IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i16p7137-d1459838.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unravelling the Missing Link: Climate Risk, ESG Performance and Debt Capital Cost in China

Author

Listed:
  • Yu Yan

    (School of Economics and Management, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China)

  • Xinman Cheng

    (School of Economics and Management, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China)

  • Tricia Ong

    (School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia)

Abstract

The concept of sustainability has developed significantly from an unrealistic abstract ideology to a framework that can measure companies’ environment, society and corporate governance (ESG) performance. While extensive research has established some relational impacts of ESG performance on debt capital cost (DCC), this paper contends that a comprehensive review of these impacts is incomplete without screening them through the lens of climate risk (CR). Companies are subjected to CR that comprises physical and transition factors resulting from climate change. This paper aims to unravel the missing link between CR and ESG performance, and the consequent impacts on DCC. This paper illustrates using Chinese companies that operate in an emerging economy with robust industrial activities under intense global scrutiny to achieve emission reduction and meet carbon neutrality goals. Through considering CR, the impacts of ESG performance on DCC are explained using panel data and mediation effect tests with A-share listed enterprises on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2016 to 2020. The findings show that ESG performance significantly and negatively affects DCC, with debt default risk playing a mediating role. The negative effect of ESG performance on DCC is more significant in non-polluting enterprises and non-state-owned enterprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu Yan & Xinman Cheng & Tricia Ong, 2024. "Unravelling the Missing Link: Climate Risk, ESG Performance and Debt Capital Cost in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:16:p:7137-:d:1459838
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/7137/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/7137/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Dongyang & Lucey, Brian M., 2022. "Sustainable behaviors and firm performance: The role of financial constraints’ alleviation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 220-233.
    2. Shangram Bahadur Shah & Jirakiattikul Sopin & Kua-Anan Techato & Bibek Kumar Mudbhari, 2023. "A Systematic Review on Nexus Between Green Finance and Climate Change: Evidence from China and India," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 599-613, July.
    3. Chen, Yongtai & Ren, Yi-Shuai & Narayan, Seema & Huynh, Ngoc Quang Anh, 2024. "Does climate risk impact firms' ESG performance? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 683-695.
    4. Edward I. Altman, 1968. "Financial Ratios, Discriminant Analysis And The Prediction Of Corporate Bankruptcy," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 23(4), pages 589-609, September.
    5. Chitra Sriyani De Silva Lokuwaduge & Kumudini Heenetigala, 2017. "Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Disclosure for a Sustainable Development: An Australian Study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 438-450, May.
    6. Patten, Dennis M., 1992. "Intra-industry environmental disclosures in response to the Alaskan oil spill: A note on legitimacy theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 471-475, July.
    7. Rory Gibb & David W. Redding & Kai Qing Chin & Christl A. Donnelly & Tim M. Blackburn & Tim Newbold & Kate E. Jones, 2020. "Zoonotic host diversity increases in human-dominated ecosystems," Nature, Nature, vol. 584(7821), pages 398-402, August.
    8. Ji, Yucheng & Xu, Weijun & Zhao, Qi & Jia, Zecheng, 2023. "ESG disclosure and investor welfare under asymmetric information and imperfect competition," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Sun, Wenbin & Cui, Kexiu, 2014. "Linking corporate social responsibility to firm default risk," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 275-287.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Meles, Antonio & Salerno, Dario & Sampagnaro, Gabriele & Verdoliva, Vincenzo & Zhang, Jianing, 2023. "The influence of green innovation on default risk: Evidence from Europe," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 692-710.
    2. Ali Uyar & Simone Pizzi & Fabio Caputo & Cemil Kuzey & Abdullah S. Karaman, 2022. "Do shareholders reward or punish risky firms due to CSR reporting and assurance?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(5), pages 1596-1620, July.
    3. Xingqiang Du & Jianying Weng & Quan Zeng & Yingying Chang & Hongmei Pei, 2017. "Do Lenders Applaud Corporate Environmental Performance? Evidence from Chinese Private-Owned Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(1), pages 179-207, June.
    4. Jun Xie & Wataru Nozawa & Michiyuki Yagi & Hidemichi Fujii & Shunsuke Managi, 2019. "Do environmental, social, and governance activities improve corporate financial performance?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 286-300, February.
    5. Tarsisius Renald Suganda & Jungmu Kim, 2023. "An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Default Risk: Evidence in Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-20, February.
    6. Jagriti Srivastava & Aravind Sampath & Balagopal Gopalakrishnan, 2021. "Is CSR the key to unlocking debt financing during COVID-19? A multicountry perspective," Working papers 481, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.
    7. Zhou, Yacheng & Huo, Weidong & Bo, Lan & Chen, Xiaoxian, 2023. "Impact and mechanism analysis of ESG ratings on the efficiency of green technology innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PD).
    8. Do, Trung K. & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2023. "Is mandatory sustainability disclosure associated with default risk? Evidence from emerging markets," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    9. Cao Thi Mien Thuy & Nguyen Vinh Khuong & Nguyen Thanh Liem, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure and Its Effect on Firm Risk: An Empirical Research on Vietnamese Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-13, November.
    10. Boubaker, Sabri & Cellier, Alexis & Manita, Riadh & Saeed, Asif, 2020. "Does corporate social responsibility reduce financial distress risk?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 835-851.
    11. Feng, Yuruo & Hao, Wei & Fang, Jiali & Wongchoti, Udomsak, 2024. "In the radiance of enlightenment: The influence of nontheistic religions on corporate default risk," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    12. Mohamad Hassan Shahrour & Isabelle Girerd-Potin & Ollivier Taramasco, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility and firm default risk in the Eurozone: a market-based approach," Post-Print hal-03198467, HAL.
    13. Asif Saeed & Robert Sroufe, 2021. "Performance, Risk, and Cost of Capital: Trends and Opportunities for Future CSR Research," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, December.
    14. Lin, K.C. & Dong, Xiaobo, 2018. "Corporate social responsibility engagement of financially distressed firms and their bankruptcy likelihood," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 32-45.
    15. Dumitrescu, Ariadna & El Hefnawy, Menatalla & Zakriya, Mohammed, 2020. "Golden geese or black sheep: Are stakeholders the saviors or saboteurs of financial distress?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    16. Aydin Aslan & Lars Poppe & Peter Posch, 2021. "Are Sustainable Companies More Likely to Default? Evidence from the Dynamics between Credit and ESG Ratings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-16, July.
    17. Suleiman A. Badayi & Bolaji T. Matemilola & Bany‐Ariffin A.N & Lau Wei Theng, 2021. "Does corporate social responsibility influence firm probability of default?," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(3), pages 3377-3395, July.
    18. Barbara Su, 2023. "Banking practices and borrowing firms’ financial reporting quality: evidence from bank cross-selling," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 201-236, March.
    19. Stephen Brown & William Goetzmann & Bing Liang & Christopher Schwarz, 2008. "Mandatory Disclosure and Operational Risk: Evidence from Hedge Fund Registration," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(6), pages 2785-2815, December.
    20. Shaikh, Ibrahim A. & O'Brien, Jonathan Paul & Peters, Lois, 2018. "Inside directors and the underinvestment of financial slack towards R&D-intensity in high-technology firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 192-201.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:16:p:7137-:d:1459838. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.