How technological innovations affect urban eco-efficiency in China: A prefecture-level panel data analysis

摘要

This paper utilizes SBM-undesirable model and Malmquist index to examine the urban eco-efficiency in China and analyzes the regional heterogeneity. Through the panel data of 273 prefecture-level cities during 2007-2017 in China, the spatial Durbin model is used to examine the influencing factors of urban eco-efficiency associated with technological innovations. The results show that the average values of urban eco-efficiency of the East, Central, and West regions are 0.93, 0.88, and 0.90, respectively. The Moran's I of eco-efficiency is around 0.8, which shows a strong spatial heterogeneity. It is found that higher innovative ability can increase urban eco-efficiency. Education investment and innovation talents have a U-shape relationship with urban eco-efficiency, while capital investment and innovation performance have an inverted U-shape relationship with it. This research outlines the relationship between technological innovations and urban eco-efficiency, offering policy implications for China's ecoconstruction and sustainable urban development. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.