Beyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in China

Abstract As a crucial policy instrument for low-carbon transition, green finance needs to achieve efficiency improvements while promoting scale growth, making efficiency evaluation particularly necessary. This study proposes a multidimensional analytical framework that incorporates both technical ef...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ren Wang, Yicheng Duan, Danchen Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-06-01
Series:Discover Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01354-y
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850224117146451968
author Ren Wang
Yicheng Duan
Danchen Li
author_facet Ren Wang
Yicheng Duan
Danchen Li
author_sort Ren Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract As a crucial policy instrument for low-carbon transition, green finance needs to achieve efficiency improvements while promoting scale growth, making efficiency evaluation particularly necessary. This study proposes a multidimensional analytical framework that incorporates both technical efficiency (input–output analysis) and allocation efficiency (resource flows within/between industries), conducting empirical tests based on China's micro-level enterprise and provincial aggregate data. Through temporal trend comparisons and spatial correlation analysis, the study finds: (1) The technical efficiency of China's green industries generally shows a steady upward trend in technical efficiency, while the allocation efficiency of green finance among and between industries shows an overall fluctuating upward trend; (2) The rate of convergence in allocation efficiency within the green finance industry across different regions is much faster than that between industries, suggesting that reallocation of financial resources among industries faces greater obstacles; (3) Inter-industry allocation efficiency of green finance exhibits a more significant positive spatial autocorrelation than within-industry allocation efficiency, elucidating the impact of local government's strategic interaction behavior on green finance development; and (4) The spatial correlation of inter-industry allocation efficiency in green finance is less than that of within-industry allocation efficiency, yet it is more closely associated with the technical efficiency of the green industry, signifying that local financial resource competition affects the efficiency of green finance development. Therefore, to foster high-quality green finance development, attention should be given to establishing a multidimensional linkage system, creating a multi-layer compatible spatial pattern for green finance, exploring diverse interaction drivers for green finance development, and establishing a multi-party linkage model for green finance development.
format Article
id doaj-art-af49f8baf9424bdbbc05bfec5da5d840
institution OA Journals
issn 2662-9984
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-af49f8baf9424bdbbc05bfec5da5d8402025-08-20T02:05:44ZengSpringerDiscover Sustainability2662-99842025-06-016113610.1007/s43621-025-01354-yBeyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in ChinaRen Wang0Yicheng Duan1Danchen Li2School of Finance, Capital University of Economics and BusinessSchool of Business, Nanjing UniversitySchool of Finance, Capital University of Economics and BusinessAbstract As a crucial policy instrument for low-carbon transition, green finance needs to achieve efficiency improvements while promoting scale growth, making efficiency evaluation particularly necessary. This study proposes a multidimensional analytical framework that incorporates both technical efficiency (input–output analysis) and allocation efficiency (resource flows within/between industries), conducting empirical tests based on China's micro-level enterprise and provincial aggregate data. Through temporal trend comparisons and spatial correlation analysis, the study finds: (1) The technical efficiency of China's green industries generally shows a steady upward trend in technical efficiency, while the allocation efficiency of green finance among and between industries shows an overall fluctuating upward trend; (2) The rate of convergence in allocation efficiency within the green finance industry across different regions is much faster than that between industries, suggesting that reallocation of financial resources among industries faces greater obstacles; (3) Inter-industry allocation efficiency of green finance exhibits a more significant positive spatial autocorrelation than within-industry allocation efficiency, elucidating the impact of local government's strategic interaction behavior on green finance development; and (4) The spatial correlation of inter-industry allocation efficiency in green finance is less than that of within-industry allocation efficiency, yet it is more closely associated with the technical efficiency of the green industry, signifying that local financial resource competition affects the efficiency of green finance development. Therefore, to foster high-quality green finance development, attention should be given to establishing a multidimensional linkage system, creating a multi-layer compatible spatial pattern for green finance, exploring diverse interaction drivers for green finance development, and establishing a multi-party linkage model for green finance development.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01354-yGreen financeTechnical efficiencyAllocation efficiencyRegional comparison
spellingShingle Ren Wang
Yicheng Duan
Danchen Li
Beyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in China
Discover Sustainability
Green finance
Technical efficiency
Allocation efficiency
Regional comparison
title Beyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in China
title_full Beyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in China
title_fullStr Beyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in China
title_full_unstemmed Beyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in China
title_short Beyond scale to efficiency: a dual-perspective framework for green finance in China
title_sort beyond scale to efficiency a dual perspective framework for green finance in china
topic Green finance
Technical efficiency
Allocation efficiency
Regional comparison
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01354-y
work_keys_str_mv AT renwang beyondscaletoefficiencyadualperspectiveframeworkforgreenfinanceinchina
AT yichengduan beyondscaletoefficiencyadualperspectiveframeworkforgreenfinanceinchina
AT danchenli beyondscaletoefficiencyadualperspectiveframeworkforgreenfinanceinchina