Does green finance matter for agricultural carbon abatement? Fresh insight from China.

Green finance constitutes a fundamental financial institutional arrangement aimed at achieving the dual-carbon objective during China's agricultural transition toward low-carbon, which aligns with the pragmatic necessity for reducing agricultural carbon emissions. For this purpose, this study investigates the impact of green finance on agricultural carbon reduction and its underlying mechanism by analyzing panel data from 30 regions using a two-way fixed effects model. Results indicate that green finance significantly promotes agricultural carbon reduction. The promotion effect of green finance on agricultural carbon reduction demonstrates an uneven spatial distribution, declining from eastern to western to central regions. Notably, non-Yangtze River Economic Belt provinces exhibit more pronounced effects compared to the Yangtze River Economic Belt region. Industrial structure upgrading and green innovation serve as crucial pathways for green finance to augment agricultural carbon reduction. Our finding reveals policymakers should implement differentiated green finance implementation strategies to accelerate the restructuring of the agricultural industry and encourage the introduction and use of innovative low-carbon technologies.

Research on the coupling coordination characteristics and convergence of digital finance and regional sustainable development: evidence from Chinese city clusters.

The study examines the digital finance (DF) and regional sustainable development (RSD) across 90 cities within six major city clusters in China over the period from 2011 to 2020. By constructing an evaluation index system for DF and RSD, we employed the entropy value method to assess their levels, and the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model to evaluate their interplay. Our analysis extended to temporal and spatial disparities, distribution dynamics, and the convergence of CCD through kernel density estimation, Markov chain analysis, σ -convergence, and ß -convergence techniques. The results indicate a consistent upward trend in CCD, yet it remains at a low level with pronounced regional disparities and temporal characteristics. The kernel density distribution's central tendency has shifted rightward progressively, albeit with a decelerating pace annually. The Markov transition probability matrix suggests a stable CCD across various levels, hinting at "club convergence". Furthermore, both σ -convergence and ß -convergence analyses reveal significant convergence trends in CCD, enhanced by economic growth factors. Using the Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) method, we found that regional economic growth disparities significantly influence the CCD's regional variances.

The impact of green credit legislation on business financing: Insights from Chinese polluting firms.

Introducing sustainable credit protection by companies depends on eco-friendly funding that accelerate businesses' technical development and transformation. This study investigates the sustainable financing roles through green credit legislation which impacted state owned enterprises and non state owned enterprises. We have investigated our hypothesis using the Propensity Score Matching Difference-in-Differences (PSM-DID) model. For this purpose we collected data of businesses listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges that are country's most polluting publicly listed enterprises between 2009 and 2021. The results of the study reveals that liquid Finance and industrial Credit experienced a meteoric rise while the use of illiquid debt financing has dropped significantly among highly polluting organizations. This pattern has intensified after China introduced its "sustainable credit guidelines." Additionally, businesses in areas with lower sustainable development indices are more likely to feel the consequences of sustainable credit programs. However, there is still a need for prudent capital flow allocation in response to the personalized financing preferences resulting from the sustainable credit policy at the business level, even if China's sustainable credit rules have unquestionably reduced the use of illiquid debt financing by severely polluting enterprises. Policy implications include improving the direction signalled to these businesses via sustainable funding.

How can green finance effectively promote low-carbon cities? Evidence from 237 cities in China.

Urban areas contribute 85% of China's CO2 emissions. Green finance is an important means to support green energy development and achieve the low-carbon transformation of high-energy-consuming industries. The motivation of this article is to investigate the impact and mechanism of green finance on urban carbon intensity. Most existing literature uses linear models to investigate urban carbon intensity, ignoring the nonlinear relationships between economic variables. The nonparametric models can fill the inherent shortcomings of linear models and effectively simulate the nonlinear nexus between economic variables. Based on the 2011-2021 panel data of 237 cities in China, this paper applies the nonparametric additive model to survey the influence of green finance on urban carbon intensity. Empirical findings exhibit that green finance exerts an inverted U-shaped effect on urban carbon intensity, indicating that the carbon reduction effect of green finance has gradually shifted from inconspicuous in the early stages to prominent in the later stages. Then, from the perspectives of region, city size, and carbon intensity, this article conducts heterogeneity analysis. The results show that the impact of green finance on various carbon intensities all exhibits obvious nonlinear feature. Furthermore, this article employs a mediation effect model to conduct mechanism analysis. The results display that technological progress and industrial structure are two important mediating variables, both of which produce an inverted U-shaped nonlinear impact on urban carbon intensity.

Developing Financial Acumen as a Breast Imaging Radiologist.

The economics of health care and payment policy are complex and continually evolving. Breast imaging radiologists may not feel equipped to understand the financial aspect of their practice, but this is a critical competency from residency to senior leadership, especially for breast imaging radiologists. From conducting effective negotiations for new equipment as technology evolves to understanding how insurance benefit design affects patient access to care, breast imaging radiologists need to grasp the financial structures that underpins their practice. Fortunately, resources exist that are appropriate for each career stage, and this article directs the breast imaging radiologist to those resources.

Z-number based fuzzy MCDM models for analyzing non-traditional security threats to finance supply chains: A case study from Vietnam.

Non-traditional security (NTS) threats have a vast and profound impact on many aspects of economic, political, social, and many other areas, especially supply chain finance (SCF), particularly in countries like Vietnam, which potentially affects the economic efficiency of businesses' supply chain financial, thereby affecting the general economy of the country and the world. In order to prevent and minimize the negative impacts caused by NTS threats to SCF, this study was conducted to identify NTS threats affecting SCF in Vietnam, at the same time calculate the weight of the impact level and find out the cause and effect relationship between them. Solution strategies are also proposed and ranked, thereby serving as a reference basis for relevant parties to choose appropriate response solutions. Due to the multi-criteria nature of NTS threats, the multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) method is used in combination with the Z-number concept and Fuzzy set theory to approach the problem of certainty and increase the accuracy of study. The NTS threats are first identified through a literature review and then validated for suitability using the DELPHI technique (DELPHI). Suitable threats will be determined by relationship, weighted by Decision Making Trial And Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Proposed strategies are ranked using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. The results indicate that there are 19 NTS factors affecting SCF in Vietnam, and the global economic downturn, pandemic and health crisis, financial crisis and cybersecurity risk are the four root cause factors with the most decisive influence. Businesses and concerns need to prioritize addressing these four threats because they not only have a strong impact but also entail many other threats. The two strategies considered to be the most effective are a sustainable practice and a risk-hedging strategy. Businesses, governments, and stakeholders also should pay attention to the macroeconomic environment, technology, and environment and build sustainable businesses, regularly monitoring economic fluctuations and creating plans to prevent risks.

Linking policies and regulations to sustainable finance for the promotion of urban agriculture: Evidence from micro and small businesses.

Urban agriculture is closely tied to several of the Sustainable Development Goals. It can play a critical role in helping to achieve these goals by promoting sustainable food production and consumption, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating more sustainable cities. It is also considered a pathway for overcoming food security in urban areas. However, this needs to be integrated with policies and regulations supported by sustainable finance. Due to COVID-19, conflict, and lack of infrastructure in Ethiopia, several challenges must be addressed to promote urban agriculture to aid food security. Hence, this study is conducted to examine how government policies and regulations promote urban agriculture through sustainable finance in Ethiopia. The study employed both an explanatory research design and a mixed research approach. Multi-stage sampling techniques that include (Simple random sampling techniques and judgmental sampling were used. The data was collected from selected micro and small enterprises engaged in urban agriculture. The structural and measurement model is estimated with the help of smart-pls software version 4. The study's finding implies that government policies and regulations have an insignificant effect on urban agriculture. At the same time, the study finding implies that sustainable finance has an important mediating role between urban agriculture and government policies. Hence, the impact of government policies and regulations on urban agriculture is found to have an indirect effect. Based on the study's findings, the study recommends that all stakeholders promote innovation and entrepreneurship that promote urban agriculture through sustainable finance.

Can major public health emergencies increase the participation of commercial insurance? Evidence from China.

Background: Public health emergencies have a lasting impact on a country's economic and social development. However, commercial insurance can disperse these negative consequences and reduce risk losses. Method: Based on the Chinese Household Tracking Survey and Peking University Digital Inclusive Finance Index, this study employed a difference-in-differences model to test the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on commercial insurance participation and the impact mechanism. Results: The analysis showed that the outbreak of COVID-19 improved residents' risk perception, risk preference and digital finance and promoted their participation in commercial insurance, commercial endowment insurance, and commercial medical insurance. Conclusion: Major public health emergencies can increase commercial insurance participation, but the promotional effect of commercial insurance on rural and low-income individuals is relatively limited. To tap into potential customers, financial institutions should focus on vulnerable societal groups. This study supplements the relevant literature on the impact of major public health emergencies on commercial insurance participation.

Listening to Stakeholders' Voices on Funding Social Inclusion in Sport for People with Disabilities-Proposal for Criteria.

The value of sport is extensively documented; however, there are still groups who do not have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of sport due to lack of investment, particularly important for people with disabilities. A gap persists in understanding the effectiveness of inclusive sport programs in addressing equity-related targets, particularly on the effective methods of financing inclusion in sport for individuals with disabilities. Therefore, providing a platform for stakeholders to express their perspectives becomes crucial. Through focus groups and the World Café approach, the aim of this study was to gather insights from athletes, parents, professionals, and sport club managers regarding the funding of inclusive sport for people with disabilities. A total of 72 participants took part in nine focus groups in Portugal, Slovenia, and Hungary: 27 athletes with disabilities, 22 coaches, other technicians and parents, and 23 club managers/directors. Findings were divided into five topics: (1) perspectives on current funding satisfaction; (2) perspectives on sources and criteria for funding; (3) perspectives on ideal funding; (4) perspectives on ideas to reach decision-makers; and (5) proposals on ideal criteria for funding. Based on these findings, six measurable criteria for fair funding allocation were suggested that could develop a properly weighted system of criteria for decision-makers to assess the allocation of funding among inclusive sport organizations with the potential to catalyze broader policy and societal changes. Additionally, there is a pressing need to develop a funding model for inclusive sport for individuals with disabilities.

How does green finance impact carbon emissions in China: Evidence from the fintech perspective.

In light of China's objectives for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, there is an opportunity for fintech to leverage its technological advantages and enhance its integration with green finance (GF). This can bring about enhanced coverage and precision of financial services for green industries, facilitating the transformation towards a sustainable, greener, and low-carbon real economy. We investigate how fintech development influences the carbon emission reduction effects of GF utilizing a two-way fixed effects model with a panel dataset covering 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020. Our findings indicate that the negative impact of GF on carbon emissions (CE) is heightened in areas with high levels of fintech development. Furthermore, we notice regional disparities in how fintech development impacts the effectiveness of GF in reducing CE. Specifically, fintech has a statistically significant impact in the central and western regions, whereas its significance is absent in the eastern region. Lastly, our mechanism analysis reveals that fintech plays a vital role in enhancing GF's capacity to mitigate CE, which is achieved through channels of promoting green technology innovation (GTI), alleviating corporate financing constraints (FC), and optimizing energy structure (ES). These findings provide compelling evidence for the positive effect of fintech on the environment and offer justification for promoting the development of fintech and GF.

Can green finance improve eco-efficiency? New Insights from China.

Achieving economic development and ecological protection simultaneously is an inevitable selection for sustainable development in today's world, so it is crucial to improve eco-efficiency (EE). According to Chinese panel data at the provincial level between 2010 and 2020, this research explores the nexus between green finance (GF) and EE. The results denote that GF can significantly improve EE, and the higher the level of EE, the stronger the effect of improvement. The upgrading of industrial structure, optimization of energy structure, enterprises' concern for environmental protection and the public's attention to the environment are all favorable factors that can enhance the promotion effect of GF on EE. Additionally, this facilitation can only be played under a good external environment and mature internal conditions. Our findings can provide new insights for improving EE by developing GF.

Unlocking a greener future: The role of digital finance in enhancing green total factor energy efficiency.

The development of digital finance provides new opportunities for improving energy efficiency and promoting green development. This paper calculates green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) using the super-efficiency SBM model and examines the impact of digital finance on GTFEE. Digital finance has a significant positive impact on GTFEE. Under a bank-dominated financial structure, the positive impact of digital finance on GTFEE is quite significant. In regions with intense banking competition, a large amount of green credit, and lower resource dependence, digital finance is conducive to enhancing GTFEE. Optimizing the allocation efficiency of production factors is an essential mechanism for digital finance to encourage improvements in GTFEE. Digital finance alleviates distortions in factor markets and enhances the matching of the marginal output and the price of capital, labor, and energy factors, thereby facilitating improvements in GTFEE. Further analysis indicates that digital finance has a significant, positive spatial spillover effect on GTFEE, enhancing GTFEE levels in both local and neighboring regions. This study enriches the research on the relationship between digital finance and energy efficiency and provides theoretical foundations and policy references for how digital finance can better serve the green transition of the economy.

Financial and Business Literacy Among Urology Residents: Is this a Problem and How Can We Better Prepare Residents for their Careers?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Although financial wellness is a predictor of physician burnout, we are yet to optimize financial education or wellness of Urology trainees. We assessed existing studies, compared them to those of other specialties, and discussed resources and methods to address this deficiency. RECENT FINDINGS: Urology residents tend to be less fiscally savvy (carry significant debt, and lack retirement savings or disability insurance), and 90% of trainees and young Urologists do not feel comfortable with the business of practice, including skills like coding and billing, contract negotiation, and self-value assessment. Financial and business literacy are deficiencies of Urology training, as in other specialties. Eventually, the goal should be universal adoption of a formal curriculum that is graded in nature. In the interim, we need to propose and endorse adoption of a formal curriculum, and we should support trainees by promoting a space for easily accessible and transparent information regarding best practices in personal finance and the business of healthcare.

Market-based solution in China to finance the clean from the dirty.

Financial incentives play a key role in promoting renewable energy investments that can help China achieve the 'dual carbon' goal. The national emissions trading scheme (ETS) and the renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) are two existing market-based policy instruments that can generate stable expected returns for low-carbon projects. This paper studies the interactive distribution effects of these two market-based instruments. We use the micro-level thermal power plant data to investigate the abatement effects of the national ETS, in which the details show that the existing rate-based ETS will result in higher negative impacts on power units, whose installed capacities are smaller than 400 MW. The interactive distribution effects between the two markets will occur when the permit allocation standards of the national ETS become stricter than the existing ones. Provinces in Eastern China and Northern China will face high pressure on costs in both ETS and RPS markets. When the levels of the permit allocation standards are set as 70% of the existing ones and the carbon price is assumed to be 200 yuan/ton in 2030, the annual market size of the national ETS will be nearly 100 billion yuan, and the annual market size is predicted to be 250 billion yuan. In the existing rate-based national ETS, the China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) mechanism will have an offsetting effect, which should be taken into serious consideration during the policy-making processes in the future.

Can green finance promote the low-carbon transformation of the energy system? New evidence from city-level data in China.

This study explores the comprehensive effects of green finance (GF) on the low-carbon transition of the energy system (LTES) by analyzing panel data from 281 cities in China from 2006 to 2021. It is found that GF significantly reduces overall energy consumption and exhibits a U-shaped association with energy efficiency, while its relationship with the energy consumption structure is inverted U-shaped. After accounting for endogeneity in the robustness tests, these findings remain consistent and are therefore deemed reliable. A mechanistic analysis reveals that GF promotes industrial upgrading, technological progress, and economic agglomeration, collectively facilitating the LTES. The impact of GF on LTES shows considerable variation among regions, influenced by their levels of economic growth, extents of marketization, and governmental environmental preferences. Our findings provide new evidence for the relationship between GF and LTES, offering a scientific basis for formulating GF policies to accelerate this transformation.

Challenges and the Way Forward in Demand-Forecasting Practices within the Ethiopian Public Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.

This study delves into the challenges of pharmaceutical forecasting within the Ethiopian public pharmaceutical supply chain, which is vital for ensuring medicine availability and optimizing healthcare delivery. t It aims to identify and analyze key hindrances to pharmaceutical forecasting in Ethiopia, employing qualitative analysis through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. Thematic analysis using NVIVO 14 software reveals challenges including finance-related constraints, workforce shortages, and data quality issues. Financial challenges arise from funding uncertainties, causing delayed procurement and stockouts. Workforce shortages hinder accurate forecasting, while data quality issues result from incomplete and untimely reporting. Recommendations include prioritizing healthcare financing, investing in workforce development, and improving data quality through technological advancements and enhanced coordination among stakeholders.

The influence of carbon emission trading on the optimization of regional energy structure.

The optimization of the energy structure is a crucial element in the development of green and low-carbon economies and societies. Market-based environmental regulations, such as carbon emissions trading, play a significant role in facilitating this transition. This study analyzes panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2007 to 2020. It empirically examines the impact and mechanism of carbon emissions trading pilot schemes on the transformation of energy consumption structure at the macro level, using the difference-in-differences method. The research findings indicate that provinces with carbon emissions trading pilots have experienced significant reductions in carbon emissions and carbon intensity, demonstrating clear emission reduction effects. Additionally, the transformation process of energy consumption structure has been notably accelerated, highlighting the correlation between initial carbon emissions trading and the regional energy utilization framework. Furthermore, in our extended mechanism analysis, we introduce two new variables - green finance and environmental regulation. Our analysis reveals that the level of green finance in carbon emissions trading pilot provinces significantly influences the degree of carbon emissions in these areas. Additionally, environmental regulation has a significant positive impact on the optimization of energy consumption structure.

How digital inclusive finance promotes social entrepreneurship: Evidence from 282 cities in China.

Social entrepreneurship (SE) plays a positive role in addressing a range of social issues, and thus it is essential to study how to promote SE. Using panel data from 282 Chinese cities from 2011 to 2021, this study explores the mechanism through which digital inclusive finance affects SE. The results indicate that digital inclusive finance has a positive impact on SE, which still holds after considering endogeneity and undergoing a series of robustness tests. In addition, mechanism analysis shows that digital inclusive finance affects SE by alleviating financing constraints and promoting common prosperity. Furthermore, the effect of digital inclusive finance is stronger in cities with a strong Buddhist culture and more judicially civilized. Policy recommendations are also proposed.

Impact of green financing on CSR and environmental policies and procedures.

Despite increasing global attention towards sustainable development, the empirical linkage between green financing and the enhancement of environmental and social governance (ESG) practices within industries remains underexplored. This study investigates the influence of green financing on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and environmental policies and procedures in 40 Chinese industries from 2010 to 2020. By employing a baseline regression and a difference-in-differences methodology, this paper aims to quantify the extent to which green financing initiatives have impacted CSR activities and the adoption of rigorous environmental policies and procedures in the Chinese industrial sector. The results indicate that industries with access to green financing have shown significant improvements in their CSR engagements and the stringency of their environmental policies and procedures compared to those without such financial incentives. Specifically, the difference-in-differences analysis reveals a positive and statistically significant effect of green financing on the adoption of more stringent environmental policies and the enhancement of CSR practices. We identify the specific areas within CSR and environmental policies that are most influenced by green financing. We assess the effectiveness of green financing as a tool for promoting sustainable industrial practices. The analysis utilizes a comprehensive dataset, including industry-specific financing and ESG performance indicators, to conduct a longitudinal assessment over the decade in question. Based on these findings, the study concludes with a policy implication that emphasizes the critical role of green financing as a catalyst for improving CSR and environmental standards in industries. It suggests that policymakers and financial institutions should consider expanding green financing mechanisms to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable industrial practices.

The impact of digital inclusive finance on the collaborative reduction of pollutant and carbon emissions: spatial spillover and mechanism analysis.

In light of the escalating global climate risks threatening human survival, there is a global consensus on the necessity for collaborative reduction of pollutant and carbon emissions (CRPC). Within this context, digital inclusive finance (DIF) is recognized for its unique inclusiveness and digital characteristics as a critical factor in promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable development. DIF provides advantageous channels for environmental governance, thereby making the achievement of CRPC objectives feasible. However, the impact of DIF on CRPC has not been fully explored. This study employs a spatial econometric model to investigate the impact of DIF on CRPC in 278 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2020. The findings indicate that DIF has a positive impact on CRPC, with significant spatial spillover effects. The analysis highlights the pivotal mediating roles played by technology effect and electrified effect of the energy mix, while environmental regulation effect plays a moderating role. Notably, disparities in the impact of DIF on CRPC are evident, particularly in non-resource-based cities, cities with low carbon intensity, and eastern regions where spatial spillover effects are more pronounced. These experiences enrich the relevant thesis in terms of DIF on CRPC, providing a theoretical basis for formulating CRPC schemes.