Abstract As a new type of transportation infrastructure in China, high-speed rail has an important impact on improving urban economic connection and promoting green innovation with its efficient and convenient mode of transportation. On the basis of systematically illustrating the internal correlation logic between the opening of high-speed rail and urban green innovation, and based on the panel data of 266 Chinese cities from 2008 to 2019, this paper empirically tests the local and spatial spillover effects of high-speed rail opening on urban green innovation by using the spatial Dubin model. There are following findings: (1) There is a significant spatial correlation of green innovation at the urban level. The opening of high-speed rail provides an important impetus for urban green innovation, which not only promotes green innovation in the local cities, but also in neighboring cities; (2) The opening of high-speed rail not only improves the absolute level of urban green innovation, but also improves its relative level. The spatial effect of high-speed rail opening on urban green innovation will be adjusted by city size. The larger the city size is, the more obvious the effect of high-speed rail on urban green innovation will be; (3) The spatial spillover effect of the opening of high-speed rail on urban green innovation is within the radius of 100km to 250km from the local city, but it is no longer obvious beyond 250km. The above research results provide an important basis for giving full play to the role of high-speed rail operation and promoting the green transformation of urban economy.
2023, Vol. 40 
