Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China

Abstract The green credit policy (GCP) is an essential financial policy tool for solving the problem of environmental pollution, and urban energy conservation is an effective way to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. However, existing research has not verified the energy-saving effects of green...

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Main Authors: Ting Pan, Boqiang Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-01-01
Series:Financial Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40854-024-00730-3
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author Ting Pan
Boqiang Lin
author_facet Ting Pan
Boqiang Lin
author_sort Ting Pan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The green credit policy (GCP) is an essential financial policy tool for solving the problem of environmental pollution, and urban energy conservation is an effective way to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. However, existing research has not verified the energy-saving effects of green credit (GC) at the city level. Based on panel data from 283 cities in China, this study aims to investigate whether GC can effectively reduce urban energy intensity (EI), which is an important complement to existing research. In terms of research methods, to better evaluate the effect of the policy and exclude the influence of other relevant factors, this study considers the promulgation of the Green Credit Guideline (GCG) in 2012 as the basic event, uses the difference-in-differences (DID) model to investigate the impact of GC on EI, and discusses the main impact mechanism. The key results are follows. (1) GC can effectively reduce urban EI. (2) Public environmental demand positively regulates the negative correlation between GC and EI. (3) GC reduces EI through three main channels: government support, capital investment, and technological innovation; however, the mechanism of industrial structure has no significant effect. (4) The effect of GC is more significant in areas with large urban scales, low environmental regulation intensity, and high industrial agglomeration. Based on the above results, this study presents puts forward targeted policy recommendations to strengthen the role of GC in urban sustainable development.
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spelling doaj-art-160f2c105ddd4e8688b869dcc819d1012025-01-12T12:36:20ZengSpringerOpenFinancial Innovation2199-47302025-01-0111112910.1186/s40854-024-00730-3Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in ChinaTing Pan0Boqiang Lin1School of Management, China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy, Collaborative Innovation Center for Energy Economics and Energy Policy, Xiamen UniversitySchool of Management, China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy, Collaborative Innovation Center for Energy Economics and Energy Policy, Xiamen UniversityAbstract The green credit policy (GCP) is an essential financial policy tool for solving the problem of environmental pollution, and urban energy conservation is an effective way to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. However, existing research has not verified the energy-saving effects of green credit (GC) at the city level. Based on panel data from 283 cities in China, this study aims to investigate whether GC can effectively reduce urban energy intensity (EI), which is an important complement to existing research. In terms of research methods, to better evaluate the effect of the policy and exclude the influence of other relevant factors, this study considers the promulgation of the Green Credit Guideline (GCG) in 2012 as the basic event, uses the difference-in-differences (DID) model to investigate the impact of GC on EI, and discusses the main impact mechanism. The key results are follows. (1) GC can effectively reduce urban EI. (2) Public environmental demand positively regulates the negative correlation between GC and EI. (3) GC reduces EI through three main channels: government support, capital investment, and technological innovation; however, the mechanism of industrial structure has no significant effect. (4) The effect of GC is more significant in areas with large urban scales, low environmental regulation intensity, and high industrial agglomeration. Based on the above results, this study presents puts forward targeted policy recommendations to strengthen the role of GC in urban sustainable development.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40854-024-00730-3Green credit policyEnergy intensityPublic environmental appealDifference-in-differences model
spellingShingle Ting Pan
Boqiang Lin
Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China
Financial Innovation
Green credit policy
Energy intensity
Public environmental appeal
Difference-in-differences model
title Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China
title_full Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China
title_fullStr Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China
title_full_unstemmed Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China
title_short Is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity? Evidence from cities in China
title_sort is the green credit policy useful for improving energy intensity evidence from cities in china
topic Green credit policy
Energy intensity
Public environmental appeal
Difference-in-differences model
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40854-024-00730-3
work_keys_str_mv AT tingpan isthegreencreditpolicyusefulforimprovingenergyintensityevidencefromcitiesinchina
AT boqianglin isthegreencreditpolicyusefulforimprovingenergyintensityevidencefromcitiesinchina