OpenLB
Open Library of Bioscience
Advanced Search
Environmental science and pollution research international
Sep, 2023;30 (43): 97386-97403.

Evaluating the link between innovative human capital and regional sustainable development: Empirical evidence from China.

Xi Lin, Zahoor Ahmed, Xiaoying Jiang, Ugur Korkut Pata
Author Information
  1. Xi Lin: Business School, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China.
  2. Zahoor Ahmed: Department of Business Admistration, Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Bahçeşehir Cyprus University, Nicosia, Turkey.
  3. Xiaoying Jiang: Finance Office, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China.
  4. Ugur Korkut Pata: Adnan Kassar School of Business, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon. korkutpata@osmaniye.edu.tr. ORCID
PMID: 37594707 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29337-4

Abstract

Innovative human capital (IHC) can boost the economic growth of nations. However, in recent years, economies have become more attuned to sustainable development. In this context, it is important to assess the potential impact of IHC on green growth. Against this background, this study empirically examines the role of IHC on regional green growth in China, considering the spatial spillover effect and focusing on the quantity and quality of human capital and its direct and indirect effects on green growth. To this end, this paper adopts the spatial Durbin model, constructs an indicator system to evaluate green growth, and establishes a calculation formula for the quantity and quality of IHC. The empirical analysis provided some important findings. First, IHC and green growth have strong spatial correlation characteristics. Second, the quantity of IHC has a significant positive impact on regional green growth; however, the quality of IHC does not promote regional green growth. Third, the quantity and quality of IHC indirectly improve the level of regional green growth through technological progress. Finally, the role of IHC and its spatial spillover effect in improving the regional green growth level are most obvious in the central and western regions of China. Therefore, promoting green growth requires enhancing the accumulation of IHC and narrowing the gap between eastern and western China in the accumulation of IHC.

Keywords

China Innovative human capital Regional green growth Spatial durbin model Technological progress

References

  1. Adebayo TS, Ullah S, Kartal MT, Ali K, Pata UK, Ağa M (2023) Endorsing sustainable development in BRICS: The role of technological innovation, renewable energy consumption, and natural resources in limiting carbon emission. Sci Total Environ 859:160181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160181 [DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160181]
  2. Ahmad M, Jabeen G, Wu Y (2021) Heterogeneity of pollution haven/halo hypothesis and environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis across development levels of Chinese provinces. J Clean Prod 285:124898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124898 [DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124898]
  3. Ahmad M, Ahmed Z, Yang X, Hussain N, Sinha A (2022) Financial development and environmental degradation: do human capital and institutional quality make a difference? Gondwana Res 105:299–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2021.09.012 [DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2021.09.012]
  4. Ahmed Z, Asghar MM, Malik MN, Nawaz K (2020) Moving towards a sustainable environment: the dynamic linkage between natural resources, human capital, urbanization, economic growth, and ecological footprint in China. Resour Policy 67:101677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101677 [DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101677]
  5. Ahmed Z, Zafar MW, Ali S, Danish K (2020) Linking urbanization, human capital, and the ecological footprint in G7 countries: An empirical analysis. Sustain Cities Soc 55:102064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102064 [DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2020.102064]
  6. Ahmed Z, Nathaniel SP, Shahbaz M (2021) The criticality of information and communication technology and human capital in environmental sustainability: evidence from Latin American and Caribbean countries. J Clean Prod 286:125529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125529 [DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125529]
  7. Ali U, Guo Q, Kartal MT, Nurgazina Z, Khan ZA, Sharif A (2022) The impact of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption on carbon emission intensity in China: Fresh evidence from novel dynamic ARDL simulations. J Environ Manag 320:115782. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115782 [DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115782]
  8. Ali U, Guo Q, Nurgazina Z, Sharif A, Kartal MT, Depren SK, Khan A (2023) Heterogeneous impact of industrialization, foreign direct investments, and technological innovation on carbon emissions intensity: Evidence from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Appl Energy 336:120804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.120804 [DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.120804]
  9. Cao Z, Zhao J (2021) Impact of innovative human capital on total factor productivity: based on the provincial panel data from 2009 to 2018. J Xuzhou Inst Technol (social Sciences Edition) 36:35–44
  10. Ding DH, Liu ZB (1999) From human capital to heterogeneous human capital. Product Res 3:7–9
  11. Fisher-Vanden K, Jefferson GH, Jingkui M, Jianyi X (2006) Technology development and energy productivity in China. Energy Econ 28(5–6):690–705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2006.05.006 [DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2006.05.006]
  12. Han J, Liu Y, Zhang X (2017) The market orientation, environmental regulation and China’s green economic growth. Comp Econ Soc Syst 193:105–115
  13. Hanushek EA, Kimko DD (2000) Schooling, labor-force quality, and the growth of nations. Am Econ Rev 90(5):1184–1208. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.90.5.1184 [DOI: 10.1257/aer.90.5.1184]
  14. Hu Y, Liu Z (2004) Analysis of the impact of different types of human capital on economic growth. Popul Econ 2:55–58
  15. Huang J, Xie L, Zhong M (2009) An empirical study on the relationship between innovative human capital and economic growth. Sci Technol Prog Policy 26:1–4
  16. Kartal MT, Kılıç Depren S, Ali U, Nurgazina Z (2023) Long-run impact of coal usage decline on CO emissions and economic growth: Evidence from disaggregated energy consumption perspective for China and India by dynamic ARDL simulations. Energy Environ, 0958305X231152482. https://doi.org/10.1177/0958305X231152482
  17. Khan M (2020) CO emissions and sustainable economic development: New evidence on the role of human capital. Sustain Dev 28(5):1279–1288. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2083 [DOI: 10.1002/sd.2083]
  18. Le T, Gibson J, Oxley L (2003) Cost-and income-based measures of human capital. J Econ Surv 17(3):271–307. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6419.00196 [DOI: 10.1111/1467-6419.00196]
  19. LeSage JP, Pace RK (2009) Introduction to Spatial Econometrics. Chapman & Hall CRC Press, USA [DOI: 10.1201/9781420064254]
  20. Li J, Tan Q, Bai J (2010) Spatial econometric analysis of China’s regional innovative production—an empirical study based on static and dynamic spatial panel models. J Manag World 202:43–55
  21. Liguo L, Fan D (2019) The impact of postgraduate education on economic growth in China: An empirical analysis on a provincial panel data from 1996 to 2016. Tsing Hua J Educ 40(2):56–65
  22. Lin X, Zhao Y, Ahmad M, Ahmed Z, Rjoub H, Adebayo TS (2021) Linking innovative human capital, economic growth, and CO2 emissions: an empirical study based on Chinese provincial panel data. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18(16):8503. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168503 [DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168503]
  23. Liu M, Wang S (2018) A Study on β Convergence and Spatial Dependence of China’s Manufacturing Industry. J Quant Technol Econ 35:3–23
  24. Liu Y, Yuan Z, Guo, Feng J, Kong W, Dang C (2022) Spatio-temporal characteristics of urban green growth level and its influencing factors in Shaanxi province. J Nat Resour 37:200–220
  25. Nurgazina Z, Guo Q, Ali U, Kartal MT, Ullah A, Khan ZA (2022) Retesting the influences on CO2 emissions in China: evidence from dynamic ARDL approach. Front Environ Sci 10:868740. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.868740 [DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2022.868740]
  26. Pata UK (2018) The effect of urbanization and industrialization on carbon emissions in Turkey: evidence from ARDL bounds testing procedure. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25(8):7740–7747. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-1088-6 [DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-1088-6]
  27. Pata UK, Ertugrul HM (2023) Do the Kyoto Protocol, geopolitical risks, human capital and natural resources affect the sustainability limit? A new environmental approach based on the LCC hypothesis. Resourc Policy 81:103352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103352 [DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103352]
  28. Pata UK, Isik C (2021) Determinants of the load capacity factor in China: a novel dynamic ARDL approach for ecological footprint accounting. Resour Policy 74:102313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102313 [DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102313]
  29. Pata UK, Kumar A (2021) The influence of hydropower and coal consumption on greenhouse gas emissions: a comparison between China and India. Water 13(10):1387. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13101387 [DOI: 10.3390/w13101387]
  30. Pata UK, Caglar AE (2021) Investigating the EKC hypothesis with renewable energy consumption, human capital, globalization and trade openness for China: evidence from augmented ARDL approach with a structural break. Energy 216:119220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.119220
  31. Pata UK, Erdogan S, Ozkan O (2023a) Is reducing fossil fuel intensity important for environmental management and ensuring ecological efficiency in China? J Environ Manag 329:117080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117080 [DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117080]
  32. Pata UK, Caglar AE, Kartal MT, Depren SK (2023b) Evaluation of the role of clean energy technologies, human capital, urbanization, and income on the environmental quality in the United States. J Clean Prod 402:136802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136802 [DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136802]
  33. Pata UK, Kartal MT, Erdogan S, Sarkodie SA (2023c) The role of renewable and nuclear energy R&D expenditures and income on environmental quality in Germany: Scrutinizing the EKC and LCC hypotheses with smooth structural changes. Appl Energy 342:121138 [DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121138]
  34. Porter ME, Van Der Linde C (1995) Green and Competitive: Ending the Stalemate. Harvard Bus Rev 33:120–134
  35. Ramos R, Surinach J, Artis M (2010) Human capital spillovers, productivity and regional convergence in Spain. Pap Reg Sci 89:435–447. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1435-5957.2010.00296.x [DOI: 10.1111/j.1435-5957.2010.00296.x]
  36. Sharif A, Kartal MT, Bekun FV, Pata UK, Foon CL, Depren SK (2023) Role of green technology, environmental taxes, and green energy towards sustainable environment: insights from sovereign Nordic countries by CS-ARDL approach. Gondwana Res 117:194–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2023.01.009 [DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2023.01.009]
  37. Song T, Rong T (2016) Analysis of the influence of human capital agglomeration and spillover effect on green production. Jianghuai Tribune 277:46–53
  38. Wang Y, Wang W (2020) GVC Embeddedness, innovative human capital and high quality development of manufacturing industry: Influence mechanism analysis and effect test based on new development concept. Comm Res 62(5):67
  39. Wang F, Wu M (2021) Does air pollution affect the accumulation of technological innovative human capital? Empirical evidence from China and India. J Clean Prod 285:124818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124818
  40. Wang S, Li Y (2022) The impact of innovative human capital on high-quality economic development. Stat Decis 5:174–178
  41. Wang X, Hu L, Fan G (2021) Marketization Index Report by Provinces in China. Social Sciences Academic Press, Beijing
  42. Wang S, Zhang Y, Ji S (2022a) The impact of innovative human capital on the green transformation of China’s economy. Res Econ Manag 43:18
  43. Wang S, Li Y, Cao M (2022b) Innovative human capital and High-quality Economic Development from the Perspective of Spatial Spillover. World Surv Res 1:10
  44. Wu C, Guo L, Yu J (2017) Evaluation model and empirical study of regional green growth system based on TOPSIS and grey relational analysis. Manag Rev 29:12. https://doi.org/10.14120/j.cnki.cn11-5057/f.2017.01.023 [DOI: 10.14120/j.cnki.cn11-5057/f.2017.01.023]
  45. Xie L, Huang J (2009) Analysis of innovative human capital, total factor productivity and economic growth. Sci Technol Prog Policy 26:153–157
  46. Xu Y, Li A (2020) The relationship between innovative human capital and interprovincial economic growth based on panel data model and spatial econometrics. J Comput Appl Math 365:112381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cam.2019.112381 [DOI: 10.1016/j.cam.2019.112381]
  47. Yang Z, Tian L (2017) A panel co-integration analysis of the pollution haven hypothesis and its determinants in China. J World Econ 40:148–172. https://doi.org/10.19985/j.cnki.cassjwe.2017.05.008 [DOI: 10.19985/j.cnki.cassjwe.2017.05.008]
  48. Yao S (2001) Innovative human capital, institutions and performance of enterprises. Contemp Financ Econ 80:3–7
  49. Yusupu T, Hou J, Chen J (2021) Research on the Urbanization Heterogeneity Threshold Effect of innovative human capital on Regional Development Quality. Sci-Technol Manag 23:12–21. https://doi.org/10.16315/j.stm.2021.05.002 [DOI: 10.16315/j.stm.2021.05.002]
  50. Zhang J, Zhang Y (2003) Re-estimation of China’s capital stock of China. Econ Res J 7:35–43
  51. Zhang W, Hu Y (2020) The effect of innovative human capital on green total factor productivity in the Yangtze River Delta: an empirical analysis based on the spatial Durbin model. China Popul Resour Environ 30:106–120
  52. Zhang G, Chen C, Cao Y, Xie L (2010) An empirical study on the impact of innovative human capital on economic growth from the perspective of stock and level. Sci Technol Prog Policy 27:137–141

MeSH Term

Humans
Economic Development
China
Sustainable Development
Technology
Journal Article

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0growthIHCgreenregionalChinahumancapitalspatialquantityqualityInnovativesustainableimportantimpactrolespillovereffectmodellevelprogresswesternaccumulationcanboosteconomicnationsHoweverrecentyearseconomiesbecomeattuneddevelopmentcontextassesspotentialbackgroundstudyempiricallyexaminesconsideringfocusingdirectindirecteffectsendpaperadoptsDurbinconstructsindicatorsystemevaluateestablishescalculationformulaempiricalanalysisprovidedfindingsFirststrongcorrelationcharacteristicsSecondsignificantpositivehoweverpromoteThirdindirectlyimprovetechnologicalFinallyimprovingobviouscentralregionsThereforepromotingrequiresenhancingnarrowinggapeasternEvaluatinglinkinnovativedevelopment:EmpiricalevidenceRegionalSpatialdurbinTechnological

Similar Articles

Cited By