Financial Inclusion, Fintech, Green Innovation, and Social Welfare: A Perspective of Environment Quality and Economic Development in China

The study uncovers the connection between financial inclusion, Fintech, Green Innovation, and social welfare with China's environmental quality and economic development. Employing macroeconomic data from 2014-2023 and using the QARDL model, we find that social welfare and green innovation enhance climate quality while financial inclusion and Fintech deteriorate it. All the independent variables, however, significantly improve economic development. Also, all variables exhibit bidirectional causality with economic growth, except climate quality, which depicts both unidirectional and bidirectional causality. Our results imply that the Chinese government should enhance financial inclusion and Fintech growth for economic sustainability. However, the country should focus on renewable energy consumption related to Fintech growth and optimize financial inclusion to avoid environmental deterioration. More spending on social welfare could enhance human capital and environmentally conscious behavior. This study provides important insights for policymakers in China in allocating resources to balance economic and environmental sustainability.