Assessing the impact of renewable energy investment, green technology innovation, and industrialization on sustainable development: A case study of China

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of the economic complexity index and its square, investments in the energy sector, green technological innovation, and the growth of the industrial structure in 32 provinces in China on carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 to 2019. Modern methods that consider cross-sectional dependency, unit root test, co-integration test, IFE estimation, and one- and two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) models were used in the econometric analysis. The results showed that the economic complexity index is to blame for the worsening trends in China's carbon dioxide emissions. In contrast, we find that the economic complexity index square, investments in renewable energy, green technical innovation, and industrial structure all help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which is helpful for China's carbon-abatement goals. Carbon emissions are negatively affected by renewable energy's limited effect on green technology innovation and industrial structure. Based on these findings, a number of policy suggestions are offered.