Research Objectives: Compile the Chinese Green Innovation Index, and examine its distribution dynamics, regional differences and spatial convergence characteristics. Research Methods: The entropy method, crawler technology, social network analysis method (SNA), Kernel density estimation, Dagum Gini coefficient and Spatial β conditional convergence method are used. Research Findings: The level of green innovation in China shows an overall upward trend, and the compositions of green technological innovation capabilities, green technological innovation radiation and green innovation system support shows similar trend; Cities with higher levels of green innovation are concentrated in higher administrative levels and economically developed regions, typically, the cities of Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Guangzhou are in the forefront; the Kernel density estimates all show the characteristics of “curve shifts to the right, the peak first rises and then falls, the width narrows and then expands”; the differences within and between regions show a gradual downward trend; there exists a spatial β conditional convergence effect, and the club feature are also significant, but the convergence speeds of different spatial weight matrices and regional samples are different. Research Innovations: This study puts forward a scientific measurement method for the radiation power of green technological innovation, incorporates green technological innovation and green system innovation into a unified green innovation level measurement framework, and systematically analyzes the distribution dynamics, regional differences and spatial convergence of Chinas green innovation. Research Value: It is significant to provide decision-making basis for improving the level of green innovation and narrowing the spatial gap of green innovation through scientifically defining the connotation of green innovation, compiling relevant indexes, and revealing its temporal and spatial evolution trend, source of composition and spatial differentiation characteristics. |