HONG KONG, June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The
Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI)
successfully held its second in-person event in HK from
June 24-25, to be followed by a field
trip to Huzhou, a green finance pilot city in China. The event, themed "Empowering
Sustainability and Prosperity in Asia: Innovative Financial Solutions for
Connectivity and Transition," provided a platform to share best
practices and promote sustainable finance among EMDEs. Over 300
participants from more than twenty jurisdictions attended.
Ma Jun, Chairman of CASI and
President of Institute of Finance Sustainability (IFS), emphasized
the significant financing gap, amounting to trillions of dollars
annually, for EMDEs' sustainability goals. He noted the lack of
capacity to develop sustainable finance markets and originate
bankable green projects as a key reason for this gap. CASI
addresses this by offering learning programs, including in-person
events, webinars, and e-learning programs, to build capacity in the
Global South.
The event, co-hosted by the IFS, HKMA Infrastructure Finance
Facilitation Office (IFFO), and the University
of Hong Kong (HKU), featured senior representatives from
central banks, financial institutions, corporates, NGOs, and
thought leaders from the region. Discussions covered sustainable
finance frameworks, disclosures, low-carbon transition, project
origination, blended finance, biodiversity conservation, and blue
finance.
Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief
Executive of HKMA, highlighted the growing interest in sustainable
finance, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions for
decarbonization and development. He underscored the public sector's
role in creating an environment conducive to sustainable
finance.
HKU is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders in
sustainable development. "We see CASI's event as an invaluable
opportunity to bridge academia with action, inspiring students to
take on the mantle of sustainable finance and address the talent
gap in this critical field," said Richard
Wong, Chair of Economics and Philip Wong Kennedy Wong
Professor in Political Economy, HKU.
Following the workshops, CASI organizes a field trip to Huzhou
to showcase innovative green finance solutions. Participants will
visit local green banks, projects, and enterprises to observe
how the local green financial system supports the green economy and
low-GHG transition. Green loans in Huzhou have grown about 40%
annually over the past seven years, highlighting the city's success
in green finance.
The CASI e-learning platform was introduced at this event, with
an aim to launch before end of this year. CASI is also planning to
host two other major in-person events before end of this year, one
for the Middle East and another
for Africa.
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