Direct and indirect mechanisms through which low-carbon technology imports enhance green total factor productivity

Under the global consensus on mitigating climate change and managing environmental risks, low-carbon technology (LCT) imports have emerged as a new driver of green economic growth. Although the economic and environmental benefits of LCT trade are widely recognized, the mechanisms through which imports enhance green total factor productivity (GTFP) remain insufficiently understood. This study develops a theoretical framework to explain how LCT imports promote green growth through trade spillovers and structural optimization. Using panel data covering 101 countries and 124 LCT products from 2001 to 2022, this study employs mediation and moderation models to examine the transmission mechanisms and key influencing factors. The results show that LCT imports enhance GTFP mainly through knowledge diffusion rather than technology spillovers. LCT imports facilitate energy structure optimization, which drives GTFP improvement, but they do not fundamentally change the industrial structure. Moreover, maintaining stable trade linkages with technologically advanced partners amplifies this positive effect. These findings uncover the mechanisms by which LCT trade fosters green productivity and provide scientific insights to inform LCT trade policies. • GTFP of importing economies is evaluated using a super-efficiency SBM model. • LCT imports enhance GTFP primarily through knowledge diffusion rather than technological spillovers. • Energy structure optimization serves as a direct and universal channel. • Indirect mechanisms differ between developed and developing economies and are particularly effective in developing economies. • Establishing connections with economies possessing advanced technologies further amplifies the positive impact on GTFP.