Green development priorities and biodiversity: evidence from China’s policy reports and birdwatching records

Biodiversity forms the foundation of human survival and sustainable development. Pursuing green development is essential for reconciling economic growth with environmental protection and achieving high-quality development. Using China’s Government Work Reports (2011–2022), birdwatching records, and urban panel data, this study constructs city-level indicators of governmental attention to green development and biodiversity. A two-way fixed effects model is employed to empirically examine the impact of governmental green priorities on urban biodiversity and the underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that greater governmental attention to green development significantly enhances biodiversity. Mechanism analysis reveals that this effect operates through the promotion of green finance, stimulation of green technological innovation, and improvement of green economic efficiency. Heterogeneity tests show that the positive impact is more pronounced in first-tier and resource-based cities, as well as among migratory and non-endangered bird species. This study highlights the strategic role of government in biodiversity conservation and provides valuable policy implications from the perspective of green development.