Low-carbon Transition Research Articles

Expectations for the Role of Hydrogen and Its Derivatives in Different Sectors through Analysis of the Four Energy Scenarios: IEA-STEPS, IEA-NZE, IRENA-PES, and IRENA-1.5°C

Recently, worldwide, the attention being paid to hydrogen and its derivatives as alternative carbon-free (or low-carbon) options for the electricity sector, the transport sector, and the industry sector has increased. Several projects in the field of low-emission hydrogen production (particularly electrolysis-based green hydrogen) have either been constructed or analyzed for their feasibility. Despite the great ambitions announced by some nations with respect to becoming hubs for hydrogen production and export, some quantification of the levels at which hydrogen and its derived products are expected to penetrate the global energy system and its various demand sectors would be useful in order to judge the practicality and likelihood of these ambitions and future targets. The current study aims to summarize some of the expectations of the level at which hydrogen and its derivatives could spread into the global economy, under two possible future scenarios. The first future scenario corresponds to a business-as-usual (BAU) pathway, where the world proceeds with the same existing policies and targets related to emissions and low-carbon energy transition. This forms a lower bound for the level of the role of hydrogen and its penetration into the global energy system. The second future scenario corresponds to an emission-conscious pathway, where governments cooperate to implement the changes necessary to decarbonize the economy by 2050 in order to achieve net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide (carbon neutrality), and thus limit the rise in the global mean surface temperature to 1.5 °C by 2100 (compared to pre-industrial periods). This forms an upper bound for the level of the role of hydrogen and its penetration into the global energy system. The study utilizes the latest release of the annual comprehensive report WEO (World Energy Outlook—edition year 2023, the 26th edition) of the IEA (International Energy Agency), as well as the latest release of the annual comprehensive report WETO (World Energy Transitions Outlook—edition year 2023, the third edition) of the IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency). For the IEA-WEO report, the business-as-usual situation is STEPS (Stated “Energy” Policies Scenario), and the emissions-conscious situation is NZE (Net-Zero Emissions by 2050). For the IRENA-WETO report, the business-as-usual situation is the PES (Planned Energy Scenario), and the emissions-conscious situation is the 1.5°C scenario. Through the results presented here, it becomes possible to infer a realistic range for the production and utilization of hydrogen and its derivatives in 2030 and 2050. In addition, the study enables the divergence between the models used in WEO and WETO to be estimated, by identifying the different predictions for similar variables under similar conditions. The study covers miscellaneous variables related to energy and emissions other than hydrogen, which are helpful in establishing a good view of how the world may look in 2030 and 2050. Some barriers (such as the uncompetitive levelized cost of electrolysis-based green hydrogen) and drivers (such as the German H2Global initiative) for the hydrogen economy are also discussed. The study finds that the large-scale utilization of hydrogen or its derivatives as a source of energy is highly uncertain, and it may be reached slowly, given more than two decades to mature. Despite this, electrolysis-based green hydrogen is expected to dominate the global hydrogen economy, with the annual global production of electrolysis-based green hydrogen expected to increase from 0 million tonnes in 2021 to between 22 million tonnes and 327 million tonnes (with electrolyzer capacity exceeding 5 terawatts) in 2050, depending on the commitment of policymakers toward decarbonization and energy transitions.

How does COVID-19 distort the impact of information interventions on low-carbon diet transitions: a case of dairy consumption in China

PurposeThis paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-carbon consumption of dairy products through informational interventions. The empirical findings seek to enlighten developing countries' efforts in coping with climate change and potential dietary transitions.Design/methodology/approachA randomized controlled trial was designed to examine the effects of purpose-differentiated information interventions on individual dairy consumption. The experiment recruited and randomly assigned 1,002 college students into four groups to receive (or not) environmental or/and health information interventions.FindingsThe empirical analysis finds that health and combined information interventions have a positive impact on dairy consumption, while environmental information interventions' effect on dairy consumption is insignificant. In the context of the pandemic, health information interventions positively affected participants' perceptions and preferences for dairy products by delivering knowledge about their role in boosting immunity. However, environmental information interventions failed to do the same things as their insignificant effects on both perception and preference.Originality/valueMacro-external shocks, such as public health events, may offset the impact of universal information interventions promoting pro-environmental behaviors. For a smooth dietary transition to achieve long-term environmental sustainability, diverse stakeholders must be included in more individualized interventions to guide daily consumption, especially in developing countries with large populations.

Research on vehicle speed prediction model based on traffic flow information fusion

Resource scarcity, global climate change and environmental pollution are increasingly constraining the development of the automotive industry. China proposes to reach the carbon peak by 2030; to reach the carbon neutral double carbon target by 2060 and gradually promote a green and low-carbon transition in energy development. The development of new energy vehicles is an important approach for China to realize its energy structure transformation in the automobile industry. HEV, as a transitional product of automobile energy transformation, has the advantages of both internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles, which can improve the fuel efficiency and the emission problem of internal combustion engine vehicles and the range is longer compared to electric vehicles. One of the important aspects of HEV research is the design of whole vehicle energy management strategy based on the model predictions. Particularly, model-based predictive control is one of the mainstream energy management strategies nowadays, and its optimization effect is mainly subject to the model prediction accuracy. In this study, we constructed the ITS environment of a local roadway through simulation, compared the speed prediction effects of different speed prediction methods in different prediction time domains, and fused the historical information of vehicles (speed of the vehicle in front, distance, signal status, distance, and remaining time). It is found that N-BEATS is more effective in predicting vehicle speed in different prediction time domains, and the prediction accuracy of the speed prediction model is effectively improved after its fusion of multivariate information.

The effect and value of end-use flexibility in the low-carbon transition of the energy system

Flexibility at end-use level can lower both the costs of end-use sectors, such as the building sector and the investment and operational costs of the electricity sector. For planning purposes, it is however a need to understand how end-use flexibility influences the design of the future energy system. This paper analyses the role and value of end-use flexibility in the Norwegian low carbon energy system transition towards 2050. This is done by using a stochastic energy system model, IFE-TIMES-Norway, to quantify how end-use flexibility impacts the energy system design and the corresponding sectoral profits and costs. The results demonstrate that facilitating a techno-economic implementation of end-use flexibility lowers the cost of the energy transition towards 2050 between BEUR 4.4 and BEUR 8.3. This is primarily because end-use flexibility ensures a better match between local PV production and demand, lowers the capacity expansion needs of the electricity grid and increases profits from international electricity trade. Further, the results show that end-use flexibility reduces the need for hydrogen and thermal storage, where hydrogen storage capacity is lowered by 25 %–66 % in 2050, depending on storyline.

Optimal controller design for reactor core power stabilization in a pressurized water reactor: Applications of gold rush algorithm.

Nuclear energy (NE) is seen as a reliable choice for ensuring the security of the world's energy supply, and it has only lately begun to be advocated as a strategy for reducing climate change in order to meet low-carbon energy transition goals. To achieve flexible operation across a wide operating range when it participates in peak regulation in the power systems, the pressurised water reactor (PWR) NE systems must overcome the nonlinearity problem induced by the substantial variation. In light of this viewpoint, the objective of this work is to evaluate the reactor core (main component) of the NE system via different recent optimization techniques. The PWR, which is the most common form, is the reactor under investigation. For controlling the movement of control rods that correspond with reactivity for power regulation the PWR, PID controller is employed. This study presents a dynamic model of the PWR, which includes the reactor core, the upper and lower plenums, and the piping that connects the reactor core to the steam alternator is analyzed and investigated. The PWR dynamic model is controlled by a PID controller optimized by the gold rush optimizer (GRO) built on the integration of the time-weighted square error performance indicator. Additionally, to exhibit the efficacy of the presented GRO, the dragonfly approach, Arithmetic algorithm, and planet optimization algorithm are used to adjust the PID controller parameters. Furthermore, a comparison among the optimized PID gains with the applied algorithms shows great accuracy, efficacy, and effectiveness of the proposed GRO. MATLAB\ Simulink program is used to model and simulate the system components and the applied algorithms. The simulation findings demonstrate that the suggested optimized PID control strategy has superior efficiency and resilience in terms of less overshoot and settling time.

Unveiling the changes of carbon emissions along supply chains: Drivers and sustainable mitigation strategies

China's annual carbon emissions decreased year by year during 2013–2016 and increased after 2016. Such fluctuation prompts important questions about the factors that drove the decrease and increase, and the desired pathway(s) to sustain a continuous reduction. With the consideration of supply-demand relationships, we quantitatively evaluate the socioeconomic drivers of carbon emission changes along supply chains. Here we find that from a supply perspective, industrial adjustment has negative impacts on the emission reduction of service-driven paths. For paths involving the electricity-generation sector, the adjustment of primary input structure has positive effects on path-level emission reduction (since 2007). The construction sector can adjust its consumption structure to help accelerate the system's low-carbon transition. For the supply- and demand-oriented paths, the mitigation effects of emission intensity will weaken if more sectors are involved in production activities. Further emission reductions may rely on both reducing emission intensity and minimizing the utilization of deep-processed products.Synopsis: An extensive path-and layer-related decomposition analysis may have significant implications for fast-growing economies in pursuing carbon neutrality.

Efficient Management of Material Resources in Low-Carbon Construction

The sustainable implementation of resources and the transition to low-carbon construction is on the world’s daily agenda. This paper describes the development of criteria for the efficient management of material resources in low-carbon construction. Net income, gross profit, balance sheets, and equity are proposed as indicators that serve as criteria for assessing the efficient use of resources. Nonlinear regression models were the methodological basis for the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships of the volume of construction of transport structures. It was established that since construction companies do not purchase materials for storage, the cost of materials for use in low-carbon technological construction work is directly proportional to the cost of construction. The volume of production in the construction industry is determined by construction costs. More efficient use of low-carbon materials reduces cost and construction waste. In this paper, we have established the relationship between the indicator of efficiency for the functioning of the construction enterprises in Ukraine and the use of low-carbon materials for the construction of transport structures. The practical value of the obtained results for low-carbon construction management lies in proving the relationship between the performance indicators of the construction enterprise (net profit, gross profit, output volume, balance sheets, and equity capital) and the use of low-carbon material resources. Our results form the basis for future research into the use of a cost-based model for low-carbon economy transition in municipalities and regions.

Research on the Measurement of Low-Carbon Competitiveness of Regional Cold Chain Logistics Capacity Based on Triangular Fuzzy Evaluation Rating–Gray Correlation Analysis

Cold chain logistics is an industry that generates high levels of carbon emissions. In the context of a low-carbon economy, it is crucial to recognize the low-carbon competitiveness of regional cold chain logistics and to implement effective measures to guide the development and improvement of their low-carbon competitiveness. This is essential for transitioning the economic development model and promoting low-carbon economic growth. This article proposes a low-carbon competitiveness evaluation model known as the Triangular Fuzzy–Gray Correlation Evaluation Model. This model is based on the Triangular Fuzzy Theory and Gray System Theory. According to the calculated logistics low-carbon competitiveness index, a scatter plot is used to rank and classify the evaluation objects. This method utilizes triangular fuzzy numbers as evaluation levels and further expands upon them by introducing the concept of gray correlation in group decision making. By constructing relative closeness based on curve similarity, the improved method possesses a strong ability to capture information and objectivity compared to traditional models. The selected critical indicators cover four significant aspects: low-carbon environment, low-carbon flow service capability, energy consumption in cold chain logistics, and low-carbon energy transition. Empirical research is being conducted using relevant data from Henan in 2022. The measured results are divided into four levels of competition. Using the diamond model, this study analyzes the development of low-carbon cold chain logistics at different levels in each city and provides corresponding recommendations.

The Impact of Green Finance on Low-Carbon Transformation of Manufacturing Enterprises: Evidence from Hebei Province

This study analyzes the effect of green finance on the low-carbon transition of manufacturing firms in Hebei Province. The study utilizes data from listed manufacturers in Hebei Province between 2010 and 2022. The findings demonstrate that green finance in Hebei Province efficiently enhances resource utilization efficiency, reduces carbon dioxide emissions, and elevates firms’ green total factor productivity. Besides, the study uncovered obstacles confronting firms who aim to switch from customary polluting industries to ecologically sustainable production techniques, including limited access to development capital for transition and difficulties in attracting high-caliber personnel. The study data indicate that green finance has considerably expanded in Hebei Province, particularly in the domain of green securities. The latter exceeds the scale of the majority of regions in China; nevertheless, development across programs reveals some unevenness. The study advises the Hebei provincial government and financial regulators to enhance their encouragement for green finance development and refine existing policies to mitigate shortcomings.

Long-term planning and coupling optimization of multi-regional natural gas and hydrogen supply systems: A case study of China

Low-carbon transition of energy systems features more natural gas and hydrogen consumption to replace coal and oil. Planning of natural gas and hydrogen supply systems with multiple supply sources, end-consumers, large infrastructures and spatio-temporal mismatches are challenging tasks. In this study, two long-term, multi-regional and monthly time-scale optimization models for natural gas and hydrogen supply systems are developed respectively. China is taken as a case. The natural gas demand will initially increase and then decrease, leading to a premature decommissioning of infrastructure. A coupling model is established to explore the retrofitting of decommissioned natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen supply. Results show that 44.14 % decommissioned pipelines and 34.17 % decommissioned storage facilities of natural gas supply system can be retrofitted, with an annual increase of 63.98 % and 62.80 % in hydrogen pipelines and storage facilities, and a 9.15 % reduction in transition costs.

Low-carbon energy systems: seizing market-based business opportunities across borders

Asia has been experiencing much faster economic growth than the world average and has been consuming more energy and natural resources than our planet’s regenerative capacity can provide. With each passing day, Asia’s carbon emissions have been growing, as does its vulnerability to climate risks. The poor are the most vulnerable to these disruptions, lacking options to adapt to changing climatic conditions. The transition to a low-carbon green growth in almost all of emerging economies in the Asian region is underway. This transition has become unstoppable and irreversible. In this context, it is important to realize that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has its own impact on the economies. Nevertheless, it has also created new once-in-a-generation opportunities for implementing hard policy reforms through economic recovery and stimulus packages. The need to accelerate the low-carbon transition as part of the pandemic recovery is unquestionable, but the question is how to do it in a cost-effective way. This research presents a broad diagnosis of new regional cooperation opportunities in areas essential to complete the transition to a low-carbon economy by 2030 and a net zero economy by 2050–2060. It highlights where regional cooperation and coordination can have the greatest impact. It points to a number of policy areas—trade, carbon taxation, carbon pricing, and innovation—where regional cooperation reduces the cost of implementing national actions and complements global pacts. This model also creates business opportunities for developing competitive green industries and low-carbon technologies across countries in the region.

Does Industrial Symbiosis Improve Carbon Emission Efficiency? Evidence from Chinese National Demonstration Eco-Industrial Parks

Improving carbon emission efficiency (CEE) is a necessary consideration in response to economic downturn and climate change. In this case, industrial symbiosis paves the way for cities to conserve energy, reduce carbon emissions, and upgrade economic development patterns. This paper verifies the influence of industrial symbiosis policies on CEE, represented by National Demonstration Eco-industrial Parks (NDEPs). The difference-in-differences (DID) and spatial DID (SDID) models, as well as panel data of 282 Chinese cities during 2003–2019, were used to complete this argumentation process. The results show that NDEP policy dramatically increases the CEE of pilot cities. Compared with cities without NDEP, pilot cities climb by 3.49% on CEE, mainly due to industrial structure upgrading and green technological innovation. Moreover, eastern, non-resource-based, and multi-NDEP cities experience a noticeable increase in CEE. NDEP increases not only the CEE of pilot cities but also that of their neighboring cities within 450 km through diffusion and demonstration effects. All these findings help promote China’s NDEP construction and offer decision-making guidance for climate governance and low-carbon transition in China and others following a similar pathway.

Lithium: critical, or not so critical?

Some metals necessary to deliver renewable energy are considered critical. Metal criticality is a major factor in achieving energy decarbonization, leading to efforts to make metals uncritical . Among the most critical is lithium which, like many critical metals, represents a small-scale market experiencing significant demand increase causing price and supply volatility, thereby hindering necessary transformative investment. Global lithium demand is soaring, with current supply now dominated by pegmatite-sourced lithium hydroxide. Clay extraction has yet to be industrially proven, thus there remains uncertainty from where and in what quantity future lithium supply will come, and whether lithium remains critical, however geoscience research is best focused on pegmatite and clay-sourced lithium to improve discovery and extraction. Of five lithium criticality scenarios (business as usual; clays onstream; everything plus recycling; shift away from lithium; black swan event), only two project a longer-term criticality reduction. However, few metals will be critical over the very long term as techno-economic and environmental, social, and governance challenges can be overcome and/or metal demand will be structurally adjusted by substitution. Although criticality may be a short to medium term barrier to the energy transition, effective research and overall market forces will reduce the majority of mineral criticality over the longer term. Thematic collection: This article is part of The energy-critical metals for a low carbon transition collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/critical-metals

On the interactive effects of climate policies: Insights from a stock-flow consistent model

Climate policies such as carbon tax and green finance policy are critical measures to promote low-carbon transition worldwide. These policies are, however, likely to interact with each other and create unintentional consequences. This paper adopts a stock-flow consistent model to theoretically explore the effects of policy interactions. Specifically, commercial banks, as the key credit creators and critical players in providing source of finance, are included. Based on the numerical simulations of the dynamic model, we find that both carbon tax and green finance policies render positive impacts on low-carbon transition. In addition, green credit incentives, if imposed simultaneously with carbon tax, can enhance the positive effects. Although low-carbon transition could generate higher net government revenues, our results show that banking sector tends to expose to higher financial risks when firms’ debt-equity ratio rises. Further analysis shows that subsidies on green loans can support green transition and bring positive consequences to debt rollover and social welfare, indicating the needs for active government intervention to improve policy effectiveness. The framework proposed in this paper provides a useful way to understand policy dilemmas in pursuing low-carbon transition and give important implications to form optimal policy mix.

Characteristics, Drivers and Transitions of Household Energy Consumption in China: An Overview

Energy plays a crucial role in our daily lives, not only as a basis for survival and development, but also as a national strategy. This paper focuses on household energy consumption, which is a key factor in promoting economic development and social progress. Globally, household energy consumption accounts for 25-30% of the total energy consumption, and in China it accounts for 12.4% of the total national energy consumption, making it the second largest force after the first major energy consumer. Since household energy consumption is closely related to climate change, ecological quality, and population health, this paper analyzes the current situation of household energy in China, and conducts a literature review from three key aspects: first, it discusses in depth the characteristics and trends of household energy consumption, and reveals its important position in the global and domestic consumption patterns; second, it examines the drivers that influence household energy consumption, including household size, economic level, geographic location, and many other factors; finally, it focuses on household energy transition and explores the key issues of sustainable energy and green low-carbon transition. Through the review of the literature, this paper aims to provide an in-depth understanding for future research and policy development to effectively address the environmental, ecological and social issues that may arise from household energy consumption.

How Firm’s Commitment to ESG Drives Green and Low-Carbon Transition: A Longitudinal Case Study from Hang Lung Properties

Sustainability in business is a subject of growing interest to investors, stakeholders, and companies for overcoming uncertainty. However, it is also questioned with “is this business approach is finance worthy”, how does a firm’s commitment to ESG translate into tangible outcomes that benefit investors? In this paper, textual analysis is applied to the 10-year sustainability report from 2012 to 2021 released by Hang Lung Properties (HLP) to empirically explore its ESG (environmental, social, and governance)-related strategy, initiatives, actions, and outcomes. Employed with a “commitment-action-outcomes” framework, this firm-based longitudinal case study on ESG investigates how HLP deploys and implements corporate sustainability activities, in order to increase its profits as well as stock returns. Our empirical evidence indicates that the firm’s ESG commitment leads to its green and low-carbon transition. Further, it identifies three key enablers of ESG commitment—ESG integration and evolvement, high-intensity ESG effort, and technological innovation—that can spur low-carbon transition and achieve long-term value. This paper contributes to the literature in the following ways. Firstly, it sheds light on the effectiveness of ESG commitments in promoting sustainable business practices. Secondly, it enriches the understanding to build an enterprise’s resilience and self-reliance via ESG initiatives in the face of uncertainty. Lastly, it makes an important methodological contribution by constructing a new employed textual analysis for the ESG research domain.

Does the low carbon transition impact urban resilience? Evidence from China's pilot cities for carbon emission trading.

The low-carbon transition is a systemic economic and social change that will inevitably have an impact on many areas of the urban system. Has China's ongoing low-carbon transition impacted urban resilience (UR) systems while achieving urban energy saving and carbon emission reduction goals? This paper uses the implementation of the carbon emissions trading pilot policy (CETPP) as a "quasi-natural experiment." It evaluates the impact of the policy on UR using a difference-in-differences model based on the data of prefecture-level cities from 2008 to 2020. The study shows that pilot carbon trading policies favor UR, and the market mechanism of carbon emissions has a heterogeneous cause influence on UR. The impact of pilot carbon trading policies on UR varies according to the respective moderating effects of institutional factors, green technology innovation, industrial structure rationalization, and output effects.

Low-carbon energy transition in oil-dependent African countries: implication on fiscal revenue

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically analyse the fiscal revenue implications for oil-dependent African countries in the face of low-carbon energy transition (LET). Design/methodology/approach The study combined the novel fully modified ordinary least squares, dynamic ordinary least squares and canonical cointegrating regressions estimators to analyse secondary data between 1990 and 2020 for the three major oil-dependent African Countries (Algeria, Angola and Nigeria). Findings The result shows that LET reduces oil revenue and non-revenue for specific countries (Algeria, Angola and Nigeria) and the panel, suggesting that low-carbon energy transiting is lowering the fiscal revenue of oil-dependent African nations. Research limitations/implications The seeming weakness of this study is its inability to broaden the scope to include all oil-producing African economies. However, since the study selected Africa’s top three oil-producing states, the sample can serve as a model for others with lesser crude oil outputs. Practical implications Oil-dependent African countries must urgently engage in sincere economic diversification in sectors like industry and manufacturing, the service sector and human capital development to promote economic transformation that will enhance fiscal revenue. Originality/value With the pace of energy transition towards low-carbon energy, it is not business as usual for oil-rich African countries (Algeria, Angola and Nigeria) due to fluctuating demand and price. As a result, it becomes worthy to examine how the transition is affecting oil-dependent economies in Africa. Also, this study’s method is unique as it has not been used in a similar study for Africa.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited: the sustainability saga for delivering happiness

Research methodology The case was devised using secondary sources of data collection from annual reports, sustainability reports and the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) website. These documents provided insights into the HPCL’s sustainability initiatives, financial performance and disclosure practices. Other data were obtained through the websites of the relevant businesses/sectors. Case overview/synopsis In March 2022, Pushp Kumar Joshi, chairman and managing director of HPCL, contemplates the oil giant’s sustainability strategy amid challenges. Despite a 38% revenue increase in financial year 2021–2022, profits dropped because of reduced refinery capacity. HPCL, a major player in India’s oil and gas industry, recognized the need to align with climate goals and changing consumer expectations. Joshi emphasized stakeholder engagement, carbon mitigation, technology adoption and transparent environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting. A materiality assessment highlighted key issues like gender diversity, air quality and the low-carbon transition. Joshi grapples with balancing profitability and sustainability amid stakeholder pressure and market fluctuations, seeking advice from the sustainability team for the future. Complexity academic level This can potentially be a case study for a business management course, particularly focusing on sustainability, corporate social responsibility and strategic decision-making. It could be used at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in courses related to business administration, sustainability management, corporate strategy, environmental management or stakeholder engagement. The case could be analyzed to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by a company like HPCL in balancing profitability and sustainability, developing effective sustainability strategies, integrating ESG considerations and managing stakeholder expectations. Supplementary material Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Does the carbon emission trading pilot policy promote green innovation cooperation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

Green and low carbon transition is a broad and profound economic and social systematic change. Green innovation is a critical way to promote energy saving and emission reduction. Has China continuously promoted a carbon emission trading policy to significantly promote green innovation cooperation? Taking the implementation of the carbon emission trading pilot policy as a “quasi-natural experiment,” this study answers this question by exploring the impact of the policy on green innovation cooperation. Based on data on 274 cities from 2008 to 2020, the multi-time difference-in-differences model is used to evaluate the impact of the policy on green innovation cooperation. The results reveal that the carbon emission trading pilot policy significantly improved inter- and intra-city green innovation cooperation through the upgrading effect of industrial structure and the coverage effect of digital finance compared with the non-pilot cities at the city level. In addition, there are significant differences in the policy effects among cities with different degrees of openness to the outside world and command-and-control environmental regulation.