The regional environmental benefits and heterogeneity of eco-innovation networks: Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China

Constructing Eco-Innovation networks is an effective way to improve innovation capabilities and drive high-quality development. It constructs an indicator system for measuring the environmental benefits of cities at the prefecture level. We quantitatively measure the environmental benefits of cities using the super-efficiency SBM model. Using the PVAR model, we explore the long-term dynamic relationship between eco-Innovation networks and urban environmental benefits. The analysis finds that: ①For core node cities in the eco-Innovation networks, the network has a positive impact on their environmental benefits, but this effect is irregular in the long term. The positive effect of environmental benefits from core node cities on the eco-Innovation networks is weak, smaller than the impact of the networks on the environmental benefits of core node cities. ②For sub-core node cities in the eco-Innovation networks, the network has a strong and sustained positive impact on their environmental benefits, and this impact deepens over time. However, the environmental benefits of sub-core node cities have a short-term negative impact on the eco-Innovation networks. ③For peripheral node cities in the eco-Innovation networks, there is a small mutual promotion between the networks and the environmental benefits of peripheral cities, with both maintaining stability and having minimal mutual influence. • Based on the two-dimensional perspective of patent quantity and quality, we collected and processed joint patent application data between cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, measured and characterized the spatial differentiation characteristics and structural pattern of the eco-innovation network among cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. • Established a multi-level eco-innovation network analysis framework. Based on the pattern and structural characteristics of the eco-innovation network, as well as the innovation levels and network positions of each node in the network, the eco-innovation network is divided into three levels for analysis and research. This theoretical analysis framework is an innovation of the theoretical system of the eco-innovation network in this paper. • Construct an environmental benefit measurement index system for prefecture level cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, measure the environmental benefits of eco-innovation networks, and explore the long-term dynamic relationship between eco-innovation networks and urban environmental benefits.