IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v85y2025ipbs1544612325012280.html

Climate anomalies and corporate environmental governance: Empirical evidence from ENSO events

Author

Listed:
  • Ma, Shenglin
  • Benkraiem, Ramzi
  • Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul
  • Zeng, Hongjun

Abstract

The increasing frequency of extreme climate events has had a significant influence on corporate governance. However, existing work has not adequately addressed how climate risks impact corporate responsibility and sustainable practices. Utilising data from Chinese listed enterprises (2009–2023) and the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, and after employing instrumental variable methods to address endogeneity issues, the study found that El Niño-La Niña phenomena reduced corporate environmental participation and ESG performance, particularly in companies with high fixed asset investments, non-state enterprises, and in coastal areas. This impact is mainly transmitted through increased energy consumption, reduced labor productivity, and heightened credit risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Ma, Shenglin & Benkraiem, Ramzi & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul & Zeng, Hongjun, 2025. "Climate anomalies and corporate environmental governance: Empirical evidence from ENSO events," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:85:y:2025:i:pb:s1544612325012280
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.107970
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325012280
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.107970?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Choi, Bobae & Luo, Le, 2021. "Does the market value greenhouse gas emissions? Evidence from multi-country firm data," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    2. Agoraki, Konstantina K. & Giaka, Maria & Konstantios, Dimitrios & Negkakis, Ioannis, 2024. "The relationship between firm-level climate change exposure, financial integration, cost of capital and investment efficiency," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    3. Christian Albert & Samuel Rufat & Christian Kuhlicke, 2021. "Five principles for climate-resilient cities," Nature, Nature, vol. 596(7873), pages 486-486, August.
    4. Klomp, Jeroen, 2014. "Financial fragility and natural disasters: An empirical analysis," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 180-192.
    5. George Halkos & Argyro Zisiadou, 2023. "The Effects of Climate Change to Weather-Related Environmental Hazards: Interlinkages of Economic Factors and Climate Risk," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18, May.
    6. Caroline Flammer, 2018. "Competing for government procurement contracts: The role of corporate social responsibility," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 1299-1324, May.
    7. Zouhaier Dhifaoui & Rabeh Khalfaoui & Sami Ben Jabeur & Mohammad Zoynul Abedin, 2023. "Exploring the effect of climate risk on agricultural and food stock prices: Fresh evidence from EMD-Based variable-lag transfer entropy analysis," Post-Print hal-03998224, HAL.
    8. Dessaint, Olivier & Matray, Adrien, 2017. "Do managers overreact to salient risks? Evidence from hurricane strikes," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(1), pages 97-121.
    9. Stuart Jenkins & Chris Smith & Myles Allen & Roy Grainger, 2023. "Tonga eruption increases chance of temporary surface temperature anomaly above 1.5 °C," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 13(2), pages 127-129, February.
    10. Ashraf, Badar Nadeem & Zheng, Changjun & Arshad, Sidra, 2016. "Effects of national culture on bank risk-taking behavior," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 309-326.
    11. Zhang, Dongyang, 2022. "Environmental regulation and firm product quality improvement: How does the greenwashing response?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    12. Arceo-Gomez, Eva O. & López-Feldman, Alejandro, 2024. "Extreme temperatures and school performance of the poor: Evidence from Mexico," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    13. Kahn, Matthew E. & Mohaddes, Kamiar & Ng, Ryan N.C. & Pesaran, M. Hashem & Raissi, Mehdi & Yang, Jui-Chung, 2021. "Long-term macroeconomic effects of climate change: A cross-country analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    14. Edith Ginglinger & Quentin Moreau, 2023. "Climate Risk and Capital Structure," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(12), pages 7492-7516, December.
    15. Xiao, Gang & Shen, Sichen, 2022. "To pollute or not to pollute: Political connections and corporate environmental performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    16. James R. Brown & Matthew T. Gustafson & Ivan T. Ivanov, 2021. "Weathering Cash Flow Shocks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 76(4), pages 1731-1772, August.
    17. Venky Nagar & Jordan Schoenfeld, 2024. "Measuring weather exposure with annual reports," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 1-32, March.
    18. Baarsch, Florent & Granadillos, Jessie R. & Hare, William & Knaus, Maria & Krapp, Mario & Schaeffer, Michiel & Lotze-Campen, Hermann, 2020. "The impact of climate change on incomes and convergence in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    19. Qiang Chen, 2015. "Climate shocks, dynastic cycles and nomadic conquests: evidence from historical China," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 67(2), pages 185-204.
    20. Hu, Xinwen & Hua, Renhai & Liu, Qingfu & Wang, Chuanjie, 2023. "The green fog: Environmental rating disagreement and corporate greenwashing," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    21. Qingyuan Li & Chen Lin & Li Xu, 2020. "Political Investment Cycles of State-Owned Enterprises," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(7), pages 3088-3129.
    22. Ryan Gunderson & Claiton Fyock, 2022. "The Political Economy of Climate Change Litigation: Is There a Point to Suing Fossil Fuel Companies?," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(3), pages 441-454, May.
    23. Anton, Sorin Gabriel, 2021. "The impact of temperature increase on firm profitability. Empirical evidence from the European energy and gas sectors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    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. Liang, Yuchao & Tan, Qi & Pang, Jun, 2024. "Bless or curse, how does extreme temperature shape heavy pollution companies' ESG performance?-Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    2. Duan, Dingkang & Wei, Ran & Wang, Chao & Xia, Bingyu, 2025. "Opportunity or obstacle? Climate risk disclosure and corporate ESG performance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    3. Cheng, Teng Yuan & Dong, Liang & Dong, Yuxuan & Lam, Keith S.K., 2025. "How does climate risk affect corporate financialization?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    4. Qian, Xianhang & Qiu, Shanyun & Yang, Xue, 2024. "Extreme weather exposure and corporate carbon emissions management: Evidence from forty countries," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    5. Cao, Zhangfan & Chen, Steven Xianglong & Dong, Ting & Lee, Edward, 2025. "Climate change uncertainty and supply chain financing," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(5).
    6. Jinyu Chen & Xinyu Guo & Yuan Geng & Ran Liu, 2025. "Climate risk and trade credit financing: Evidence from China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 2514-2535, July.
    7. Olaboopo, Olakunle & Boamah, Evans O., 2026. "Climate change news risk and advertising spending," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    8. Zannatus Saba, 2025. "Risk of rising temperature and newly issued debt maturity: size, industry and regional perspective," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 49(4), pages 986-1024, December.
    9. Li, Jialong & Li, Jiao & Ouyang, Congrong, 2025. "Physical climate risk and household saving behavior: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 2508-2519.
    10. Liu, Xinheng & Lv, Shumei & Yang, Xin & Cao, Jie & Huang, Chuangxia, 2025. "Extreme temperature shocks and firms’ financial distress," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    11. Ren, Xiaohang & Li, Wenqi & Duan, Kun & Urquhart, Andrew, 2025. "Carbon risk and debt financing: An international perspective," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    12. Liu, Zhonglu & He, Shuguang & Men, Wenjiao & Sun, Haibo, 2024. "Impact of climate risk on financial stability: Cross-country evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    13. Qilong Zhang & Yaobo Shi & Xinxin Zhao & Jinghao Yang, 2025. "Climate vulnerability, macroprudential policy, and financial risk," Risk Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(4), pages 1-24, December.
    14. Abedifar, Pejman & Kashizadeh, Seyed Javad & Ongena, Steven, 2024. "Flood, farms and credit: The role of branch banking in the era of climate change," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    15. Akhtaruzzaman, Md & Boubaker, Sabri & Gamage, Pandula & Obeng, Victoria, 2025. "Environmental innovation and climate risk awareness: The moderating role of SDG13," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    16. Birindelli, Giuliana & Chiappini, Helen & Jalal, Raja Nabeel-Ud-Din, 2024. "Greenwashing, bank financial performance and the moderating role of gender diversity," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    17. Breckenfelder, Johannes & Maćkowiak, Bartosz & Marqués-Ibáñez, David & Olovsson, Conny & Popov, Alexander & Porcellacchia, Davide & Schepens, Glenn, 2023. "The climate and the economy," Working Paper Series 2793, European Central Bank.
    18. Basha, Shabeen Afsar & Benkraiem, Ramzi & Ben-Nasr, Hamdi & Masum, Abdullah-Al, 2025. "Does political risk exacerbate climate risk? Firm-level evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA).
    19. Li, Qian & Wang, Zhouyuanye, 2025. "ENGO geographical proximity and corporate environmental performance," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 576-589.
    20. Assil Guizani & Hamza Nizar & Faten Lakhal & Taher Hamza & Ramzi Benkraiem, 2025. "Does climate risk vulnerability affect the value of excess cash? International evidence," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 2662-2681, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:eee:finlet:v:85:y:2025:i:pb:s1544612325012280. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    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.