Green innovation under financial and policy uncertainty: Evidence from China

Abstract

This study examines the effect of idiosyncratic risk on the green innovation of A-share listed companies in China from 2010 to 2021, using idiosyncratic risk as a proxy for financial risk. Results indicate that idiosyncratic risk adversely affects a firm’s green innovation, which is negatively mod- erated by heightened economic policy uncertainty (EPU), highlighting that firms tend to defer or halt green innovation investments under high EPU, appreciating the ’real option’ value of a deci- sion to ‘wait-and-see’. Further, policy determinant analysis reveals that the negative moderation originates from trade-related policy uncertainties. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the primary findings are more pronounced in non-SOEs and those companies determined to be larger, older, and more leveraged firms with elevated ESG performance. Findings are found to be robust across several various econometric approaches. This research contributes to the literature on corporate green innovation by analysing the moderating role of EPU and providing insights for managers, investors, and policymakers.