovation: Evidence from heavily polluting firms in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    17. Ouyang, Xiaoling & Li, Qiong & Du, Kerui, 2020. "How does environmental regulation promote technological innovations in the industrial sector? Evidence from Chinese provincial panel data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    18. Xinyu Wang & Yuanze Chai & Wensen Wu & Adnan Khurshid, 2023. "The Empirical Analysis of Environmental Regulation’s Spatial Spillover Effects on Green Technology Innovation in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-14, January.
    19. Lingling Zhang & Yufeng Wang & Rahman Dunya, 2023. "How Does Environmental Regulation Affect the Development of China’s Pig Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-22, May.
    20. Wei Wang & Hailin Chen, 2023. "Extrusion Effect or Promotion Effect? The Effect of Environmental Regulation on Enterprise Green Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, January.

    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:spr:scient:v:129:y:2024:i:12:d:10.1007_s11192-024-05200-2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.