SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance Co-organises Virtual Conference on ‘Sustainable Finance for Asia’s Transition to Net Zero’ with the Asian Development Bank Institute
Together with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Tokyo-based think tank of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance organised a 3-day virtual conference on Sustainable Finance for Asia’s Transition to Net Zero from 6-8 March 2023.
The conference featured new research on sustainable finance and mobilising private capital to achieve climate goals on net zero carbon emissions, with a focus on Asia. Topics addressed included the identification of transition-related financial risks and risk mitigation measures, the evaluation of blended finance mechanisms, transition finance-related criteria and frameworks, obstacles to ESG investment, incentivising private sector investment in carbon emission reduction, and the implications of carbon-pricing for just transition and wider financial stability.
In his opening speech, Ulrich Volz, Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Finance at SOAS, University of London, highlighted the urgency to align finance with climate and sustainability goals to advance the low-carbon transition in the real economy. Volz also emphasised the proactive role that financial and monetary authorities need to assume to ensure that lending and investment decisions are aligned with climate and sustainability goals.
The conference featured 12 papers and two keynote speeches, a fireside chat, and a policy panel. Sean Kidney, the CEO of the Climate Bonds Initiative and Professor in Practice of Sustainable Finance at SOAS, delivered a keynote speech on “Financing Asia’s transition pathways”. The second keynote speech was delivered by Eugene Wong, the CEO of the Sustainable Finance Institute Asia on “Transitions: Common approaches for different starting points”.
In a fireside chat, Ulrich Volz discussed the need for stringent net-zero transition plans with Catherine McKenna, the Chair of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities, and ADBI’s Keiko Mizuguchi.
The conference closed with a panel discussion on “Policy Priorities for financing the net-zero transition in Asia” chaired by Junkyu Lee, the ADB’s Chief of Finance Sector Group, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department. Panellists included Victoria Tan (Ayala Corporation), Alexis Rocamora (London Stock Exchange Group), Hideki Takada (Japan Financial Services Agency), Pamela Lee (Monetary Authority of Singapore) and Paul Horrocks (OECD).
Details and recordings of the conference proceedings can be found on the conference website.
