Does the Policy of Regional Integration Facilitate Urban Inclusive Green Growth? An Analysis of Urban Agglomerations in China

Urban agglomerations serve as vital spatial entities of regional integration strategies. Utilizing panel data from 284 cities across China, covering the period from 2003 to 2020, this study employs a multi-period difference-in-differences (multi-period DID) model to empirically investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of regional integration policies on urban inclusive green growth (IGG). The results indicate that regional integration substantially enhances urban IGG. The conclusion continues to hold valid following a series of robustness assessments. Mechanism analysis reveals that this enhancement primarily occurs through the promotion of green innovation, increased environmental investment, and the stimulation of entrepreneurial vitality. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the positive effects of regional integration policies are more pronounced in eastern regions, larger cities, non-resource-based cities, and those with a high degree of marketization. In view of this, we should persist in promoting regional integration and contribute to the efforts to achieve IGG.