IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/ecopln/v58y2025i4d10.1007_s10644-025-09899-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can financial innovation mitigate carbon dependency in China? An advanced quantile and machine learning analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Yang Yu

    (Hainan University
    Hainan University)

  • Xin Jian

    (Hainan University)

  • Haitao Wu

    (Hainan University
    Hainan University)

Abstract

As the global challenge of climate change escalates, the issue of carbon dependency has garnered extensive attention. Financial innovation, being the nascent form of innovation, is posited as the potential determinant influencing the mitigation of carbon emissions. However, in the current intricate and dynamically evolving economic landscape, the precise influence of financial innovation on carbon dependency remains the subject that demands comprehensive examination. This study tackles the challenge by employing multivariate Quantile-on-Quantile Regression and machine learning to examine the effects of financial innovation on carbon dependency in China from 2005 to 2021. The investigation unveils that the influence of financial innovation on carbon dependency is subject to modulation by those variables, including GDP per capita, energy consumption intensity, population size, and the degree of openness. Notably, this impact exhibits dependency across various quantiles. The principal objective of this study is to discern more efficacious strategies and formulate policies that facilitate China’s attainment of its dual-carbon objectives. Additionally, the outcomes of the machine learning analysis suggest that the association between financial innovation and carbon dependency is complicated and nonlinear, characterized by the presence of one or more threshold effects between the variables. By delving into the intrinsic nexus between financial innovation and carbon dependency, this research endeavors to offer valuable insights and experiences to the broader global effort in addressing climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang Yu & Xin Jian & Haitao Wu, 2025. "Can financial innovation mitigate carbon dependency in China? An advanced quantile and machine learning analysis," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1-30, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:58:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s10644-025-09899-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-025-09899-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10644-025-09899-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10644-025-09899-8?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. Galvao Jr., Antonio F., 2009. "Unit root quantile autoregression testing using covariates," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 152(2), pages 165-178, October.
    2. Sinha, Avik & Ghosh, Vinit & Hussain, Nazim & Nguyen, Duc Khuong & Das, Narasingha, 2023. "Green financing of renewable energy generation: Capturing the role of exogenous moderation for ensuring sustainable development," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    3. Mariano Matilla-Garcia & Paloma Sanz & Francisco Vazquez, 2005. "The BDS test and delay time," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 109-113.
    4. Zhang, Chuanguo & Zhou, Xiangxue, 2016. "Does foreign direct investment lead to lower CO2 emissions? Evidence from a regional analysis in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 943-951.
    5. Feng, Yanchao & Yan, Tong & Hu, Shilei & Zhang, Zhenhua, 2025. "The impact of digital inclusive finance on household carbon emissions: Empirical evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    6. Siyu Ren & Zhiyuan Liu & Zhiyuan Liu & Mingyue Du, 2022. "Does the internet development put pressure on energy-saving potential for environmental sustainability? Evidence from China," Journal of Economic Analysis, Anser Press, vol. 1(1), pages 50-65, September.
    7. Ashley, R & Granger, C W J & Schmalensee, R, 1980. "Advertising and Aggregate Consumption: An Analysis of Causality," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(5), pages 1149-1167, July.
    8. Delimatsis, Panagiotis, 2009. "Financial innovation and climate change: the case of renewable energy certificates and the role of the GATS," World Trade Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 439-460, July.
    9. Siyu Ren & Zhiyuan Liu & Rinat Z hanbayev & Mingyue Du, 2022. "Does Internet Development Put Pressure on Energy-Saving Potential for Environmental Sustainability? Evidence from China," Journal of Economic Analysis, Anser Press, vol. 1(1), pages 49-65, September.
    10. Sim, Nicholas & Zhou, Hongtao, 2015. "Oil prices, US stock return, and the dependence between their quantiles," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1-8.
    11. Pan, Xiongfeng & Guo, Shucen & Xu, Haitao & Tian, Mengyuan & Pan, Xianyou & Chu, Junhui, 2022. "China's carbon intensity factor decomposition and carbon emission decoupling analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PC).
    12. Stephen Hall & Timothy J Foxon & Ronan Bolton, 2017. "Investing in low-carbon transitions: energy finance as an adaptive market," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 280-298, April.
    13. Yu, Yang & Jian, Xin & Wang, Hongxiang & Jahanger, Atif & Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel, 2024. "Unraveling the nexus: China's economic policy uncertainty and carbon emission efficiency through advanced multivariate quantile-on-quantile regression analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    14. Roger Koenker & Zhijie Xiao, 2004. "Unit Root Quantile Autoregression Inference," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 99, pages 775-787, January.
    15. Akan, Taner, 2023. "Explaining and modeling the mediating role of energy consumption between financial development and carbon emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    16. Yichang Liu & Kaliappa Kalirajan, 2024. "Exports of Renewable Energy Goods among RCEP members: Potential and Constraints," Journal of Economic Analysis, Anser Press, vol. 3(4), pages 49-65, December.
    17. Acheampong, Alex O. & Amponsah, Mary & Boateng, Elliot, 2020. "Does financial development mitigate carbon emissions? Evidence from heterogeneous financial economies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    18. Jianghua Liu & Mengxu Li & Yitao Ding, 2021. "Econometric analysis of the impact of the urban population size on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 18186-18203, December.
    19. Zhao, Qiuyun & Jiang, Mei & Zhao, Zuoxiang & Liu, Fan & Zhou, Li, 2024. "The impact of green innovation on carbon reduction efficiency in China: Evidence from machine learning validation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    20. Sinha, Avik & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Balsalobre, Daniel, 2017. "Exploring the Relationship between Energy Usage Segregation and Environmental Degradation in N-11 Countries," MPRA Paper 81212, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 07 Sep 2017.
    21. Apeaning, Raphael W. & Labaran, Musah, 2025. "Does financial development moderate the impact of climate mitigation innovation on CO2 emissions? Evidence from emerging economics," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 4(2).
    22. Emmanuel Uche & Bisharat Hussain Chang & Lionel Effiom, 2023. "Household consumption and exchange rate extreme dynamics: Multiple asymmetric threshold non‐linear autoregressive distributed lag model perspective," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 3437-3450, July.
    23. Li, Guangchen & Wei, Weixian, 2021. "Financial development, openness, innovation, carbon emissions, and economic growth in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    24. Abbas, Shujaat & Sinha, Avik & Saha, Tanaya & Shah, Muhammad Ibrahim, 2023. "Response of mineral market to renewable energy production in the USA: Where lies the sustainable energy future," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(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. Yu, Yang & Jian, Xin & Wang, Hongxiang & Jahanger, Atif & Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel, 2024. "Unraveling the nexus: China's economic policy uncertainty and carbon emission efficiency through advanced multivariate quantile-on-quantile regression analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    2. Ramzan, Muhammad & Hossain, Mohammad Razib & Eskandari, Hamidreza & Razi, Ummara & Adeboya, Tamewa S, 2025. "Winding down Spain's looming energy poverty amid green energy transition: Evidence from novel multivariate quantile-on-quantile (M-QQR) regression," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    3. Sinha, Avik & Ghosh, Vinit & Hussain, Nazim & Nguyen, Duc Khuong & Das, Narasingha, 2023. "Green financing of renewable energy generation: Capturing the role of exogenous moderation for ensuring sustainable development," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Muhammad Asif Qureshi & Jawaid Ahmed Qureshi & Ammar Ahmed & Shahzad Qaiser & Ramsha Ali & Arshian Sharif, 2020. "The Dynamic Relationship Between Technology Innovation and Human Development in Technologically Advanced Countries: Fresh Insights from Quantiles-on-Quantile Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 555-580, November.
    5. Zeng, Hongjun & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul & Upreti, Vineet, 2024. "Does climate risk as barometers for specific clean energy indices? Insights from quartiles and time-frequency perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    6. Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo & Seyi Saint Akadiri & Joshua Sunday Riti & Ada Tony Odu, 2023. "Interaction among geopolitical risk, trade openness, economic growth, carbon emissions and Its implication on climate change in india," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(5), pages 1305-1326, August.
    7. Xin Zhao & Muhammad Saeed Meo & Tella Oluwatoba Ibrahim & Noshaba Aziz & Solomon Prince Nathaniel, 2023. "Impact of Economic Policy Uncertainty and Pandemic Uncertainty on International Tourism: What do We Learn From COVID-19?," Evaluation Review, , vol. 47(2), pages 320-349, April.
    8. Gemici, Eray & Gök, Remzi & Bouri, Elie, 2023. "Predictability of risk appetite in Turkey: Local versus global factors," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    9. Jiang, Wei & Hu, Yanhui & Zhao, Xiangyu, 2025. "The impact of artificial intelligence on carbon market in China: Evidence from quantile-on-quantile regression approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    10. Sharif, Arshian & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Hille, Erik, 2019. "The Transportation-growth nexus in USA: Fresh insights from pre-post global crisis period," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 108-121.
    11. Seyi Saint Akadiri & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo & Obioma Chinenyenwa Asuzu & Ijeoma Christina Onuogu & Izuchukwu Oji-Okoro, 2023. "Testing the role of economic complexity on the ecological footprint in China: a nonparametric causality-in-quantiles approach," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(7), pages 2290-2316, November.
    12. Ding Wu & Zhenqing Luo & Tidong Zhang & Lu Tang & Mahmood Ahmad & Xiaoyun Fang, 2023. "The Linkage between Carbon Market and Green Bond Market: Evidence from Quantile Regression Based on Wavelet Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, July.
    13. Troster, Victor & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Uddin, Gazi Salah, 2018. "Renewable energy, oil prices, and economic activity: A Granger-causality in quantiles analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 440-452.
    14. Chao Li & Wenyu Lao, 2025. "Internet of Things’ sustainability effects: quantile and temporal insights," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, December.
    15. Chishti, Muhammad Zubair & Sinha, Avik, 2022. "Do the shocks in technological and financial innovation influence the environmental quality? Evidence from BRICS economies," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    16. Tiwari, Sunil, 2024. "Impact of Fintech on natural resources management: How financial impacts shape the association?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    17. Sinha, Avik & Tiwari, Sunil & Saha, Tanaya, 2024. "Modeling the behavior of renewable energy market: Understanding the moderation of climate risk factors," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    18. Feng, Yanchao & Yan, Tong & Zhang, Ci & Zhang, Zhenhua & Pan, Yuxi, 2025. "Assessing the internal nexus of energy transition at the global level: Insights from triple aspects of scale, structure, and efficiency," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    19. Mishra, Shekhar & Sharif, Arshian & Khuntia, Sashikanta & Meo, Muhammad Saeed & Rehman Khan, Syed Abdul, 2019. "Does oil prices impede Islamic stock indices? Fresh insights from wavelet-based quantile-on-quantile approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 292-304.
    20. Jia, Zhenzhen & Tiwari, Sunil & Zhou, Jianhua & Farooq, Muhammad Umar & Fareed, Zeeshan, 2023. "Asymmetric nexus between Bitcoin, gold resources and stock market returns: Novel findings from quantile estimates," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(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:kap:ecopln:v:58:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s10644-025-09899-8. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.