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Hong Kong
2025
Mobilising capital for the green transition
March 27, 2025
Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel, Concord Room
Synopsis
Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in Asia’s burgeoning sustainable finance sector, acting as a major hub for green and sustainable investments. With its robust financial infrastructure and strategic position in the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong has become a gateway for international investors looking to tap into Asia’s – and especially China’s – growing demand for sustainable finance.
The city has embarked on a wide range of capital market initiatives to promote green bonds, sustainable banking and ESG disclosures, with regulatory frameworks that provide clear guidelines and incentives.
As a strategic city to China, Hong Kong plays a key role in fostering innovation and collaboration across the region. With China already on track to peak emissions by 2025 and reach carbon neutrality ahead of its 2060 target, the Asian giant plays an indispensable role in global climate action and the region’s wider energy transition.
How will Hong Kong and Greater China’s policies shape the world’s decarbonisation pathway and the region’s sustainable finance sector? With investors increasingly expecting clear climate transition plans, how will businesses respond? How will the region mitigate its risks while building resilience into its infrastructure?
Unlocking capital for sustainability, Asia’s premiere sustainable finance and business forum, hosted by Eco-Business and UNEP FI since 2018, will be hosting its inaugural dialogue in Hong Kong aimed at convening the key stakeholders across Asia to chart the way forward on accelerating the region’s green revolution.
Key Speakers
Speakers
Agenda
8:30
9:00
Welcome remarks
9:15
Opening keynote by guest-of-honour
9:30
9:45
Opening plenary — Mobilising capital for the green transition
Global uncertainties from rising geopolitical tensions this year have threatened energy security, trade and supply chains – complicating international efforts to mobilise funding for the energy transition.
With the dangers of climate change becoming more evident and mounting climate risks threatening global financial stability, policymakers must urgently respond with strategies to mitigate these risks and build wider societal resilience.
China, with its ambitious carbon neutrality goals and dominance in clean energy supply chains, is well positioned to take a leadership position in Asia and the world. In 2024, the Asian giant accounted for two thirds of the US$2.1 trillion spent globally on energy transition. How will China and Hong Kong businesses continue to play a role in accelerating the green transition at home and globally? This opening plenary will explore the business and policy responses needed to advance sustainable finance for sustainable development outcomes in the region.
Speakers
Moderators
10:45
Plenary 2 — Intersecting forces: AI, technology and sustainable development
As countries grapple with meeting sustainable development targets, artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool. From optimising energy consumption in buildings and providing early disaster warnings, to enabling vast data analysis and stabilising energy grids, AI offers a pathway to improving transparency and governance, accelerating the energy transition and building resilient cities.
AI’s surging energy demand poses a critical challenge, however. Projections indicate China's data center energy consumption could soar to over 400 billion kWh by 2030, potentially unleashing over 200 million metric tons of carbon emissions if renewable energy adoption lags. Unmanaged, the integration of AI in rapidly urbanizing regions across Asia could significantly worsen emissions.
How can we unlock AI's vast potential for sustainable development while mitigating its inherent energy footprint? What other technological advancements are on the horizon that will enable the rapid decarbonisation of the region?
11:45
Networking lunch, speed dating and 1-1 meetings
Short video on The Liveability Challenge - Asia's largest sustainability solutions platform
Speakers
Moderators
13:30
Special keynote or fireside chat
Speakers
Moderators
14:10
Plenary debate — This house believes regulation is needed to drive biodiversity financing in Asia
15:00
Plenary 3 — Inclusive finance for Asia's circular economy
15:45
Tea break
Speakers
Moderators
16:00
Closing plenary — Driving change in a polarised world: The future of impact investing
16:45
Closing keynote
Speakers
Moderators
17:00
Closing remarks and summary
Speakers
Moderators
17:15
Networking cocktails
Speakers
Moderators
Partners
In partnership with
Strategic partner
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TOMRA
TOMRA was founded in 1972, based on the design, manufacturing and sale of reverse vending machines (RVMs) for automated collection of used beverage containers. Today TOMRA provides solutions that enable the circular economy with advanced collection and sorting systems, and food processing by employing sensor-based sorting and grading technology. Altogether TOMRA has approximately 105,000 installations in over 100 markets worldwide and had total revenues of about 14.8 billion NOK in 2023. TOMRA's geographic footprint covers all continents, and the solutions provided are increasingly relevant for serving sustainable societies.
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AIA
AIA Group is the largest pan-Asian life insurer with a presence in 18 markets. The business that is now AIA was first established in Shanghai in 1919. It is a market leader in Asia (ex-Japan) based on life insurance premiums and holds leading positions across the majority of its markets. It had total assets of US$289 billion as of 30 June 2024.
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InvestHK
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government Department responsible for Foreign Direct Investment. InvestHK’s vision is to strengthen Hong Kong’s status as the leading international business location in Asia. Our mission is to attract and retain foreign direct investment which is of strategic importance to the economic development of Hong Kong.
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Knowledge partner
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Climate Finance Asia
Climate Finance Asia (CF Asia) is a mission-driven business focused on tackling the climate challenge through the tools of sustainable finance. Founded in 2008 as Carbon Care Asia, CF Asia is a team of experienced environmental and social development professionals across Asia that deliver high-quality advisory services on sustainable finance in the region.
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Outreach partner
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Nasdaq
Nasdaq’s position at the intersection of technology and the global capital markets allows us to approach environmental, social, and governance issues from a unique vantage point. Our work across both the corporate and investment communities, in addition to our work with regulators and standards setters, creates a virtuous cycle. Nasdaq ESG Solutions supports organisations at every phase of their ESG journey providing the data and expertise to meet growing stakeholder expectations and secure long-term capital for growth.
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