Green Talk, Hollow Walk? Corporate Environmental Publicity and the Reality of Innovation in China

As climate concerns intensify, corporations increasingly promote their environmental credentials through annual reports, media campaigns, and sustainability disclosures. But do these green declarations truly reflect meaningful environmental action? A recent study by Lai et al. (2025) examines this question using data from Chinese A-share listed companies between 2008 and 2020. The findings reveal a troubling gap between corporate environmental rhetoric and innovation practice.