The Impact of Green Innovation on Urban Green Economic Efficiency: From the Perspective of Resource-Based Cities

Abstract

    Based on panel data from 113 resource-based cities in China from 2009 to 2022, this paper empirically tests the impact of green innovation on green economic efficiency, as well as the mediating effects of the level of opening-up and educational expenditure. The results show that: (1) Green innovation can significantly improve green economic efficiency in resource-based cities; (2) The level of opening-up and the level of educational expenditure play a significant mediating role between green innovation and green economic efficiency; (3) The heterogeneous hierarchical analysis of city categories reveals that the promoting effect of green innovation is more prominent in small and medium-sized cities as well as eastern China. It is suggested that special subsidies for green innovation be provided to resource-based cities, policies on opening-up and educational expenditure be optimized, and differentiated policies be formulated to boost the sustainable development of the green economy.