School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 Mar;29(13):18955-18966. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-16949-x. Epub 2021 Oct 27.
In modern times, enhancing energy efficiency is one of the core agenda items for the economies to progress the world. United Nations general assembly has recommended increasing energy efficiency by considering the SDG-7 guidelines. In the contemporary period, E7 economies are deficient in producing the financial resources to ensure the availability of funds for the acquisition of energy efficiency. COVID-19 crises, lack of resilience in economies, devastating fiscal burdens, and tight monetary conditions of E7 economies are the major barriers. To resolve such issues, some innovative financing techniques, such as green financing, financial inclusion, and FinTech, were suggested to investigate. However, this research tested the empirical role of financial inclusion, green financing, and FinTech on the energy efficiency of E7 economies. Study findings have shown a significant role of such financing techniques on energy efficiency. Comparatively, green financing is found most fitting and highly supportive financing tool for energy efficiency among the three. The differences in attributes, financing mechanism, funds flow system, transection systems, and variation in support by the financial institution are the main reasons that lessen the role of financial inclusion and FinTech for energy efficiency. However, theorists must revisit the transaction system of FinTech and financial inclusion parameters like green bonds for energy efficiency attainment. Policymakers are suggested to develop viable and energy system-friendly policies to grant green finance to the energy systems of E7 economies, as conveniently as possible.
在现代,提高能源效率是全球各国经济进步的核心议程之一。联合国大会建议考虑 SDG-7 准则来提高能源效率。在当代,E7 经济体缺乏产生财政资源的能力,无法确保获得能源效率所需的资金。E7 经济体面临的主要障碍包括 COVID-19 危机、经济弹性不足、财政负担沉重以及紧缩的货币环境。为了解决这些问题,有人建议采用一些创新性的融资技术,如绿色融资、金融包容性和金融科技。然而,本研究检验了金融包容性、绿色融资和金融科技对 E7 经济体能源效率的实际作用。研究结果表明,这些融资技术对能源效率具有显著作用。相比之下,绿色融资在这三种融资工具中被认为是最适合和最有力的支持能源效率的融资工具。绿色融资和金融包容性在能源效率方面的作用较小,主要原因是它们在属性、融资机制、资金流动系统、交易系统以及金融机构支持方面存在差异。然而,理论学家必须重新审视金融科技的交易系统和金融包容性的参数,例如绿色债券,以实现能源效率。政策制定者应该制定可行的、有利于能源系统的政策,以便尽可能方便地为 E7 经济体的能源系统提供绿色融资。