How does natural resource asset departure audit affect corporate green innovation? Based on enhancement of environmental awareness

It is therefore central to both academic and policy discussions to understand how environmental regulations can effectively catalyze corporate green transformation, thereby aligning economic and ecological objectives. This study empirically examines the impact of natural resource asset departure audit(NAAL) on corporate green innovation, as well as the mechanisms through which the alleviation of financing constraints and the enhancement of environmental awareness mediate this relationship. The results indicate that NAAL significantly promote corporate green innovation; they effectively foster green innovation by easing financing constraints and improving environmental awareness; and the positive effect is more pronounced among enterprises located in regions with lower levels of marketization and those with higher information transparency. This research not only provides empirical evidence—based on the perspective of corporate innovation—on the microeconomic consequences of natural resource asset audits upon official departure, but also deepens the understanding of how "incentive-based" environmental regulations influence corporate decision-making through dual pathways. The findings offer important insights for optimizing the government's environmental governance system.