The impact of technological innovation from domestic innovation, import and FDI channels on carbon dioxide emissions of China's textile industry

Technological innovation is the key to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In order to analyse the role of technological innovation from domestic innovation, import and FDI channels in the CO2 emissions reduction of China's textile industry (CTI), this study uses OLS models to study the impact of domestic innovation, import technology spill over and FDI technology spillover on CO2 emissions and CO2 emission intensity of CTI respectively. The research results show that domestic innovation has significantly reduced CTI’s CO2 emissions and CO2 emission intensity, while import technology spillover has increased them. FDI technology spillover has increased CO2 emission intensity, but its impact on CO2 emissions isn’t significant. Therefore, China should take domestic R&D investment as the key measure to reduce CTI’s CO2 emissions in the future and continue to improve the level of independent innovation. China should also attract more low-carbon and green international investment and avoid becoming the "pollution heaven" for high-emission capital. The level of technology embedded in the imported textile products should be improved further. The use of various technological innovation strategies not only reduces CTI’s CO2 emissions but also makes positive contributions to China's goal of "carbon peaking and carbon neutralization".