Can Green Finance Policies Stimulate Technological Innovation and Financial Performance? Evidence from Chinese Listed Green Enterprises

The impact of China’s green finance policies on renewable energy, clean energy, and other green companies is a hot topic of concern. This study uses the difference-in-differences (DID) model to examine the incentive effect of the Green Credit Guidelines (GCG) on the technological innovation and financial performance of Chinese listed green enterprises. The heterogeneity analysis is carried out from the level of digital finance, green development, and marketization. This study finds that: (1) Green finance is conducive to stimulating the technological innovation and financial performance of green enterprises. (2) Green enterprises in areas with high digital finance levels have a more significant incentive effect on green finance policies, compared to areas with less-developed digital finance. (3) Green enterprises in areas with high levels of green development are more significantly positively affected by green finance policies, compared to areas with less-developed digital finance. (4) The incentive effect of green credit policies on green enterprises in areas with a high degree of marketization is more significant, compared with regions with a lower level of green development. Finally, some policy implications are proposed to provide a reference for China to improve the green financial system to facilitate the financing of green enterprises.