Environmental disclosure and supply chain carbon leakage

Amid global carbon goals and supply chain carbon leakage, the effectiveness of corporate environmental responsibility disclosure requires reexamination. We explore how listed companies' environmental disclosure impacts upstream and downstream carbon emissions. Results indicate that environmental disclosure increases, rather than reduces, supply chain emissions, confirming hidden emissions under explicit corporate responsibility. Mechanistically, the scale effect acts globally, while structural and technological effects are exclusively upstream and downstream, respectively. Furthermore, upstream suppliers face dual suppression from carbon transfer via digital speech and action, whereas downstream customers are affected solely by digital action. Additionally, upstream carbon transfer targets long-term stable suppliers, while downstream transfer targets nonmajor, long-term customers. This study provides an objective basis for resolving supply chain carbon transfer dilemmas and formulating targeted emission reduction policies.