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The Effect of Green R&D Activities on China’s SO2 Emissions: Evidence from a Panel Threshold Model

Shuxing Chen


Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China (China)

Ke Liu


Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China (China)

Denglong Ding


Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China (China)

Zeyu Yue


Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China (China)

Zhu Bo


People’s Bank of China, Financial Research Office, Chengdu 610041, China (China)

Yuee Tang

chensx@swufe.edu.cn
Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China (China)


Abstract

Previous studies on the effectiveness of improving sustainable development have acknowledged the importance of domestic research and development (R&D) activities. However, these studies remain general and ambiguous because they assume that all R&D activities are related to energy-saving and sustainable development. The corresponding empirical evidence is scabrous and ambiguous. In this paper, we focus on the effect of green innovation R&D activities on SO2 emission which is an important greenhouse gas affect global climate change and eco-civilization. Considering that there is heterogeneity exists in the innovation activities, the R&D activities are divided into three performers with two purposes. The empirical results based on a Chinese inter-provincial dataset of 2000-2016 suggest that the green innovation R&D activities are crucial for the reduction of the SO2 emission. However, the innovation R&D activities of different purposes and performers show statistically differentiated effects on SO2 emission. The major positive effect of green innovation R&D activities on SO2 emissions reduction is mainly from enterprises and utility-type of R&D activities. A further study based on the panel threshold also indicates that effects of green innovation R&D activities on SO2 emissions are nonlinear, depending on the technology absorptive ability.


Keywords:

green innovation activities, SO2 emissions, technology absorptive ability, sustainable development

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Published
2021-07-01

Cited by
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Chen, S., Liu, K., Ding, D., Yue, Z., Bo, Z., & Tang, Y. (2021). The Effect of Green R&D Activities on China’s SO2 Emissions: Evidence from a Panel Threshold Model. Problemy Ekorozwoju, 16(2), 147–151. https://doi.org/10.35784/pe.2021.2.15

Authors

Shuxing Chen 

Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China China

Authors

Ke Liu 

Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China China

Authors

Denglong Ding 

Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China China

Authors

Zeyu Yue 

Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China China

Authors

Zhu Bo 

People’s Bank of China, Financial Research Office, Chengdu 610041, China China

Authors

Yuee Tang 
chensx@swufe.edu.cn
Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China China

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