Green finance and agricultural carbon reduction drive rural revitalization through spatial spillovers in western China

Rural revitalization is critical for constructing a modern socialist nation and ecological civilization. Focusing on western China, this study employs a spatial econometric model to investigate how green finance and agricultural carbon emission reduction influence rural revitalization through spatial spillover effects. Empirical results reveal distinct "Low-Low" and "High-Low" spatial agglomeration patterns. Significantly, green finance and carbon reduction demonstrate positive spatial spillover effects, comprehensively promoting rural revitalization. The robustness of these findings is validated through varied spatial weight matrices and heterogeneity analyses across ethnic provinces and ecological phases. Based on these empirical insights, the study proposes policy recommendations to enhance environmental regulation frameworks and foster the synergistic advancement of green finance and low-carbon agriculture. These measures aim to address inadequate regional development and facilitate high-quality economic growth.