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Regional carbon emission pressure and corporate green innovation

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  • Zhang, Yongji
  • Lan, Minghui
  • Zhao, Yapu
  • Su, Zhi
  • Hao, Yu
  • Du, Heran

Abstract

China's ambitious endeavor to curtail carbon emissions has led to heightened governmental attention on addressing the issue of excessive carbon emissions. As governmental tolerance for such emissions diminishes, governments promote and support more proactive emission reduction methods of green innovation in enterprises. This study analyzes panel data from Chinese-listed businesses to explore the correlation between regional carbon emission pressure and green innovation. Our findings indicate a positive relationship between carbon emission pressure and enterprises' engagement in green innovation initiatives. Governmentenvironmental attention, punitive regulations, and incentive subsidies are the main channels. Market policies, including carbon emission trading and green credit policies, potentially impact the interplay between carbon emission pressure and green innovation. Moreover, our heterogeneity analysis underscores that enterprises facing looser financing constraints, exhibiting more social responsibility initiatives, and operating within polluting industries tend to experience a more pronounced positive impact than their counterparts in other sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Yongji & Lan, Minghui & Zhao, Yapu & Su, Zhi & Hao, Yu & Du, Heran, 2024. "Regional carbon emission pressure and corporate green innovation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 360(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:360:y:2024:i:c:s0306261924000084
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.122625
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