How does green innovation affect air pollution? An analysis of 282 Chinese cities

Air pollution is a common form of environmental pollution that is difficult to manage, posing a great threat to economic productivity and human health. Green innovation is a significant approach to cope with environmental pollution and improve environmental quality. The role of green innovation to air pollution in cities is a valuable scientific issue worthy of investigation in order to effectively control for air pollution. In this study, green patents in 282 Chinese cities were used to represent green innovation, air quality index (AQI) were adopted to reflect air pollution, and a fixed effect spatial Durbin model (SDM) was established to explore green innovation's role to air pollution in cities. It was found that, first, both green innovation and air pollution are characterized by significant spatial correlation in 282 cities. Second, the role of green innovation to air pollution has a U-shaped relationship in cities, i.e., it first inhibits air pollution in cities and then promotes it. Third, there are obvious heterogeneous characteristics of this impact, and the inhibiting effect of air pollution is more significant in economically developed cities. •Both green innovation and air pollution are spatially correlated.•Green innovation has a U-shaped role to air pollution in cities.•The role of green innovation to air pollution is heterogeneous.