IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ingrde/v3y2024i3s2949753124000122.html

Environmental regulation, green credit, and corporate environmental investment

Author

Listed:
  • Han, Xinyu
  • Cai, Qihua

Abstract

Using China's A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2020, this paper empirically investigates the relationship between environmental regulation and corporate environmental investment, and the moderating effect of green credit on this relationship. The paper finds that environmental regulation effectively fosters corporate environmental investment and that green credit positively moderates this relationship. Robustness testing confirms that this conclusion is valid. Further analyses reveal that the efficacy of environmental regulation varies based on the industry characteristics of the company, the location of the company, and the type of property rights it possesses. The effect is more significant for heavily polluting companies, companies in the central and western regions, and non-state-owned companies than for companies of other natures. This paper presents empirical support for assessing the efficiency of environmental regulation, adds a green credit perspective to the mechanism through which macro policy influences corporate behavior, and finally puts forward some suggestions for optimizing China's environmental regulation policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Han, Xinyu & Cai, Qihua, 2024. "Environmental regulation, green credit, and corporate environmental investment," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(3).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ingrde:v:3:y:2024:i:3:s2949753124000122
    DOI: 10.1016/j.igd.2024.100135
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949753124000122
    Download Restriction: Open-access
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.igd.2024.100135?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. Sui, Bo & Yao, Liuyang, 2023. "The impact of digital transformation on corporate financialization: The mediating effect of green technology innovation," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(1).
    2. Leiter, Andrea M. & Parolini, Arno & Winner, Hannes, 2011. "Environmental regulation and investment: Evidence from European industry data," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(4), pages 759-770, February.
    3. Cole, Matthew A. & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Shimamoto, Kenichi, 2005. "Industrial characteristics, environmental regulations and air pollution: an analysis of the UK manufacturing sector," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 121-143, July.
    4. Adam B. Jaffe & Karen Palmer, 1997. "Environmental Regulation And Innovation: A Panel Data Study," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 79(4), pages 610-619, November.
    5. Michael E. Porter & Claas van der Linde, 1995. "Toward a New Conception of the Environment-Competitiveness Relationship," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 97-118, Fall.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Huang, Xiaobing & Xie, Jiawei, 2024. "Impact of green credit policies on the global value chain position of heavy polluting enterprises," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    2. Wang, Hai-Jie & Zheng, Mei-Qi & Yin, Hua-Tang & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Green innovation, industrial structure and urban eco-efficiency in Chinese cities," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 1011-1024.
    3. Chen, Mo & Xue, Wei-Xian & Zhao, Xin-Xin & Chang, Chun-Ping & Liu, Xiaoxia, 2024. "The impact of economic sanctions on the COVID-19 pandemic," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 163-174.
    4. Ting Pan & Boqiang Lin, 2025. "Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 11(1), pages 1-29, December.
    5. Li, Xiao & Mo, Furong & Li, Xinfang, 2025. "Environmental information disclosure, green finance, and corporate investment efficiency," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    6. Wang, Jun-Zhuo & Feng, Gen-Fu & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "How does political instability affect renewable energy innovation?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    7. Sui, Bo & Sharma, Susan Sunila & Yao, Liu-Yang & Ni, Guo-Hua & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Does aging affect renewable energy? The role of extreme events and economic development," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    8. Jia, Haibo & Li, Rongnan & Guo, Yuanbo & Zhao, Zi, 2025. "Research on corporate environmental investment behaviour driven by green credit policies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    9. Wang, Quan-Jing & Sharma, Susan Sunila & Ni, Guo-Hua & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Governance, energy utilization and environmental protection: Role of extreme events," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    10. Jelena Vapa Tankosić & Nemanja Lekić & Miroslav Čavlin & Vinko Burnać & Milovan Mirkov & Radivoj Prodanović & Gordana Bejatović & Nedeljko Prdić & Borjana Mirjanić, 2025. "Employee Perceptions of ESG Policy Implementation in Urban and Rural Financial Institutions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-23, August.
    11. Chen, Di & Hu, Haiqing & Wang, Ning & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "The impact of green finance on transformation to green energy: Evidence from industrial enterprises in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    12. Chuang Li & Hui Deng & Liping Wang, 2025. "The Spatiotemporal Patterns and Driving Mechanism of the Synergistic Effects in Industrial Green Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-23, August.
    13. Ping‐Chuan Jiang & Gen‐Fu Feng & Hai‐Jie Wang & Chun‐Ping Chang, 2024. "CSR from different perspectives: The global ESG indexes updated," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4694-4714, September.
    14. Chen, Xia & Zhang, Huimin & Zhao, Xin Xin & Gong, Qiang & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Do renewable energy investment and financial development mitigate climate change?," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    15. Wenli Wang & Liangjie He & Jie Ma & Chun-Ping Chang, 2024. "Executive compensation, equity structure and risk-taking in Chinese banks," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 1-28, June.
    16. Xie, Wangying & Qing, Yun & Tao, Lixia & Li, Wenyu & Wen, Chuanhao, 2025. "Spatial spillover effects of environmental regulation on ecological industrialization: Evidence from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    17. Wen, Jun & Yin, Hua-Tang & Chang, Chun-Ping & Tang, Kai, 2024. "How AI shapes greener futures: Comparative insights from equity vs debt investment responses in renewable energy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    18. Zhu, Aiping & Chen, Qing, 2025. "Is too much green investment a good thing for corporate sustainable development performance?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 2164-2182.
    19. He Cheng & Jianquan Guo & Natalia Ribberink, 2025. "Just Do It! Performance Feedback on Green Innovation and Postmergers' and Acquisitions' Green Innovation Performance: Evidence From Emerging Economy Firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(7), pages 8152-8171, November.
    20. Chen, Lu & Ma, Yan & Feng, Gen-Fu & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Does environmental governance mitigate the detriment of greenwashing on innovation in China?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    21. Long, Han & Prasad, Biman & Krishna, Victor & Tang, Kai & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Understanding the key determinants of Fiji's renewable energy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 1144-1157.
    22. Jun‐Zhuo Wang & Gen‐Fu Feng & Zhu‐Jia Yin & Chun‐Ping Chang, 2025. "Does women's political participation promote green innovation? Global evidence," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 1847-1862, March.

    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. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Nasreen, Samia & Abbas, Faisal & Anis, Omri, 2015. "Does foreign direct investment impede environmental quality in high-, middle-, and low-income countries?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 275-287.
    2. Borghesi, Simone & Cainelli, Giulio & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2015. "Linking emission trading to environmental innovation: Evidence from the Italian manufacturing industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 669-683.
    3. Böhringer, Christoph & Moslener, Ulf & Oberndorfer, Ulrich & Ziegler, Andreas, 2012. "Clean and productive? Empirical evidence from the German manufacturing industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 442-451.
    4. Zhang, Zhenhua & Zhang, Yunpeng & Wu, Huangbin & Song, Shunfeng & Pan, Yuxi & Feng, Yanchao, 2024. "Dual effects of automation on economy and environment: Evidence from A-share listed enterprises in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    5. Costantini, Valeria & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2012. "On the green and innovative side of trade competitiveness? The impact of environmental policies and innovation on EU exports," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 132-153.
    6. Zhou, Qian & Zhong, Shihu & Shi, Tao & Zhang, Xiaoling, 2021. "Environmental regulation and haze pollution: Neighbor-companion or neighbor-beggar?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    7. Giulio Cainelli & Massimiliano Mazzanti & Roberto Zoboli, 2011. "Enviromental Innovations, Complementarity and Local/Global Cooperation," Working Papers 201104, University of Ferrara, Department of Economics.
    8. Wang, Chunhua & Wu, JunJie & Zhang, Bing, 2018. "Environmental regulation, emissions and productivity: Evidence from Chinese COD-emitting manufacturers," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 54-73.
    9. Huang, Youxing & Xu, Qi & Zhao, Yanping, 2021. "Short-run pain, long-run gain: Desulfurization investment and productivity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    10. Manello, Alessandro, 2017. "Productivity growth, environmental regulation and win–win opportunities: The case of chemical industry in Italy and Germany," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 262(2), pages 733-743.
    11. Wang, Chao & Zhang, Yue-Jun, 2024. "Does environmental investment improve corporate productivity? Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 398-409.
    12. Liu, Duan & Yu, Nizhou & Wan, Hong, 2022. "Does water rights trading affect corporate investment? The role of resource allocation and risk mitigation channels," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    13. Wang, Lisha & Pan, Minjie & Qian, Xinlei & Lv, Kangjuan, 2025. "Do specialized courts matter? Environmental judiciary and corporate emissions in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    14. Liu, Jingjing & Zhao, Min & Wang, Yanbo, 2020. "Impacts of government subsidies and environmental regulations on green process innovation: A nonlinear approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    15. Liu, Menghe & Li, Yuxiao, 2022. "Environmental regulation and green innovation: Evidence from China's carbon emissions trading policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    16. Liu, Shimeng & Xiong, Xiong & Gao, Ya, 2025. "Market-based environmental regulations and green innovation: Evidence from the pilot carbon markets in China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(PA).
    17. Ren, Shenggang & Hu, Yucai & Zheng, Jingjing & Wang, Yangjie, 2020. "Emissions trading and firm innovation: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    18. Wang, Chao & Zhang, Yue-Jun, 2022. "The effect of environmental regulation and skill premium on the inflow of FDI:Evidence from Chinese industrial sectors," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 227-242.
    19. Dominique Bianco & Evens Salies, 2017. "The Strong Porter Hypothesis in an Endogenous Growth Model with Satisficing Managers," Post-Print hal-02177939, HAL.
    20. Hao, Xiaoli & Sun, Qingyu & Li, Ke & Li, Peilun & Wu, Haitao, 2024. "Does environmental decentralisation improve ESG performance? Evidence from listed companies in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).

    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:ingrde:v:3:y:2024:i:3:s2949753124000122. 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: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/innovation-and-green-development .

    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.