IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i18p8370-d1752375.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Navigating Uncertainty: How Climate Policy Uncertainty Drives Firms’ Green Transformation

Author

Listed:
  • Zhi Zhang

    (School of Economics and Trade, Hunan University, Changsha 410006, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Yuan Hong

    (School of Economics and Trade, Hunan University, Changsha 410006, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Ziyao Yang

    (School of Economics and Management, Hunan Institute of Traffic Engineering, Hengyang 421200, China)

  • Liming Chen

    (School of Finance and Statistics, Hunan University, Changsha 410006, China)

  • Yanhong Feng

    (School of Economics, Management and Law, University of South China, Hengyang 421000, China)

Abstract

As climate change intensifies, climate-related policy instruments have become essential tools for governments to mitigate climate risks. The formulation of such policies typically involves balancing economic growth and ecological goals while ensuring fairness and feasibility, often resulting in frequent policy adjustments. Drawing on panel data from A-share listed firms in China between 2008 and 2023, this study conducts a comprehensive investigation into how climate policy uncertainty affects corporate green transformation, with a particular focus on the underlying mechanisms. The empirical evidence shows that climate policy uncertainty serves as a significant catalyst in promoting firms’ green upgrading. Mechanism analysis indicates that this uncertainty has enhanced enterprises’ environmental awareness, encouraged their green investment, and promoted strategic planning oriented towards environmental sustainability. Further heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive effect is especially pronounced in state-owned enterprises, labor-intensive industries, and firms exposed to high levels of climate risk. This study enriches the understanding of corporate behavioral responses under climate-related policy uncertainty and offers practical implications for optimizing policy design to support sustainable transformation in the corporate sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhi Zhang & Yuan Hong & Ziyao Yang & Liming Chen & Yanhong Feng, 2025. "Navigating Uncertainty: How Climate Policy Uncertainty Drives Firms’ Green Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-22, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:18:p:8370-:d:1752375
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8370/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8370/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gong, Jiaowei & Shi, Xiangyu & Wang, Chang & Zhang, Xin, 2025. "Extreme high temperatures and adaptation by social dynamics: Theory and evidence from China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    2. Bolton, Patrick & Kacperczyk, Marcin, 2021. "Do investors care about carbon risk?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 517-549.
    3. Bai, Dongbei & Du, Lizhao & Xu, Yang & Abbas, Shujaat, 2023. "Climate policy uncertainty and corporate green innovation: Evidence from Chinese A-share listed industrial corporations," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PB).
    4. Juhyun Jung & Kathleen Herbohn & Peter Clarkson, 2018. "Carbon Risk, Carbon Risk Awareness and the Cost of Debt Financing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(4), pages 1151-1171, July.
    5. Scott R. Baker & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis, 2016. "Measuring Economic Policy Uncertainty," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 131(4), pages 1593-1636.
    6. Yue, Tong & Tong, Jian & Guo, Yan & Zhang, Cong, 2025. "Short-term relief and green transformation: Evidence from the unintended environmental governance effects of China’s VAT credit refund policy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1725-1747.
    7. Rajna Gibson Brandon & Philipp Krueger & Peter Steffen Schmidt, 2021. "ESG Rating Disagreement and Stock Returns," Financial Analysts Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 77(4), pages 104-127, October.
    8. Siddique, Md. Abubakar & Nobanee, Haitham & Hasan, Md. Bokhtiar & Uddin, Gazi Salah & Hossain, Md. Naiem & Park, Donghyun, 2023. "How do energy markets react to climate policy uncertainty? Fossil vs. renewable and low-carbon energy assets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    9. Lee, Kiryoung & Cho, Juik, 2023. "Measuring Chinese climate uncertainty," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 891-901.
    10. Dirk Frantzen, 2000. "R&D, Human Capital and International Technology Spillovers: A Cross‐country Analysis," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 102(1), pages 57-75, March.
    11. Arbex, Marcelo & Batu, Michael, 2020. "What if people value nature? Climate change and welfare costs," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    12. Du, Kerui & Cheng, Yuanyuan & Yao, Xin, 2021. "Environmental regulation, green technology innovation, and industrial structure upgrading: The road to the green transformation of Chinese cities," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    13. Mo, Yan & Liu, Xiaotong, 2023. "Climate policy uncertainty and digital transformation of enterprise—Evidence from China," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    14. Rosa Dangelico & Devashish Pujari, 2010. "Mainstreaming Green Product Innovation: Why and How Companies Integrate Environmental Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 471-486, September.
    15. Fu, Yanyu, 2024. "Enterprises’ internationalization, R&D investment and enterprise performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    16. Chen, Liming & Dai, Tao & Zhang, Chen & Zhang, Zhi, 2025. "Digital government and corporate ESG performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    17. Lin, Yangyi & Cheung, Adrian (Wai Kong), 2024. "Climate policy uncertainty and energy transition: Evidence from prefecture-level cities in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    18. Guangya Zhou & Helian Xu & Chuanzeng Jiang & Shiqi Deng & Liming Chen & Zhi Zhang, 2024. "Has the Digital Economy Improved the Urban Land Green Use Efficiency? Evidence from the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone Policy," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-25, June.
    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. Li, Rui & Fang, Debin & Xu, Jiajun, 2025. "Does climate policy uncertainty (CPU) hinder carbon reduction? Evidence using the city-level CPU index in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    2. Wu, Guo & Hu, Guoheng, 2024. "Asymmetric spillovers and resilience in physical and financial assets amid climate policy uncertainties: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    3. Zixuan Zhang & Zhenyu Ge, 2024. "Fishing in muddy water? Climate policy uncertainty and corporate greenwashing in environmental, social, and governance," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(6), pages 4191-4207, September.
    4. Dai, Zhifeng & Zhu, Haoyang, 2024. "Climate policy uncertainty and urban green total factor productivity: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    5. Liu, Wenhua & Liu, Yang & Wen, Fenghua & Gong, Xu, 2025. "Climate policy uncertainty and analyst earnings forecasts: Evidence from the Chinese energy sector," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    6. Xu, Ziyao & Zhou, Deheng & Ma, Junfeng & Yuan, Jing, 2025. "The time-varying relationship between climate uncertainty, low-carbon stocks and green bonds," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Nguyen, Minh Nhat & Liu, Ruipeng & Li, Youwei, 2025. "Performance of energy ETFs and climate risks," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    8. Jawadi, Fredj & Rozin, Philippe & Cheffou, Abdoulkarim Idi, 2025. "Climate change uncertainty and corporate debt relationship: A quantile panel data analysis," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    9. Shanyong Wang & Rongwei Zhang & Yancheng Lai, 2025. "Navigating the winds of change: climate policy uncertainty and corporate risk-taking," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 1-33, June.
    10. Tee, Chwee-Ming & Wong, Wai-Yan & Hooy, Chee-Wooi, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty and carbon footprint: International evidence," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    11. Zhichao Zhang & Bingzhen Sun, 2025. "Climate Policy Uncertainty and Corporate Disclosure Strategies: Evidence From Financial Statement Comparability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(3), pages 3905-3927, May.
    12. Huang, Shupei & Wang, Xinya & Xue, Yi & Zhang, Xinzhi, 2025. "CEOS’ climate risk perception bias and corporate debt structure," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    13. Cheng, Shulei & Chen, Yongtao & Wang, Kexin & Jia, Lijun, 2024. "Climate policy uncertainty influences carbon emissions in the semiconductor industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    14. Xie, Xuejing & Gong, Yukai & Cheng, Le, 2025. "Managerial myopia and carbon emission: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    15. Xu, Kunliang & Shao, Yanmin & Hu, Yiwen, 2025. "Responding to perceived environmental policy uncertainty with green technological innovation engagement: Evidence from a text-based measure," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    16. Mauro Romano & Antonio Netti & Antonio Corvino & Marika Intenza, 2024. "Environmental innovation in healthcare industry: The moderating role of women on board in cost of debt," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1921-1933, May.
    17. Ryo Aruga & Keiichi Goshima & Takashi Chiba, 2022. "CO2 Emissions and Corporate Performance: Japan's Evidence with Double Machine Learning," IMES Discussion Paper Series 22-E-01, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan.
    18. Noailly, Joëlle & Nowzohour, Laura & van den Heuvel, Matthias & Pla, Ireneu, 2024. "Heard the news? Environmental policy and clean investments," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    19. Choi, Dong Beom & Jeong, Seongjun, 2025. "CSR scores versus actual impacts: Banks’ main street lending during the great recession," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    20. Gutiérrez-López, Cristina & Castro, Paula & Tascón, María T., 2022. "How can firms' transition to a low-carbon economy affect the distance to default?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(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:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:18:p:8370-:d:1752375. 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.