Digital Finance and Pollution: Firm-Level Evidence From China

Using combined data from the 2011–2013 China Industrial Firm Database, China Industrial Firm Pollution Emission Database, and provincial-level digital financial inclusion index, this paper investigates the impact of digital finance on firm pollution. The authors find that digital finance significantly reduces firm SO2 emission intensity. The inclusive finance attribute of digital finance is conducive to alleviating firm financing constraints and promoting firm transformation and emission reduction. Furthermore, digital finance reduces pollution through innovation compensation. Digital finance mainly affects private firms and small and medium-sized firms, while it mainly plays its role through depth of use, digital payments, and digital credit. The basic conclusions of this paper are verified by using the Internet development level and the spherical distance from Hangzhou, as instrumental variables. This paper has important policy implications for developing countries using digital financial tools to promote green economic transformation and high-quality development.