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Regional Innovation

The Impact of National Independent Innovation Demonstration  Zone on Green Innovation Efficiency in the Yangtze River Eco⁃ nomic Belt: Quasi-natural Experiments Based on Double Ma⁃ chine Learning 

Liu Chao1, 2 , Sun Yunzhe1 , Li Xiaoyu1 

(1.School of Economics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China; 2.Research Center of Resource Utilization  and Environmental Protection, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China)

Abstract: In the context of global sustainable development, green innovation is an important part of reduc⁃ ing energy consumption and improving ecosystem resilience. With the steady promotion of the Yangtze River  Economic Belt strategy, several National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zones have been established  one after another within the region, aiming to empower the green transformation and upgrading of traditional in⁃ dustries in an all-round way through the innovation cluster effects and providing a soft environment for the re⁃ search and development of green innovation technology and the transformation of achievements. Therefore, ex⁃ ploring the policy effects and underlying mechanisms of National Independent Innovation Demonstration  Zones on the efficiency of green innovation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is of profound strategic signifi⁃ cance to promote the region's green development. This study collects data from 94 cities in the Yangtze River  Economic Belt and selects the super-efficient SBM model to measure the green innovation efficiency in the re⁃ gion. Taking the establishment of National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zones as a quasi-natural ex⁃ periment, the Double Machine Learning (DML) model is applied to evaluate the policy effects of National Inde⁃ pendent Innovation Demonstration Zones on green economic development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, effectively mitigating the adverse impact of "the curse of dimensionality" on model estimation. The results in⁃ dicate the following: ①Green innovation efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt exhibited an overall  upward trend from 2007 to 2022, although regional disparities remain prominent. ②The establishment of Na⁃ tional Independent Innovation Demonstration Zones has a significantly positive effect on green innovation effi⁃ ciency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. ③High-tech industrial agglomeration and government innovation  preference serve as important mediating channels through which National Independent Innovation Demonstra⁃ tion Zones enhance green innovation efficiency. ④ The positive impact of National Independent Innovation  Demonstration Zones is more pronounced in cities with stronger green innovation foundations and in nonresource-based cities. Based on these findings, this study proposes the following policy recommendations: First, in terms of policy coordination and resource allocation, administrative barriers should be reduced, and  flexible policy support should be provided to enhance breakthroughs in green technology R&D and the effi⁃ ciency of cross-regional sharing. Second, with respect to urban characteristics and resource disparities, differ⁃ entiated strategies should be implemented to compensate for the shortcomings of resource-based and  infrastructure-weak cities and stimulate innovation vitality across different types of cities. Third, regarding  government orientation and industrial layout, it is essential to optimize government performance evaluation sys⁃ tems and foster industrial agglomeration spaces to strengthen pro-green policy preferences and promote the in⁃ tensive development of high-tech industries tailored to local comparative advantages. 

Key words: National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone; Yangtze River Economic Belt; green  economic development; green innovation; double machine learning; high-tech industry clustering; government  innovation preferences; quasi-natural experiment