Political foresighted leading and green transition

The integration of the Communist Party of China leadership into enterprise governance is a crucial sustainable‑development strategy, playing an irreplaceable role in the green transition of high-polluting enterprises. In this study, we investigate the causal effect of political foresighted leading (PFL) on green transition and its potential channels. The empirical results show that such leading significantly drives enterprises’ green transition. We also find that improving green‑governance efficiency, internal-control capability and green‑resource investment are the main channels. Further analysis documents that PFL is particularly effective in collaboration with media attention and green production, highlighting a collective effort to promote green transition. Our paper provides theoretical validation for the pivotal role of PFL in promoting green transition and underscores its importance in enterprise development beyond the mere presence of Party leadership.