Environmental regulation is an important driving force of green technology innovation. In this paper, environmental policy instruments are classified into three categories: command-control, market-incentive and social-will. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2010 to 2017, a fixed effect model and a panel threshold regression model are used to test the heterogeneous effects of different types of environmental policy instruments on the green technology innovation in China. The results show that: (1) Overall, China’s environmental policy instruments do not provide sufficient impetus for green technology innovation; (2) The impact of command-control environmental policy instruments on green technology innovation has a single threshold effect. When its intensity exceeds a certain threshold, green technology innovation is improved. The impact of market-incentive environmental policy instruments on the green technology innovation shows a double threshold effect, that is to say, only when its intensity maintained within a reasonable interval, can green technology innovation be promoted by it; (3) There is significant spatial difference in the impact of different types of environmental policy instruments on green technology innovation. In order to induce green technology innovation, it is necessary to formulate a combined and differentiated environmental policy system, while rationally adjusting the strength of different types of environmental policy instruments.
With the acceleration of industrialization, haze pollution has become a severe environmental pollution problem, and green technology innovation is one feasible way to alleviate it. Based on the PM 2.5 concentration data of 30 provinces in mainland China from 2011 to 2017, we use a spatial panel model to investigate the spatial characteristics of haze pollution and examine the impact of green technology innovation on it. Results show that haze pollution has spatial correlation and a time lag. Its spatial correlation is associated with geographical distance as well as the compound influence of distance and economic development. Green technology innovation and foreign investment have inhibitory and negative spillover effects on haze pollution. Industrial structure and energy consumption structure play a partial intermediary role between green technology innovation and haze pollution, and the former has a significant negative spillover, while the latter has a positive effect. To reduce haze pollution, China should improve the level of green technology innovation, use foreign investment wisely, and enhance policy support and guidance. It should also promote the rationalization of industrial structure, optimize energy structure and implement energy substitution. Finally, it is crucial that it should strengthen regional collaborative governance and build a multi-agent governance system.
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