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Motivated by the growing attention to climate change and the crucial role businesses could play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this study investigates entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation in the context of carbon footprint reduction initiatives of small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We enhance understanding of the climate change action of SMEs by taking into account the mediating mechanisms (i.e., identification of green barriers and green networking) through which firm entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation leads to superior carbon footprint reduction initiatives by overcoming barriers to green practices. A survey of 252 SME owners and top managers in the Tees Valley region, Northeast England, supported the direct impact of entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation on overcoming barriers to green practices and the mediating role of identification of green barriers and green networking in this focal relationship. These findings reveal the importance of entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation, identification of green barriers and green networking in helping SMEs overcome barriers to green practices and improving carbon footprint reduction initiatives. • SMEs can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate action. • Entrepreneurial energy efficiency aids SMEs in overcoming green practice barriers. • Two mediating roles link energy efficiency to carbon footprint reduction: barrier identification and green networking. • Insights for SMEs: Embrace energy efficiency, identify green barriers, and foster networking for a greener footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of renewable and non-renewable energy sources on carbon emissions in the context of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025). The plan emphasises a "Dual-control" strategy of simultaneously setting energy consumption limits and reducing energy intensity for GDP (gross domestic product) in order to meet the targets of the five-year plan. Using a comprehensive dataset of Chinese energy and macroeconomic information spanning from 1990 to 2022, we conduct a Granger causality analysis to explore the relationship between energy sources and the level of air pollution. Our findings reveal a unidirectional link, wherein renewable energy contributes to a reduction in air pollution, while non-renewable energy sources lead to an increase. Despite the government's investment in renewable energy, our results show that China's economy remains heavily reliant on traditional energy sources (e.g., fossil fuels). This research is the first systematic examination of the interplay between energy usage and carbon emissions in the Chinese context. Our findings provide valuable insights for policy and market strategies aimed at promoting carbon neutrality and driving technological advancements in both government and industries. • Impact of the interplay between energy usage and carbon emissions in the Chinese context. • Granger Causality analysis reveals that renewable energy reduces air pollution, while non-renewable energy increases it. • Despite government investment, China's economy remains reliant on traditional energy sources. • Research provides insights for promoting carbon neutrality in China's government and industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the environmental implications of cryptocurrency energy consumption on climate change. Using a spectrum of approaches, including Granger causality across quantiles, cross-quantilograms, and dynamic connectedness, we provide novel evidence on the nexus between Bitcoin mining and climate change. First, we find a significant Granger causality between carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions and the energy usage of Bitcoin that concentrates on the right-tail quantiles. Second, we show that the directional predictability from hash rate, blockchain size, and Bitcoin returns to Bitcoin electricity consumption is heterogeneous. We also discover significant directional predictability between the energy usage of Bitcoin mining and CO 2 emissions. Third, the dynamic connectedness results show that hash rate transmits the most substantial net spillover effects to CO 2 emissions and Bitcoin electricity consumption. Accordingly, hash rate exerts a major influence on Bitcoin electricity consumption and climate change. This study highlights the necessity of stimulating technological advances in developing energy-efficient decentralized finance consensus algorithms to transform the cryptocurrency market into a climate-friendly market. The results provide policy implications by emphasizing the importance of cryptocurrency ecosystem decarbonization in addressing environmental concerns. • The environmental implications of cryptocurrency energy consumption on climate change are examined. • Significant Granger-causality between CO 2 emissions and energy usage of Bitcoin that concentrates on the right tail quantiles. • The predictability from hash rate, blockchain size, and Bitcoin returns is heterogeneous in relation to Bitcoin electricity consumption. • Significant directional predictability between energy usage of Bitcoin mining and the CO2 emissions. • Dynamic connectedness results show that hash rate transmits the most substantial net spillover effects to CO2 emissions and Bitcoin electricity consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic policies affect companies' production decisions. And the energy consumption volume is an intuitive reflection of the enterprise's production decisions. In China, coal is the main source of carbon emissions and the most important energy source. Therefore, the coal market and the uncertainty of economic policies are both directly tied to the carbon market. This study explores both the direct impact of economic policy uncertainty and coal price on carbon prices as well as the indirect impact of economic policy uncertainty on carbon prices through coal prices by utilizing the DCC-GARCH model and the NARDL model. The findings indicate that the dynamic correlations between coal prices and the CEPU are always negative and that those between the price of carbon and the CEPU vary by area. Meanwhile, the dynamic correlations between coal and carbon prices are only positive in Shenzhen and Beijing. Both coal prices and economic policy uncertainty produce asymmetrical impacts on carbon prices. Some policy implications are provided for developing the carbon markets in light of the results drawn from the study. • The linkage between coal and carbon prices are positive only in Shenzhen and Beijing. • The correlations between coal prices and EPU are negative most of the time. • The relationship between carbon prices and EPU vary from region to region. • Asymmetric effects of EPU and coal prices on carbon prices are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]