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Search Results (1,742)

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27 pages, 1617 KiB  
Article
Green Finance Reform: How to Drive a Leap in the Quality of Green Innovation in Enterprises?
by Shuying Chen, Da Gao and Linfang Tan
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 7085; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17157085 - 5 Aug 2025
Abstract
Improving green innovation quality is a critical component for speeding green transformation and generating high-quality growth. This study examines the link between the pilot zone for green finance reform and innovations (PZGFRI) policy and the quality of green innovation in Chinese A-share listed [...] Read more.
Improving green innovation quality is a critical component for speeding green transformation and generating high-quality growth. This study examines the link between the pilot zone for green finance reform and innovations (PZGFRI) policy and the quality of green innovation in Chinese A-share listed firms from 2010 to 2020. This study demonstrates that the PZGFRI may greatly enhance the quality of enterprises’ green innovation. Additionally, by promoting environmental investment and reducing financial barriers, we use the mediating effect model to confirm that the PZGFRI improves the enterprises’ quality of green innovation. Meanwhile, the heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the PZGFRI is more successful in raising the green innovation quality in state-owned, large-sized, and heavily polluting businesses. Our study’s findings offer a strong theoretical basis for improving the PZGFRI and encouraging businesses to undergo high-quality transformation. Full article
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17 pages, 12216 KiB  
Article
Green/Blue Initiatives as a Proposed Intermediate Step to Achieve Nature-Based Solutions for Wildfire Risk Management
by Stella Schroeder and Carolina Ojeda Leal
Fire 2025, 8(8), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8080307 - 5 Aug 2025
Abstract
Implementing nature-based solutions (NbSs) for wildfire risk management and other hazards has been challenging in emerging economies due to the high costs, the lack of immediate returns on investment, and stringent inclusion criteria set by organizations like the IUCN and domain experts. To [...] Read more.
Implementing nature-based solutions (NbSs) for wildfire risk management and other hazards has been challenging in emerging economies due to the high costs, the lack of immediate returns on investment, and stringent inclusion criteria set by organizations like the IUCN and domain experts. To address these challenges, this exploratory study proposes a new concept: green/blue initiatives. These initiatives represent intermediate steps, encompassing small-scale, community-driven activities that can evolve into recognized NbSs over time. To explore this concept, experiences related to wildfire prevention in the Biobío region of Chile were analyzed through primary and secondary source reviews. The analysis identified three initiatives qualifying as green/blue initiatives: (1) goat grazing in Santa Juana to reduce fuel loads, (2) a restoration prevention farm model in Florida called Faro de Restauración Mahuidanche and (3) the Conservation Landscape Strategy in Nonguén. They were examined in detail using data collected from site visits and interviews. In contrast to Chile’s prevailing wildfire policies, which focus on costly, large-scale fire suppression efforts, these initiatives emphasize the importance of reframing wildfire as a manageable ecological process. Lastly, the challenges and enabling factors for adopting green/blue initiatives are discussed, highlighting their potential to pave the way for future NbS implementation in central Chile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature-Based Solutions to Extreme Wildfires)
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28 pages, 2743 KiB  
Article
Unlocking Synergies: How Digital Infrastructure Reshapes the Pollution-Carbon Reduction Nexus at the Chinese Prefecture-Level Cities
by Zhe Ji, Yuqi Chang and Fengxiu Zhou
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 7066; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17157066 - 4 Aug 2025
Abstract
In the context of global climate governance and the green transition, digital infrastructure serves as a critical enabler of resource allocation in the digital economy, offering strategic value in tackling synergistic pollution and carbon reduction challenges. Using panel data from 280 prefecture-level cities, [...] Read more.
In the context of global climate governance and the green transition, digital infrastructure serves as a critical enabler of resource allocation in the digital economy, offering strategic value in tackling synergistic pollution and carbon reduction challenges. Using panel data from 280 prefecture-level cities, this study employs a multiperiod difference-in-differences (DID) approach, leveraging smart city pilot policies as a quasinatural experiment, to assess how digital infrastructure affects urban synergistic pollution-carbon mitigation (SPCM). The empirical results show that digital infrastructure increases the urban SPCM index by 1.5%, indicating statistically significant effects. Compared with energy and income effects, digital infrastructure can influence this synergistic effect through indirect channels such as the energy effect, economic agglomeration effect, and income effect, with the economic agglomeration effect accounting for a larger share of the total effect. Additionally, fixed-asset investment has a nonlinear moderating effect on this relationship, with diminishing marginal returns on emission reduction when investment exceeds a threshold. Heterogeneity tests reveal greater impacts in eastern, nonresource-based, and environmentally regulated cities. This study expands the theory of collaborative environmental governance from the perspective of new infrastructure, providing a theoretical foundation for establishing a long-term digital technology-driven mechanism for SPCM. Full article
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35 pages, 1129 KiB  
Article
Internal and External Cultivation to Drive Enterprises’ Green Transformation: Dual Perspectives of Vertical Supervision and Environmental Self-Discipline
by Huixiang Zeng, Yuyao Shao, Ning Ding, Limin Zheng and Jinling Zhao
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 7062; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17157062 - 4 Aug 2025
Abstract
Central Environmental Protection Inspection (CEPI) is a major step in China’s environmental vertical supervision reform. With the multi-period Difference-in-Differences method, we assess the impact of CEPI on enterprise green transformation. In addition, we further explore the impact of enterprise environmental self-discipline. The results [...] Read more.
Central Environmental Protection Inspection (CEPI) is a major step in China’s environmental vertical supervision reform. With the multi-period Difference-in-Differences method, we assess the impact of CEPI on enterprise green transformation. In addition, we further explore the impact of enterprise environmental self-discipline. The results show that CEPI significantly promotes enterprise green transformation, and this effect on governance is further strengthened by environmental self-discipline. The synergistic governance effect of compound environmental regulation is pronounced, particularly in enterprises lacking government–enterprise relationships and in areas covered by CEPI “look back” initiatives and where local governments rigorously enforce environmental laws. The mechanism analysis reveals that CEPI mainly promotes enterprise green transformation by improving executive green cognition, boosting investment in environmental protection, and enhancing green innovation efficiency. This study provides a fresh perspective on analyzing the governance impact of CEPI and provides valuable insights for improving multi-collaborative environmental governance systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)
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23 pages, 4960 KiB  
Article
Land Use Patterns and Small Investment Project Preferences in Participatory Budgeting: Insights from a City in Poland
by Katarzyna Groszek, Marek Furmankiewicz, Magdalena Kalisiak-Mędelska and Magdalena Błasik
Land 2025, 14(8), 1588; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14081588 (registering DOI) - 3 Aug 2025
Viewed by 14
Abstract
This article presents a spatial analysis of projects selected by city residents and implemented in five successive editions (2015–2019) of the participatory budgeting in Częstochowa, Poland. The study examines the relationship between the type of hard projects (small investments in public infrastructure and [...] Read more.
This article presents a spatial analysis of projects selected by city residents and implemented in five successive editions (2015–2019) of the participatory budgeting in Częstochowa, Poland. The study examines the relationship between the type of hard projects (small investments in public infrastructure and landscaping) and the pre-existing characteristics of the land use of each district. Kernel density estimation and Spearman correlation analysis were used. The highest spatial density occurred in projects related to the modernization of roads and sidewalks, recreation, and greenery, indicating a relatively high number of proposals within or near residential areas. Key correlations included the following: (1) greenery projects were more common in districts lacking green areas; (2) recreational infrastructure was more frequently chosen in areas with significant water features; (3) street furniture projects were mostly selected in districts with sparse development, scattered buildings, and postindustrial sites; (4) educational infrastructure was often chosen in low-density, but developing districts. The selected projects often reflect local deficits in specific land use or public infrastructure, but also stress the predestination of the recreational use of waterside areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Participatory Land Planning: Theory, Methods, and Case Studies)
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22 pages, 1929 KiB  
Article
Investigating Provincial Coupling Coordination Between Digital Infrastructure and Green Development in China
by Beibei Zhang, Zhenni Zhou, Juan Zheng, Zezhou Wu and Yan Liu
Buildings 2025, 15(15), 2724; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152724 - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 181
Abstract
Digital technologies could facilitate green development by enhancing energy efficiency. However, existing research on coupling coordination between digital infrastructure and green development remains scarce. To fill this research gap, this study analyzes the spatio-temporal variations and barriers of coupling coordination. An evaluation index [...] Read more.
Digital technologies could facilitate green development by enhancing energy efficiency. However, existing research on coupling coordination between digital infrastructure and green development remains scarce. To fill this research gap, this study analyzes the spatio-temporal variations and barriers of coupling coordination. An evaluation index system is established and then the coupling relationship and the barrier factors between digital infrastructure and green development are analyzed. A provincial analysis is conducted by using data from China. The results in the study indicate (1) coupling coordination between digital infrastructure and green development exhibits a relatively low state, characterized by an overall upward trend; (2) noteworthy disparities are observed in the spatio-temporal pattern of the coupling coordination degree, reflecting the overall evolutionary trend from low to high coupling coordination, along with the characteristics of positive spatial correlation and high spatial concentration; and (3) obstacle factors are analyzed from the aspects of digital infrastructure and green development, emphasizing the construction of mobile phone base stations and investment in pollution control, among other aspects. This study contributes valuable insights for improvement paths for digital infrastructure and green development, offering recommendations for optimizing strategies to promote their coupled development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Green, Sustainable, and Resilient Urban Construction)
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33 pages, 870 KiB  
Article
Decarbonizing Urban Transport: Policies and Challenges in Bucharest
by Adina-Petruța Pavel and Adina-Roxana Munteanu
Future Transp. 2025, 5(3), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp5030099 (registering DOI) - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 145
Abstract
Urban transport is a key driver of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, making its decarbonization essential to achieving EU climate neutrality targets. This study examines how European strategies, such as the Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and the Fit for [...] Read more.
Urban transport is a key driver of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, making its decarbonization essential to achieving EU climate neutrality targets. This study examines how European strategies, such as the Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and the Fit for 55 package, are reflected in Romania’s transport policies, with a focus on implementation challenges and urban outcomes in Bucharest. By combining policy analysis, stakeholder mapping, and comparative mobility indicators, the paper critically assesses Bucharest’s current reliance on private vehicles, underperforming public transport satisfaction, and limited progress on active mobility. The study develops a context-sensitive reform framework for the Romanian capital, grounded in transferable lessons from Western and Central European cities. It emphasizes coordinated metropolitan governance, public trust-building, phased car-restraint measures, and investment alignment as key levers. Rather than merely cataloguing policy intentions, the paper offers practical recommendations informed by systemic governance barriers and public attitudes. The findings will contribute to academic debates on urban mobility transitions in post-socialist cities and provide actionable insights for policymakers seeking to operationalize EU decarbonization goals at the metropolitan scale. Full article
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23 pages, 849 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Impact of Solar Power Integration and AI Technologies on Sustainable Local Development: A Case Study from Serbia
by Aco Benović, Miroslav Miškić, Vladan Pantović, Slađana Vujičić, Dejan Vidojević, Mladen Opačić and Filip Jovanović
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6977; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156977 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 135
Abstract
As the global energy transition accelerates, the integration of solar power and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies offers new pathways for sustainable local development. This study examines four Serbian municipalities—Šabac, Sombor, Pirot, and Čačak—to assess how AI-enabled solar power systems can enhance energy resilience, [...] Read more.
As the global energy transition accelerates, the integration of solar power and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies offers new pathways for sustainable local development. This study examines four Serbian municipalities—Šabac, Sombor, Pirot, and Čačak—to assess how AI-enabled solar power systems can enhance energy resilience, reduce emissions, and support community-level sustainability goals. Using a mixed-method approach combining spatial analysis, predictive modeling, and stakeholder interviews, this research study evaluates the performance and institutional readiness of local governments in terms of implementing intelligent solar infrastructure. Key AI applications included solar potential mapping, demand-side management, and predictive maintenance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Quantitative results show an improvement >60% in forecasting accuracy, a 64% reduction in system downtime, and a 9.7% increase in energy cost savings. These technical gains were accompanied by positive trends in SDG-aligned indicators, such as improved electricity access and local job creation in the green economy. Despite challenges related to data infrastructure, regulatory gaps, and limited AI literacy, this study finds that institutional coordination and leadership commitment are decisive for successful implementation. The proposed AI–Solar Integration for Local Sustainability (AISILS) framework offers a replicable model for emerging economies. Policy recommendations include investing in foundational digital infrastructure, promoting low-code AI platforms, and aligning AI–solar projects with SDG targets to attract EU and national funding. This study contributes new empirical evidence on the digital–renewable energy nexus in Southeast Europe and underscores the strategic role of AI in accelerating inclusive, data-driven energy transitions at the municipal level. Full article
34 pages, 1543 KiB  
Article
Smart Money, Greener Future: AI-Enhanced English Financial Text Processing for ESG Investment Decisions
by Junying Fan, Daojuan Wang and Yuhua Zheng
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6971; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156971 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 191
Abstract
Emerging markets face growing pressures to integrate sustainable English business practices while maintaining economic growth, particularly in addressing environmental challenges and achieving carbon neutrality goals. English Financial information extraction becomes crucial for supporting green finance initiatives, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance, and [...] Read more.
Emerging markets face growing pressures to integrate sustainable English business practices while maintaining economic growth, particularly in addressing environmental challenges and achieving carbon neutrality goals. English Financial information extraction becomes crucial for supporting green finance initiatives, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance, and sustainable investment decisions in these markets. This paper presents FinATG, an AI-driven autoregressive framework for extracting sustainability-related English financial information from English texts, specifically designed to support emerging markets in their transition toward sustainable development. The framework addresses the complex challenges of processing ESG reports, green bond disclosures, carbon footprint assessments, and sustainable investment documentation prevalent in emerging economies. FinATG introduces a domain-adaptive span representation method fine-tuned on sustainability-focused English financial corpora, implements constrained decoding mechanisms based on green finance regulations, and integrates FinBERT with autoregressive generation for end-to-end extraction of environmental and governance information. While achieving competitive performance on standard benchmarks, FinATG’s primary contribution lies in its architecture, which prioritizes correctness and compliance for the high-stakes financial domain. Experimental validation demonstrates FinATG’s effectiveness with entity F1 scores of 88.5 and REL F1 scores of 80.2 on standard English datasets, while achieving superior performance (85.7–86.0 entity F1, 73.1–74.0 REL+ F1) on sustainability-focused financial datasets. The framework particularly excels in extracting carbon emission data, green investment relationships, and ESG compliance indicators, achieving average AUC and RGR scores of 0.93 and 0.89 respectively. By automating the extraction of sustainability metrics from complex English financial documents, FinATG supports emerging markets in meeting international ESG standards, facilitating green finance flows, and enhancing transparency in sustainable business practices, ultimately contributing to their sustainable development goals and climate action commitments. Full article
20 pages, 753 KiB  
Article
Has the Free Trade Zone Enhanced the Regional Economic Resilience? Evidence from China
by Henglong Zhang and Congying Tian
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6951; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156951 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 209
Abstract
This study examines the impact of free trade zone (FTZ) establishment on regional economic resilience (RER) in China, using provincial-level panel data spanning from 2010 to 2022 and a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) approach. The empirical results indicate that FTZ implementation significantly enhances regional [...] Read more.
This study examines the impact of free trade zone (FTZ) establishment on regional economic resilience (RER) in China, using provincial-level panel data spanning from 2010 to 2022 and a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) approach. The empirical results indicate that FTZ implementation significantly enhances regional economic resilience by 3.46%, with the development of green finance acting as a key moderating mechanism that amplifies this positive effect. Heterogeneity analysis uncovers notable disparities across policy cohorts and geographical regions: the first wave of FTZs demonstrates the most pronounced resilience-enhancing impact, whereas later cohorts exhibit weaker or even adverse effects. Coastal regions experience substantial benefits from FTZ policies, in contrast to statistically insignificant outcomes observed in inland areas. These findings suggest that strategically expanding the FTZ network, when paired with tailored implementation mechanisms and the integration of green finance, could serve as a powerful policy tool for post-COVID economic recovery. Importantly, by strengthening economic resilience through institutional openness and green investment, this study offers valuable insights into balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability. It provides empirical evidence to support the optimization of FTZ spatial governance and institutional innovation pathways, thereby contributing to the pursuit of sustainable regional development. Full article
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22 pages, 6878 KiB  
Article
Separate Versus Unified Ecological Networks: Validating a Dual Framework for Biodiversity Conservation in Anthropogenically Disturbed Freshwater–Terrestrial Ecosystems
by Tianyi Cai, Qie Shi, Tianle Luo, Yuechun Zheng, Xiaoming Shen and Yuting Xie
Land 2025, 14(8), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14081562 - 30 Jul 2025
Viewed by 333
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems—home to roughly 10% of known species—are losing biodiversity to river-morphology alteration, hydraulic infrastructure, and pollution, yet most ecological network (EN) studies focus on terrestrial systems and overlook hydrological connectivity under human disturbance. To address this, we devised and tested a dual [...] Read more.
Freshwater ecosystems—home to roughly 10% of known species—are losing biodiversity to river-morphology alteration, hydraulic infrastructure, and pollution, yet most ecological network (EN) studies focus on terrestrial systems and overlook hydrological connectivity under human disturbance. To address this, we devised and tested a dual EN framework in the Yangtze River Delta’s Ecological Green Integration Demonstration Zone, constructing freshwater and terrestrial networks independently before merging them. Using InVEST Habitat Quality, MSPA, the MCR model, and Linkage Mapper, we delineated sources and corridors: freshwater sources combined NDWI-InVEST indicators with a modified, sluice-weighted resistance surface, producing 78 patches (mean 348.7 ha) clustered around major lakes and 456.4 km of corridors (42.50% primary). Terrestrial sources used NDVI-InVEST with a conventional resistance surface, yielding 100 smaller patches (mean 121.6 ha) dispersed across woodlands and agricultural belts and 658.8 km of corridors (36.45% primary). Unified models typically favor large sources from dominant ecosystems while overlooking small, high-value patches in non-dominant systems, generating corridors that span both freshwater and terrestrial habitats and mismatch species migration patterns. Our dual framework better reflects species migration characteristics, accurately captures dispersal paths, and successfully integrates key agroforestry-complex patches that unified models miss, providing a practical tool for biodiversity protection in disturbed freshwater–terrestrial landscapes. Full article
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24 pages, 944 KiB  
Article
Health Economics-Informed Social Return on Investment (SROI) Analysis of a Nature-Based Social Prescribing Craft and Horticulture Programme for Mental Health and Well-Being
by Holly Whiteley, Mary Lynch, Ned Hartfiel, Andrew Cuthbert, William Beharrell and Rhiannon Tudor Edwards
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(8), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081184 - 29 Jul 2025
Viewed by 284
Abstract
Demand for mental health support has exerted unprecedented pressure on statutory services. Innovative solutions such as Green or Nature-Based Social Prescribing (NBSP) programmes may help address unmet need, improve access to personalised treatment, and support the sustainable delivery of primary services within a [...] Read more.
Demand for mental health support has exerted unprecedented pressure on statutory services. Innovative solutions such as Green or Nature-Based Social Prescribing (NBSP) programmes may help address unmet need, improve access to personalised treatment, and support the sustainable delivery of primary services within a prevention model of population health. We piloted an innovative health economics-informed Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis and forecast of a ‘Making Well’ therapeutic craft and horticulture programme for mental health between October 2021 and March 2022. Quantitative and qualitative outcome data were collected from participants with mild-to-moderate mental health conditions at baseline and nine-weeks follow-up using a range of validated measures, including the Short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, ICEpop CAPability measure for Adults (ICECAP-A), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and a bespoke Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI). The acceptability and feasibility of these measures were explored. Results indicate that the Making Well programme generated well-being-related social value in the range of British Pound Sterling (GBP) GBP 3.30 to GBP 4.70 for every GBP 1 invested. Our initial pilot forecast suggests that the programme has the potential to generate GBP 5.40 to GBP 7.70 for every GBP 1 invested as the programme is developed and delivered over a 12-month period. Despite the small sample size and lack of a control group, our results contribute to the evidence-base for the effectiveness and social return on investment of NBSP as a therapeutic intervention for improving health and well-being and provides an example of the use of health economic well-being outcome measures such as ICECAP-A and CSRIs in social value analysis. Combining SROI evaluation and forecast methodologies with validated quantitative outcome measures used in the field of health economics can provide valuable social cost–benefit evidence to decision-makers. Full article
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21 pages, 727 KiB  
Article
Cost-Effective Energy Retrofit Pathways for Buildings: A Case Study in Greece
by Charikleia Karakosta and Isaak Vryzidis
Energies 2025, 18(15), 4014; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18154014 - 28 Jul 2025
Viewed by 191
Abstract
Urban areas are responsible for most of Europe’s energy demand and emissions and urgently require building retrofits to meet climate neutrality goals. This study evaluates the energy efficiency potential of three public school buildings in western Macedonia, Greece—a cold-climate region with high heating [...] Read more.
Urban areas are responsible for most of Europe’s energy demand and emissions and urgently require building retrofits to meet climate neutrality goals. This study evaluates the energy efficiency potential of three public school buildings in western Macedonia, Greece—a cold-climate region with high heating needs. The buildings, constructed between 1986 and 2003, exhibited poor insulation, outdated electromechanical systems, and inefficient lighting, resulting in high oil consumption and low energy ratings. A robust methodology is applied, combining detailed on-site energy audits, thermophysical diagnostics based on U-value calculations, and a techno-economic assessment utilizing Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and SWOT analysis. The study evaluates a series of retrofit measures, including ceiling insulation, high-efficiency lighting replacements, and boiler modernization, against both technical performance criteria and financial viability. Results indicate that ceiling insulation and lighting system upgrades yield positive economic returns, while wall and floor insulation measures remain financially unattractive without external subsidies. The findings are further validated through sensitivity analysis and policy scenario modeling, revealing how targeted investments, especially when supported by public funding schemes, can maximize energy savings and emissions reductions. The study concludes that selective implementation of cost-effective measures, supported by public grants, can achieve energy targets, improve indoor environments, and serve as a replicable model of targeted retrofits across the region, though reliance on external funding and high upfront costs pose challenges. Full article
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24 pages, 771 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Preferential Policy on Corporate Green Innovation: A Resource Dependence Perspective
by Chenshuo Li, Shihan Feng, Qingyu Yuan, Jiahui Wei, Shiqi Wang and Dongdong Huang
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6834; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156834 - 28 Jul 2025
Viewed by 514
Abstract
Government support has long been viewed as a key driver of sustainable transformation and green technological progress. However, the underlying mechanisms (“how”) through which preferential policies influence green innovation, as well as the contextual conditions (“when”) that shape their [...] Read more.
Government support has long been viewed as a key driver of sustainable transformation and green technological progress. However, the underlying mechanisms (“how”) through which preferential policies influence green innovation, as well as the contextual conditions (“when”) that shape their effectiveness, remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on resource dependence theory, this study develops a dual-mediation framework to investigate how preferential tax policies promote both the quantity and quality of green innovation—by enhancing R&D investment as an internal mechanism and alleviating financing constraints as an external mechanism. These effects are especially salient among non-state-owned enterprises, firms in resource-constrained industries, and those situated in environmentally challenged regions—contexts that entail higher dependence on external support for sustainable development. Leveraging China’s 2017 R&D tax reduction policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this study uses a sample of high-tech small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to test the hypotheses. The findings provide robust evidence on how preferential policies contribute to corporate sustainability through green innovation and identify the conditions under which policy tools are most effective. This research offers important implications for designing targeted, sustainability-oriented innovation policies that support SMEs in transitioning toward more sustainable practices. Full article
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27 pages, 42290 KiB  
Article
Study on the Dynamic Changes in Land Cover and Their Impact on Carbon Stocks in Karst Mountain Areas: A Case Study of Guiyang City
by Rui Li, Zhongfa Zhou, Jie Kong, Cui Wang, Yanbi Wang, Rukai Xie, Caixia Ding and Xinyue Zhang
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(15), 2608; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17152608 - 27 Jul 2025
Viewed by 342
Abstract
Investigating land cover patterns, changes in carbon stocks, and forecasting future conditions are essential for formulating regional sustainable development strategies and enhancing ecological and environmental quality. This study centers on Guiyang, a mountainous urban area in southwestern China, to analyze the dynamic changes [...] Read more.
Investigating land cover patterns, changes in carbon stocks, and forecasting future conditions are essential for formulating regional sustainable development strategies and enhancing ecological and environmental quality. This study centers on Guiyang, a mountainous urban area in southwestern China, to analyze the dynamic changes in land cover and their effects on carbon stocks from 2000 to 2035. A carbon stocks assessment framework was developed using a cellular automaton-based artificial neural network model (CA-ANN), the InVEST model, and the geographical detector model to predict future land cover changes and identify the primary drivers of variations in carbon stocks. The results indicate that (1) from 2000 to 2020, impervious surfaces expanded significantly, increasing by 199.73 km2. Compared to 2020, impervious surfaces are projected to increase by 1.06 km2, 13.54 km2, and 34.97 km2 in 2025, 2030, and 2035, respectively, leading to further reductions in grassland and forest areas. (2) Over time, carbon stocks in Guiyang exhibited a general decreasing trend; spatially, carbon stocks were higher in the western and northern regions and lower in the central and southern regions. (3) The level of greenness, measured by the normalized vegetation index (NDVI), significantly influenced the spatial variation of carbon stocks in Guiyang. Changes in carbon stocks resulted from the combined effects of multiple factors, with the annual average temperature and NDVI being the most influential. These findings provide a scientific basis for advancing low-carbon development and constructing an ecological civilization in Guiyang. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Monitoring of Urban Environment Using Remote Sensing)
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