Pathways towards carbon neutrality in low carbon cities: The role of green patents, R&D and energy use for carbon emissions

China is adopting innovative strategies to mitigate the carbon emissions and to enhance environmental sustainability. China's pilot low-carbon city program is a comprehensive program to attain carbon neutrality and green transformation. The current research is an attempt to explore the dynamic relationship between green patents, energy use, research and development (R&D) expenditure, and carbon dioxide emissions of Chinese cities considered for the China Pilot Low Carbon City Program (CPLCCP). The prime objective of current research is to examine the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory in the context of energy use, R&D and green patents. This objective is realized by employing CS-ARDL, Q-ARDL, and Granger's non-causality approach on panel data of 118 Chinese cities for the period of 2003 to 2020. The estimated result reveals that allocating resources towards R&D and green technological innovation can substantially increase environmental sustainability across various quantiles. Furthermore, the empirical findings validate the existence of Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory. The study suggests fruitful insights for policymakers and stakeholders committed apropos sustainable development and carbon neutrality of China.