AUTHOR=Xinxing Shi , Sarkar Apurbo , Yue Deng , Hongbin Zhu , Fangyuan Tian 

TITLE=The influences of the advancement of green technology on agricultural CO2 release reduction: A case of Chinese agricultural industry

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1096381

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2023.1096381

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=The development of green technology (GT) may have a vital influence in decreasing carbon releases, and the linkage between the advancement of GT and CO2 releases in China’s agricultural industry has not attracted enough attention. The study’s main objectives are to assess the influence of agricultural green technology advancement on efficiency enhancement, release control capabilities, agricultural energy structure, and agriculture industrial structure. The article decomposes China’s agricultural industry’s green technology advancement (AGTP) into resource-saving green technology advancement (AEGTP) and emission reduction green technology advancement (ACGTP). At the same time, to evaluate the intermediary impact of green technology advancement, the two-step econometric model and the intermediary impact model were utilized to evaluate the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 1998 to 2018. The role of AGTP (including ACGTP and AEGTP) and CO2 release concentration has also been explored critically. The results show: (i) Under the two-step measurement method, AGTP has substantial favourable impacts on agricultural energy efficiency (EF) and possesses a negative impact on agriculture industrial structure (PS) and agricultural energy structure (ES). Agricultural energy efficiency (EF) and agriculture industrial structure (PS) under AGTP will reduce CO2 release concentration, but the path of agricultural energy structure (ES) will increase CO2 release concentration. (ii) At the national level, AGTP has an immediate unfavourable influence on CO2 releases. After introducing the intermediary variables, the intermediary impact of AGTP on CO2 releases through agricultural energy efficiency (EF), agriculture industrial structure (PS), and agricultural energy structure (ES) are also significantly negative, and the direct impacts of each variable are higher than the intermediary impact. (iii) In terms of different zones, the direct impacts of AGTP are all significant. The order of significance of the direct impacts of different zones is West to Central and Central to Eastern. The overall mediating impact’s significance ranking is ACGTP >AEGTP >AGTP, and the significance ranking of each index is ES>EF>PS. Finally, this article puts forward some policy recommendations to reduce CO2 releases.