Synergizing Governance and Technology: How Dual-Pilot Policies Enhance Green Innovation Through Information Transparency

Based on the dual-pilot policies established under China’s 2012 Ambient Air Quality Standards and the “Broadband China” strategy, this paper utilizes panel data from 289 prefecture-level cities spanning 2000–2023 and employs a multi-period difference-in-differences model to examine how environmental information transparency affects urban green innovation performance. The results indicate that the joint implementation of the two policies is associated with significant improvements in both the quantity and the quality of urban green innovation. Mechanism analysis indicates that the effects of dual-pilot policies on green innovation operate through heightened public environmental attention, stronger environmental compliance pressure, and improved resource allocation. Comparative analysis further shows that, relative to cities covered by only one of the two policies, dual-pilot cities experienced more pronounced gains in green innovation, consistent with the argument that policy synergy and informational complementarity strengthen institutional effectiveness. By demonstrating that environmental information transparency, realized through the complementary operation of disclosure mandates and digital infrastructure, can simultaneously expand the scale and elevate the quality of green innovation, this paper provides empirical evidence to inform the design of integrated policy mixes that combine governance and technology in emerging economies pursuing green transformation.