The Mechanism of Promoting Ecological Resilience Through Digital Inclusive Finance: Empirical Test Based on China’s Provincial Panel Data

Haowen Jin and Xingcheng Lu ()
Additional contact information
Haowen Jin: School of Economics and Finance, Hohai University, No. 1915, Hohai Avenue, Changzhou 213200, China
Xingcheng Lu: Massey Institute, Nanjing University of Finance & Economics, No. 3 Wenyuan Road, Xianlin University Town, Nanjing 210023, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-24

Abstract: In recent years, China’s economic and social development has faced challenges such as urban-rural imbalance and ecological pressure. Digital inclusive finance and ecological resilience have become key concerns in academia and policymaking. This study empirically examines whether digital inclusive finance can enhance ecological resilience and its underlying mechanisms, drawing on quantitative evidence from provincial panel data covering 2011–2020. By providing robust empirical results, it contributes to understanding the role of digital finance in supporting high-quality growth and ecological civilization. While the findings align with national strategies such as the “dual carbon” goal and rural revitalization, the study’s primary contribution lies in advancing interdisciplinary exploration through rigorous evidence rather than solely at the policy level. By constructing a double fixed effects model and panel data from 30 Chinese provinces (2011–2020), the study finds that digital inclusive finance significantly enhances ecological resilience, both directly and indirectly through channels such as environmental regulation, artificial intelligence development, and green credit. Moreover, its ecological impact is moderated by regional economic levels and digital infrastructure, with stronger effects observed in eastern and digitally advanced regions. In summary, this study reveals the mechanisms through which digital inclusive finance promotes ecological resilience, offering a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for policy formulation. Its key contribution lies in systematically analyzing the link between digital inclusive finance and ecological resilience, enriching the theoretical framework and providing data support for policy optimization and financial institutions’ strategic adjustments. Future efforts should focus on strengthening policy coordination to enhance the ecological role of digital finance, promoting financial innovation to support resilience, and advancing regional coordination to narrow the digital divide and achieve shared ecological protection.

Keywords: digital inclusive finance; ecological resilience; provincial panel; environmental regulations; green credit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8776/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8776/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8776-:d:1761687

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().