The influence pathways of financial development on environmental quality: New evidence from smooth transition regression models

46 Pages Posted: 25 Oct 2021

See all articles by Xin Xu

Xin Xu

China University of Geosciences (CUG) - School of Economics and Management

Shupei Huang

China University of Geosciences (CUG)

An Haizhong

China University of Geosciences, Beijing

Samuel Vigne

Trinity College (Dublin) - Trinity Business School

Brian M. Lucey

Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin; Abu Dhabi University - College of Business Administration; Shanghai Lixin Univeristy of Accounting and Finance

Date Written: October 20, 2021

Abstract

Understanding the influence pathways of financial development on environmental quality is necessary for policy makers in China to improve the quality of the environment through financial means; however, these points have not been systematically discussed in the literature. Therefore, to fill this gap and depict these indirect influence pathways in regions with different financial development levels, this paper categorizes the Chinese provinces based on their financial development levels and a panel smooth transition regression model is used to analyze province-level data in China over the period from 2001-2017. The different indirect impacts of financial development on environmental quality through the pathways under different financial development levels are identified and the transformation speed of the intensity of these impacts can be determined. The results indicate that (1) financial development has significant indirect impacts on environmental pollution through various pathways, and the impacts of these pathways are different in the various regions with low or high levels of financial development. (2) In the regions with poor financial development, insufficient financial development could indirectly result in environmental contamination through the pathways that involve stimulating economic growth and promoting the development of secondary and tertiary industries. (3) In regions with relatively high levels of financial development, financial development has mixed effects on environmental pollution, i.e., improving environmental quality by promoting technological innovation and attracting foreign direct investment and decreasing environmental quality by supporting secondary and tertiary industries. Local governments should consider the different characteristics of regional financial development when formulating environmental protection policies.

Keywords: Financial development, Environmental quality, Indirect impact, Panel smooth transition regression models

JEL Classification: Q1

Suggested Citation

Xu, Xin and Huang, Shupei and Haizhong, An and Vigne, Samuel and Lucey, Brian M., The influence pathways of financial development on environmental quality: New evidence from smooth transition regression models (October 20, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3946365 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3946365

Xin Xu

China University of Geosciences (CUG) - School of Economics and Management ( email )

Wuhan
China

Shupei Huang

China University of Geosciences (CUG) ( email )

Wuhan, China
Wuhan, Hubei
China

An Haizhong

China University of Geosciences, Beijing ( email )

NO. 29, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District
Beijing, 100083
China

Samuel Vigne

Trinity College (Dublin) - Trinity Business School ( email )

Aras an Phiarsaigh
College Green
Dublin, Leinster D2
Ireland

Brian M. Lucey (Contact Author)

Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin ( email )

The Sutherland Centre, Level 6, Arts Building
Dublin 2
Ireland
+353 1 608 1552 (Phone)
+353 1 679 9503 (Fax)

Abu Dhabi University - College of Business Administration ( email )

PO Box 59911
Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 59911
United Arab Emirates

Shanghai Lixin Univeristy of Accounting and Finance ( email )

Shanghai
China

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
72
Abstract Views
458
Rank
694,075
PlumX Metrics