Evaluation and Influence Factors of Green Innovation Efficiency in Old Industrial Area of Northeast China: New Evidence Based on Spatial Econometric Models

Green innovation is an important driving force for high-quality development and an important guarantee for the revitalization of the old industrial base in Northeast China. However, research on green innovation is still insufficient. Using the super-efficiency epsilon-based measure Malmquist model, kernel density estimation, and spatial econometric model, this study investigated the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of green innovation efficiency (GIE) in Northeast China from 2005 to 2020. The results reveal that: 1) The GIE in Northeast China has obvious phased characteristics, where 2005–2011 was a period of fluctuating decline while 2012–2020 was a period of fluctuating increase, reflecting the severe resource and environmental constraints faced by the green innovation process. 2) The GIE in the Northeast China has a significant spatial dependence, which has not formed a relatively stable spatial club feature. The process for improving the GIE in the Northeast China in the future is still arduous and far off. 3) The interweaving and mutual influence of nonequilibrium factors have led to the diversity and complexity of the spatiotemporal pattern evolution of GIE. Overall, the level of economic development and industrial structure has a positive effect, while foreign investment and industrial agglomeration have a negative effect. The direct effects of government regulation, resource endowment, science and technology, environmental regulation, and urbanization are not significant. The research conclusion of this article can provide important reference for the revitalization of Northeast China.