2.2.3. Innovation Input and Energy Consumption

Sun et al. [54] examined the relationship between innovation input and energy consumption, and testified that innovation input has a positive impact on improving energy efficiency and reducing energy intensity. Wurlod and Noailly [55] analyzed the impact of innovation input on the energy intensity of 14 industrial sectors in 17 OECD countries, and found that innovation input contributed to the decline of energy intensity in most industrial sectors. In conclusion, these studies compelling indicate that climate change and innovation input play a very important role within the energy-environment-growth nexus. Therefore, in the following study on the energy-environment-growth nexus, this paper introduced the two variables of climate change and innovation input.

In general, the existing literature mostly studies the correlation between fossil energy consumption, carbon emissions, and economic growth. It is found that when the economic income level is low, fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions are more, while when the economic income level is high, it is the opposite. The difference is that this paper creatively introduces innovation input and climate change into the framework of renewable energy consumption, carbon emissions, and green economic growth further analyzes the dynamic nexus of innovation input, climate change and energy-environment-growth, and then verifies the EKC hypothesis.
