Reducing the carbon footprint of companies will be essential if we are to stabilise climate change. However, many researchers are concerned that companies will simply transfer their carbon emissions to another party resulting in carbon leakage rather than emissions reduction. Thus, there is a need to thoroughly investigate what drives companies to transfer carbon emissions as opposed to reducing them. In this study, we explore the motivations and internal mechanisms behind a company's decision to opt for carbon transfers instead of carbon reduction. Drawing on legitimacy theory with a US sample, we provide evidence that strict environmental laws are an external motivation that place pressure on companies to transfer their carbon emissions. Using overseas capital and declared emissions reductions as a proxy for carbon emissions transfer, we find a significant positive correlation to environmental law enforcement. In addition, when facing the force of environmental law, the carbon strategies companies choose are influenced by a felt pressure to operate with both legitimacy and efficiency. Moreover, as pressure mounts in either of these spheres, companies become more and more likely to opt for emissions transfer not emissions reduction. The results indicate that strict environmental regulations forces companies to transfer carbon emissions, which is exacerbated if companies have a high legitimacy and efficiency pressure. As such, this study provides an in-depth discussion on corporate responses to carbon emissions with valuable implications for carbon emissions policymakers.

如果我们要稳定气候变化，减少公司的碳足迹至关重要。然而，许多研究人员担心，公司会将其碳排放转移到另一方，从而导致碳泄漏而不是减排。因此，有必要彻底调查是什么促使公司转移碳排放而不是减少碳排放。在这项研究中，我们探讨了公司决定选择碳转移而不是碳减排的动机和内部机制。利用美国样本的合法性理论，我们提供的证据表明，严格的环境法是一种外部动力，它对公司转移碳排放施加压力。使用海外资本和宣布的减排量作为碳排放转移的代理，我们发现与环境执法存在显着的正相关关系。此外，在面对环境法的力量时，公司选择的碳战略受到合法和高效运营的压力的影响。此外，随着这两个领域的压力越来越大，公司越来越可能选择排放转移而不是减排。结果表明，严格的环境法规迫使公司转移碳排放，如果公司具有较高的合法性和效率压力，这种情况会加剧。因此，本研究深入讨论了企业对碳排放的反应，对碳排放政策制定者具有重要意义。结果表明，严格的环境法规迫使公司转移碳排放，如果公司具有较高的合法性和效率压力，这种情况会加剧。因此，本研究深入讨论了企业对碳排放的反应，对碳排放政策制定者具有重要意义。结果表明，严格的环境法规迫使公司转移碳排放，如果公司具有较高的合法性和效率压力，这种情况会加剧。因此，本研究深入讨论了企业对碳排放的反应，对碳排放政策制定者具有重要意义。