Nexus between FinTech, renewable energy resource consumption, and carbon emissions.

An increase in energy crises and environmental degradation has pushed countries to adopt more sustainable practices. In this situation, financial technology has played an important role to lower carbon emissions by integrating renewable energy resources that can help increase renewable energy resource consumption (REC) and lower carbon emissions (CE). To better understand this transmission mechanism, this study has collected a panel dataset of 26 Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) developing countries for the 2011-2021 period. Furthermore, a proxy indicator for financial technology (FinTech) was developed by extracting relevant data from CrunchBase. Pooled ordinary least square and robust fixed effects technique was adopted to analyse the influence of FinTech on renewable energy and carbon emissions for robustness. Results of the study show that FinTech development promotes renewable energy resource consumption (REC) and discourages carbon emissions (CE), moreover, economic growth positively impacts, and carbon emissions (CE). This research emphasizes the importance of adopting financial technology as an important deterrent of further environmental damage. Additionally, in line with the results of this study, policymakers should design and implement an industrial policy which promotes sustainable economic growth which can pave the path for a circular economy model in the future.

The influence of green finance availability to retailers on purchase intention: a consumer perspective with the moderating role of consciousness.

As the global warming crisis is increasing daily, it is crucial to find ways to reduce the carbon footprint generated by activities like the production, consumption, and distribution of goods and services. This empirical study has looked at one approach through which environment-friendly production and consumption can be encouraged. The developed model has studied the relationship between retailers' access to green finance and consumer purchase intention of green products by incorporating the role of environmental, status, and future consciousness. Theoretical foundations for this model have been taken from the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and theory of reasoned action (TRA), which have extensively discussed the role of consciousness and societal norms while making purchase intentions. To gain insights about the purchasing behaviour of consumers, this study collected data from the Jiangsu province of China, where a non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to distribute a questionnaire to 400 respondents between February 2022 and August 2022. The collected data was analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SmartPLS in order to study the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Results of this study show that retailers' access to green finance positively impacts consumer purchase intention towards green products, and adding a consciousness perspective in the model strengthens this relationship. Moreover, the theory of planned behaviour and the theory of reasoned action were validated through this study, providing insights for policymakers on the importance of promoting green finance to influence green product purchase intention. Overall, this study shows that policymakers should give green financing to retailers and environmental and future awareness to consumers to encourage environment-friendly behaviour.

Lethal, Sub-Lethal and Trans-Generational Effects of Chlorantraniliprole on Biological Parameters, Demographic Traits, and Fitness Costs of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797)] was first reported in the Americas, then spread to all the continents of the world. Chemical insecticides are frequently employed in managing fall armyworms. These insecticides have various modes of actions and target sites to kill the insects. Chlorantraniliprole is a selective insecticide with a novel mode of action and is used against Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Isopteran, and Dipteran pests. This study determined chlorantraniliprole's lethal, sub-lethal, and trans-generational effects on two consecutive generations (F0, F1, and F2) of the fall armyworm. Bioassays revealed that chlorantraniliprole exhibited higher toxicity against fall armyworms with a LC50 of 2.781 mg/L after 48 h of exposure. Significant differences were noted in the biological parameters of fall armyworms in all generations. Sub-lethal concentrations of chlorantraniliprole showed prolonged larval and adult durations. The parameters related to the fitness cost in F0 and F1 generations showed non-significant differences. In contrast, the F2 generation showed lower fecundity at lethal (71 eggs/female) and sub-lethal (94 eggs/female) doses of chlorantraniliprole compared to the control (127.5-129.3 eggs/female). Age-stage specific survival rate (Sxj), life expectancy (Exj) and reproductive rate (Vxj) significantly differed among insecticide-treated groups in all generations compared to the control. A comparison of treated and untreated insects over generations indicated substantial differences in demographic parameters such as net reproduction rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and mean generation time (T). Several biological and demographic parameters were shown to be negatively impacted by chlorantraniliprole. We conclude that chlorantraniliprole may be utilized to manage fall armyworms with lesser risks.

Economic Boom and Busts Lead to Human Capital Changes? Evidence From Health Expenditure Changes in Emerging Economies.

This paper assesses data from 16 emerging economies between 2000-and 2020 to assess the relationship between business cycles and healthcare expenditure alongside other control variables. Using the Gaussian mixture model, this study analyses the relationship between healthcare spending and business cycles, urbanization, population age, environmental quality, and the gender ratio. The paper finds that there exists a counter-cyclical relationship between economic booms/recessions and healthcare expenditure such that spending decreases during booms and goes up during recessions. The study also finds evidence that environmental quality plays a vital role in influencing healthcare expenditure.

China's Jinshan Yinshan sustainability evolutionary game equilibrium research under government and enterprises resource constraint dilemma.

This paper is based on analyzing the process of green innovation inspiration and green innovation compensation effect after the implementation of environmental regulations by the Chinese Government. This paper tests the hypothesis using the evolutionary game model and studies the underlying behavioral characteristics of the government, enterprises, and the relevant influencing factors. These influencing factors further aid in examining the evolution law applicable on both sides, which are aligned with the dynamic replication equation and evolutionary equilibrium states under different situations. The key variables used in this study include the concentration of government's environmental regulation, the cost of the regulations, economic penalties, enterprise's green innovation-related income, expenditures, and the enterprise's performance appraisal. Moreover, the results of this study reflect the system stability and equilibrium strategy on the proportion of retained earnings spent by enterprises on green innovation activities and the Government's strict environmental regulations. In the process of game strategy selection between the government and enterprises, the net income and weight of eco-efficiency indicators of the enterprises actively carrying out green innovation activities play a decisive role. Moreover, there should be reduced weight of economic benefits and increase the economic sanctions and innovation subsidies of enterprise pollution behaviors. Furthermore, reduced cost of regulations and innovation expenditures help guide enterprises to rationally allocate superior resources to enhance green enterprise innovation and take the level of innovation to the point that it achieves a win-win green sustainable development of economic performance and environmental performance.