China＇s　ambitious　Dual-Carbon　objectives　aim　to　peak　carbon　emissions　by　2030　and　achieve　carbon　neutrality　by　2060,　yet　the　alignment　between　policy　rhetoric　and　actual　implementation　remains　uncertain.　While　the　government　has　emphasized　renewable　energy　investments　and　sustainability　narratives,　challenges　persist　in　policy　enforcement,　regional　disparities,　and　the　effectiveness　of　local　government　initiatives.　This　study　examines　China＇s　renewable　energy　policies　from　2000　to　2023,　employing　the　Generalized　Method　of　Moments　(GMM)　model　across　30　provinces　to　assess　the　relationship　between　renewable　energy　technological　innovation,　local　government　competition,　and　carbon　emissions　reduction.　The　empirical　findings　reveal　that　renewable　energy　technology　innovation　significantly　reduces　carbon　emissions,　but　its　effectiveness　varies　regionally,　with　stronger　impacts　observed　in　highly　marketized　eastern　provinces　compared　to　central　and　western　regions.　Additionally,　local　government　innovation　competition　enhances　the　carbon　reduction　effects　of　renewable　energy　investments,　whereas　economic　competition　weakens　policy　effectiveness　by　prioritizing　short-term　industrial　growth　over　long-term　sustainability　goals.　The　results　also　indicate　that　energy　consumption　intensity　and　urbanization　rates　contribute　to　rising　emissions,　suggesting　that　renewable　energy　expansion　alone　is　insufficient　without　comprehensive　grid　modernization　and　energy　efficiency　improvements.　Furthermore,　policy　rhetoric　on　renewable　energy　has　improved　over　time,　yet　inconsistencies　in　execution　persist,　particularly　in　less　marketized　regions　where　institutional　and　financial　constraints　hinder　policy　outcomes.　These　findings　highlight　the　need　for　stronger　policy　enforcement,　regional　coordination,　and　targeted　incentives　to　bridge　the　gap　between　rhetoric　and　practice,　ensuring　a　more　effective　and　equitable　transition　to　a　low-carbon　economy.　©　2025　The　Authors