The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformation

Green finance (GF), as a critical policy tool for supporting green development, plays a pivotal role in directing capital flows toward low-carbon and environmentally friendly industries. This provides essential support for the green transformation (GT) of the logistics industry (LI). However, limite...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ling Dai, Decai Tang, Eugene Ray Atsi, Meiling Zhao, Hui Zhang, Yuehong Kong, Liang Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1556580/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849311994985840640
author Ling Dai
Decai Tang
Eugene Ray Atsi
Meiling Zhao
Hui Zhang
Yuehong Kong
Liang Zhang
author_facet Ling Dai
Decai Tang
Eugene Ray Atsi
Meiling Zhao
Hui Zhang
Yuehong Kong
Liang Zhang
author_sort Ling Dai
collection DOAJ
description Green finance (GF), as a critical policy tool for supporting green development, plays a pivotal role in directing capital flows toward low-carbon and environmentally friendly industries. This provides essential support for the green transformation (GT) of the logistics industry (LI). However, limited research exists on the regional GT of the LI from the perspective of GF and LI integration. To address this gap, this study develops an evaluation index system for the integration of GF and the LI, as well as a separate system for assessing the GT of the LI. Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2010 to 2022, the study employs the Super-SBM-Undesirable model and the coupling coordination degree model for evaluation and analysis. Additionally, a threshold effect model is applied to examine the nonlinear relationship between GF-LI integration and the GT of the LI, alongside a heterogeneity analysis to explore regional disparities. The findings reveal three key insights: (1) In recent years, the integration of GF and the LI in China has significantly improved, advancing from a mildly imbalanced stage to moderate and high levels of coordination. However, significant regional disparities in the level of integration persist. (2) The integration of GF and the LI has a significant positive effect on the GT of the regional LI, characterized by an S-shaped relationship. (3) The impact of GF-LI integration on the GT of the LI exhibits notable regional heterogeneity. Compared with existing research results, this study expands the application scope of GF, focusing on the GT of the LI, a fundamental service industry, and further verifies the universality of GF in promoting low-carbon devel-opment in different industries. In addition, current research on the GT of the LI mainly focuses on technological innovation, environmental regulation, and supply chain optimization, while there is less attention paid to how GF can promote the GT of the LI through industrial integration.
format Article
id doaj-art-140d9b04dbc54e5ca18ad4b2c7ca5088
institution Kabale University
issn 2296-665X
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Environmental Science
spelling doaj-art-140d9b04dbc54e5ca18ad4b2c7ca50882025-08-20T03:53:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2025-05-011310.3389/fenvs.2025.15565801556580The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformationLing Dai0Decai Tang1Eugene Ray Atsi2Meiling Zhao3Hui Zhang4Yuehong Kong5Liang Zhang6Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing, ChinaSchool of Industry and Urban Construction, Hengxing University, Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Management Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, ChinaJiangsu Trendy Information Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing, ChinaJiangsu Trendy Information Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing, ChinaSchool of Finance and Logistics Management, Nanjing University of Railway Technology, Nanjing, ChinaSchool of Business and Law, Sanjiang University, Nanjing, ChinaGreen finance (GF), as a critical policy tool for supporting green development, plays a pivotal role in directing capital flows toward low-carbon and environmentally friendly industries. This provides essential support for the green transformation (GT) of the logistics industry (LI). However, limited research exists on the regional GT of the LI from the perspective of GF and LI integration. To address this gap, this study develops an evaluation index system for the integration of GF and the LI, as well as a separate system for assessing the GT of the LI. Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2010 to 2022, the study employs the Super-SBM-Undesirable model and the coupling coordination degree model for evaluation and analysis. Additionally, a threshold effect model is applied to examine the nonlinear relationship between GF-LI integration and the GT of the LI, alongside a heterogeneity analysis to explore regional disparities. The findings reveal three key insights: (1) In recent years, the integration of GF and the LI in China has significantly improved, advancing from a mildly imbalanced stage to moderate and high levels of coordination. However, significant regional disparities in the level of integration persist. (2) The integration of GF and the LI has a significant positive effect on the GT of the regional LI, characterized by an S-shaped relationship. (3) The impact of GF-LI integration on the GT of the LI exhibits notable regional heterogeneity. Compared with existing research results, this study expands the application scope of GF, focusing on the GT of the LI, a fundamental service industry, and further verifies the universality of GF in promoting low-carbon devel-opment in different industries. In addition, current research on the GT of the LI mainly focuses on technological innovation, environmental regulation, and supply chain optimization, while there is less attention paid to how GF can promote the GT of the LI through industrial integration.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1556580/fullgreen transformation of the logistics industrygreen financeindustrial integrationS-shaped relationshiplogistics
spellingShingle Ling Dai
Decai Tang
Eugene Ray Atsi
Meiling Zhao
Hui Zhang
Yuehong Kong
Liang Zhang
The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformation
Frontiers in Environmental Science
green transformation of the logistics industry
green finance
industrial integration
S-shaped relationship
logistics
title The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformation
title_full The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformation
title_fullStr The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformation
title_full_unstemmed The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformation
title_short The integration of green finance and logistics: implications for green industry transformation
title_sort integration of green finance and logistics implications for green industry transformation
topic green transformation of the logistics industry
green finance
industrial integration
S-shaped relationship
logistics
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1556580/full
work_keys_str_mv AT lingdai theintegrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT decaitang theintegrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT eugenerayatsi theintegrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT meilingzhao theintegrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT huizhang theintegrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT yuehongkong theintegrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT liangzhang theintegrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT lingdai integrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT decaitang integrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT eugenerayatsi integrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT meilingzhao integrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT huizhang integrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT yuehongkong integrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation
AT liangzhang integrationofgreenfinanceandlogisticsimplicationsforgreenindustrytransformation