Research on the Effect of Information Infrastructure Construction on Low-Carbon Technology Knowledge Flow

Abstract

The cross-regional diffusion of low-carbon technology knowledge is conducive to the development of low-carbon technology and increases the emission reduction contribution of the wider land. However, the flow of low-carbon technology knowledge faces many obstacles such as information, geography, and local protectionism. This paper focuses on whether and how information infrastructure construction can promote the flow of low-carbon technology knowledge under the digital wave. Through the low-carbon technology patents of category Y02 under the classification standard of Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) and by matching them to the city level to measure the low-carbon technology knowledge flow, empirical research finds that: information infrastructure cannot only directly promote the low-carbon technology knowledge flow, but also indirectly promote the low-carbon technology diffusion by increasing foreign direct investment and human capital. The role of information infrastructure in promoting low-carbon technology knowledge is more obvious in the central and western regions and non-resource-based cities. Finally, in view of the current development situation of low-carbon technology knowledge flows in China, the paper puts forward policy recommendations to vigorously promote the construction of information infrastructure, to gradually increase the network density and the number of network nodes, release the digital economic dividend, and form a spatial pattern of coordinated development of regional knowledge flows.