The role of green finance in mitigating climate change risks: a quantitative analysis of sustainable investments

The dire problem of climate change has garnered more attention in recent years and, with it, the necessity of reducing its damaging effects on the environment. Nevertheless, despite the green finance index’s (GFI) potential advantages in combating climate change, empirical studies on the subject’s consequences have been few, mostly because of the index’s restricted data availability. This study’s primary goal is to close this gap by employing panel data analysis to investigate the environmental effects of GFI in China between 2004 and 2021. Econometric methods like the Driscoll-Kraay standard error and other robustness test models are used to look into the links between political risk, green finance, the ecological footprint, and the economic complexity index. According to the research findings, there is a 0.31% and 0.81% decrease in ecological footprint resulting from the implementation of GFI and rises in GDP (gross domestic product). These results suggest that these strategies could play a major role in establishing a sustainable environment. However, in the chosen countries, the ecological footprint increases by 0.81% and 0.80%, respectively, due to the presence of political risk and economic complexity. This study suggests that government involvement is necessary to reduce carbon footprints and protect the ecosystem, based on these empirical findings. Implementing green financing initiatives, fostering technological development, economic diversification, and fostering a stable political environment are all ways to achieve sustainable investments.