The green leadership (GL) concept has significantly gained popularity over the last decade. Consequently, more research has been conducted on this emerging leadership concept, emphasizing leadership styles that promote the green environment so that sustainable goals can be achieved. In the present research, leaders’ emotional intelligence (EI) is positioned as a mediating variable between GL and employees’ green organizational citizenship behavior (GOCB). The data of this research comprised managerial and non-managerial staff from the manufacturing and service industries. A PLS-SEM was used to evaluate the relationship between the various factors among 422 employees. The empirical findings indicated that GL and GOCB had a favorable and robust relationship. The results of the study also suggested that a leader’s EI mediates the influence of green leadership on their employees’ green organizational citizenship behavior. Green leadership is essential in creating sustainable environmental behaviors among employees. It can strengthen leaders’ EI, which successively helps them to garner positivity and foster an environment of mutual harmony and cooperation in the workplace to support pro-environmental policies. Overall, our study contributes to and advances previous studies and shows that green leadership plays a critical role in influencing a leader’s own EI which, in turn, predicts the green OCB of their employees in the workplace.

In modern times, many countries are committed to achieving climate neutrality and environmental sustainability. Without financial innovation and green financing, switching to clean energy, reducing carbon emissions, and mitigating climate change will be impossible. The main objective of this study is to obtain zero carbon to protect the environment. To analyze sustainable development pathways, this research examines the impact of renewable energy and financial innovation on the environmental protection of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia from 2010 to 2021. The use of renewable energy sources, pollution, and climate change are all significant elements. Innovation can help slow the rate of global warming by lowering carbon emissions and expanding the usage of renewable energy sources. Green financing and innovation are powerful tools for environmental safety and deterioration. The acceleration of renewable energy growth is the primary driver of sustainable development. Moreover, green financing balances the innovation–energy–environment–climate nexus. Similarly, green finance amplifies the positive effects of innovation on using renewable energy. This study provides valuable insights into achieving zero carbon by producing renewable energy sources and modern green technology. Further research is possible by adding more dimensions of renewable energy sources.