Chaoni Huang, at the Hong Kong Green Finance Association and BNP Paribas, tells FA that taxonomy and definition uncertainties are hampering Apac’s transition finance market, and that growing interest and standardisation attempts should help.
When it comes to sustainable investment, Asia is critically lagging. Sustainable Finance Asia Forum 2024 considered the best solutions for plugging the shortfall.
Asia’s infrastructure sector is at a crucial stage of growth and transformation, offering appealing investment prospects. Long term partnerships will be key.
The regional leader in green bonds will keep looking at labelling and internationally aligned standards, such as the common ground taxonomy with the EU, experts discussed at ICMA's inaugural summit. Meanwhile transition finance taxonomies are being rolled out in Chinese provinces.
Interest in transition finance is growing, however, despite some countries, including Japan, taking a lead, such vehicles face many challenges, such as low comparability and tech uncertainty.
The Asia Transition Finance Annual Report 2023 created by the Philippines’ leading bank BDO Unibank Inc., along with other leading Asian banks, highlights the enabling factors that are required to accelerate the adoption of transition finance.
Bank of China has tapped the European bond market to finance steel projects in Hebei province, in a first of a kind issuance involving a financial institution.