The green innovation efficiency of Chinese cities: regional differences, distribution dynamics, and convergences

Abstract

In this study, based on measuring green innovation efficiency (GIE), the regional differences, distribution dynamics and convergences of GIE among 284 Chinese cities from 2005 to 2020 were investigated. It was found that: (1) the GIE showed a decreasing regional difference within and between the eight economic zones and among the whole sample population, with the intensity of transvariation making the major contribution to the differences; (2) the GIE across the country and the eight economic zones appeared to rise slowly, showing a certain level of polarization within the zones, but the gap and polarization tended to narrow gradually on the whole, except for the Northwest Economic Zone; (3) the GIE across the country and among the eight economic zones presented prominent convergences. It was conducive to enrich the research contents and methods of green innovation and provide references for green innovation policies.

Keywords:

• green innovation efficiency (GIE)
• regional difference
• distribution dynamic
• convergence

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Project of Shandong Province, China under Grant number 2022-YYJJ-32; Department of Science and Technology of Shandong Province, China under Grant number 2022RKY04002; Shandong Provincial Education Department, China under Grant number 2022RW064.