Abstract
Exploiting China’s high-speed rail (HSR) as a quasi-natural experiment, we examine the relationship between the HSR connection and green innovation. The opening of HSR can promote green innovation by facilitating the flow of innovation factors. Using the multiperiod difference-in-differences (DID) model, we find that the regional green innovation performance significantly becomes better following the opening of HSR in the local city. Moreover, in examining the specific mechanisms at work, we find evidence that HSR stimulates green patents through increased labor mobility and research capital mobility. Further analyses show that the facilitating effect of HSR is heterogeneous among cities. Our paper sheds new light on the effects of HSR on social welfare in the case of sustainable economy.
Highlights
As one of the major technological innovations in the history of railway transportation, high-speed rail (HSR) has generated an unprecedented shrinkage of time and space [1] and made a profound impact on the regional economy [2,3,4]. e mechanisms of HSR’s effect on economic development have been richly studied, including network connectivity and spatial accessibility improvement [5], market expansion effect [6], industrial structure upgrading [7], industry agglomeration [8], technology spillovers
Green Awareness Level. e rapid growth of public environmental awareness leads to increasing constraints on enterprises through customers’ product selection rights, but it gives a significant opportunity to firms to put in more efforts in green innovation to attract more customers or charge a premium price. erefore, we argue that the green innovation performance can benefit more in cities with higher green awareness levels after the HSR connection
Conclusions and Discussion is paper has used HSR in China as a quasi-natural experiment to examine whether the HSR connection can encourage regional green innovation
Summary
As one of the major technological innovations in the history of railway transportation, high-speed rail (HSR) has generated an unprecedented shrinkage of time and space [1] and made a profound impact on the regional economy [2,3,4]. e mechanisms of HSR’s effect on economic development have been richly studied, including network connectivity and spatial accessibility improvement [5], market expansion effect [6], industrial structure upgrading [7], industry agglomeration [8], technology spillovers Despite a series of valuable research results, the existing literature tends to neglect the role transportation infrastructures play in affecting regional green innovation, or their mechanism analyses are too ambiguous, or their estimations are based on a small and relatively simple sample [57]. Different from these studies, we broaden the scope by exploring all prefectural level or above cities in China.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
