Systematic evaluation of promoting the dual carbon strategy in China’s coal industry: A fsQCA configuration analysis based on the practices of coal listed enterprises

Coal enterprises are the main producers and consumers of energy in China. Promoting low-carbon development and green transformation of coal enterprises is a key link of carbon neutrality actions in China, which is of great significance for promoting coal high-quality development and achieving the "dual carbon" goals. However, there has been a lack of systematic assessment of the strategies or technologies adopted by coal companies in response to the "dual carbon" strategy. Therefore, based on the public data of 25 listed coal companies, this study uses a fsQCA configuration analysis method to explore the multiple configuration paths and differences of business scale, investment level, technological innovation and policy norms on the reduction of enterprise carbon emission intensity. The results show that: ① Single element, such as environmental protection investment and R&D personnel, cannot constitute the necessary conditions for listed coal companies to achieve high-level carbon emission reduction; ② There are five configuration paths for carbon emission reduction of listed coal enterprises, and environmental protection investment, the proportion of R&D investment and the number of green patents are the core conditions to intervene in multiple configuration paths, and increasing environmental protection investment, R&D investment and technological upgrading are effective measures to reduce the carbon intensity of coal enterprises; ③ There are significant differences in the configuration of carbon emission reduction effects of listed coal enterprises in different regions and scales. The carbon emission reduction of listed coal companies in the eastern region is affected by environmental protection investment and policy norms. The promotion of carbon emission reduction by listed coal companies in the central region is mostly dominated by a single factor, among which the policy normative drive is particularly prominent; The promotion of carbon emission reduction by listed coal enterprises in the western region is affected by the combined effect of environmental protection investment and technological innovation. The promotion of carbon emission reduction by giant listed coal companies is driven by multiple factors such as environmental protection investment, proportion of R&D investment, technological innovation and policy norms. Regardless of the role of operating income, the comprehensive effect of marginal conditions can also drive large listed coal companies to achieve carbon emission reduction, especially the proportion of environmental protection investment and R&D investment. In general, the carbon emission reduction promoted by listed coal companies is mainly driven by environmental protection investment. This study comprehensively sorts out the complex configuration path of coal leading enterprises to cope with the dual carbon strategy, and provides a scientific basis for the green development of the whole industry.