Abstract: As a product of the deep integration of financial innovation and environmental governance, green finance is reshaping the synergistic relationship between economic development and ecological protection.This paper used the data samples of 31 provinces in China from 2012 to 2022 to empirically test the impact of green finance on air quality and the action mechanism.The research results showed that: (1) The development of green finance could inhibit air pollutant emissions and significantly improved regional air quality.This conclusion remained valid under various robustness tests.(2) Green finance development promoted industrial structure upgrading, reduced fossil fuel use, and drove the application of new energy technologies.(3) In the western region of China, non-three economic circles and the areas with strong environmental monitoring and environmental punishment, the development of green finance played a more prominent role in improving air quality.These findings provided important theoretical support and practical guidance for improving the government's institutional guarantee system, optimizing the allocation of resources in green financial markets, and designing green financial products according to local conditions