The green innovation payoff of official incentive system reform: a quasi-natural experiment based on difference-in-differences and double machine learning

Key Points

• Green innovation increased following reforms to the official incentive system, demonstrating effective policy intervention.
• A difference-in-differences approach analyzes the impact over time, yielding results from two distinct periods.
• Machine learning techniques were employed to enhance predictive accuracy in measuring innovation outcomes.
• The study highlights the implications of policy reforms on stimulating sustainable development initiatives.