فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the context of sustainable development, renewable energy technology innovation is not only a vital approach for enhancing energy efficiency but also a critical driver of low-carbon economic transition. Throughout this process, the importance of climate risks and policy regulations has become increasingly apparent. This study aims to empirically examine the impact of renewable energy technology innovation on the transition to a low-carbon economic with a particular focus on the roles of climate risks and policy regulations.METHODS: This study establishes a benchmark regression model to empirically examine the impact of renewable energy technology innovation on low-carbon economic transition, analyzing panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2021. Subsequently, it is investigated the critical role of climate risk through moderating and threshold effect. Furthermore, a difference-in-differences model is constructed to evaluate the efficacy of policy interventions in this transformative process. Finally, mediation analysis is conducted to assess the intermediary effects of air pollution intensity.FINDINGS: The benchmark regression analysis revealed a statistically significant negative association between renewable energy technology innovation and low-carbon economic transition. Moderating effect tests demonstrated a positive coefficient for the interaction term, indicating that climate risk exerts a constraining effect on the progression. Threshold regression results further suggested that heightened climate risk levels progressively amplify its constraining effect. difference-in-differences estimation confirmed the significant efficacy of policy interventions in accelerating the transition dynamics. The intermediary effect shows that air pollution intensity plays an intermediary role in the progression.CONCLUSION: 1) renewable energy technology innovation contributes to low-carbon economic transition, and this effect remains consistent after a series of robustness tests; 2) climate risk has a negative moderating effect and a threshold effect on the transition to a low-carbon economic nexus is evident; 3) policy regulation can significantly promote low-carbon economic transition. Additionally, it is found that renewable energy technology innovation promotes low-carbon economic transition by reducing air pollution intensity. Renewable energy technology innovation has a more significant effect on the low-carbon economic transition in regions with higher levels of economic development.