Singapore
2024
September 12, 2024
Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay
September 12, 2024
Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay
S$250
Virtual (Free)
As the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline looms, United Nations officials have issued a stark warning: despite notable strides in Asia, no single country is on track to meet the critical goals. At the current pace, it will take another 32 years for the region to achieve the 2030 agenda.
The next five years are pivotal. To bridge the trillion-dollar funding gap necessary for Asia to regain momentum, we must mobilise resources through clear policies, robust investment plans, and strategic partnerships.
Sustainable finance is critical in achieving these goals. With comprehensive regional taxonomies now established, what measures are needed for green finance to be scaled with speed? What role will transition finance play in the region?
Asia’s growing marketplace for carbon credits also presents an opportunity to galvanize funding, but how will governments and businesses leverage this mechanism while maintaining credibility? Amid our global biodiversity crisis, how will regulatory frameworks evolve to enable companies to integrate nature and biodiversity risks into their business decisions?
Unlocking capital for sustainability 2024 will be hosted in six countries across Asia this year — in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and China/HK with the main summit being held in Singapore to discuss the responses to these urgent questions. These multinational meetings, in its seventh edition, will convene policymakers, business leaders and civil society to explore innovative ways to accelerate progress in meeting these ambitious targets.
Jessica Cheam
Founder and Managing Director, Eco-Business; Independent Director, Wilmar International and ComfortDelGro Group, MSID, ICDM
Cheam
Speaking on:
Atty Federico Tancongco
Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Head of Compliance and Legal Department, BDO Unibank
Tancongco
Speaking on:
Franziska Zimmermann
Director for Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy and ESG Investment Management, Temasek International
Zimmermann
Speaking on:
Dr. Renato E. Reside Jr.
Undersecretary for Tax Research and Expenditure Monitoring (TREM), Department of Finance, Philippines
Reside Jr.
Speaking on:
Lucita Jasmin
Group Sustainability Director, RGE; Director of Sustainability and External Affairs, APRIL
Jasmin
Speaking on:
9:30
Welcome Remarks
9:45
Opening keynote by Guest-of-honour
10:15
Special keynote
10:45
Opening plenary: Raising the bar - A conversation with Asian regulators
Asia’s funding gap is facing a critical challenge — the region needs to invest US$1.5 trillion annually — or about 4 per cent of the region’s GDP — from now till 2030 to achieve the SDGs, according to UN ESCAP.
Policymakers, regulators, and private finance entities face the difficult task of mobilising and deploying financing across the region. How can they enhance policy coherence and capacities to enable the mobilisation of capital? With Singapore publishing one of the world’s first transition taxonomy, will this help unlock funding for the region?
Meanwhile, since the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) published its much-awaited set of global standards for sustainability disclosures last year, regulators throughout Asia have swiftly adopted these guidelines in national markets.
As mandatory climate reporting rules start to kick in for the region’s largest financial institutions and listed firms, how will regulators enforce these new rules? Will the increase in quantity and quality of sustainability data help policy making and accelerate climate finance? This panel will convene key regulators to discuss the road ahead for the region.
11:45
Plenary #2: Mobilising finance at speed and scale
Asia, a diverse region with countries at different stages of development, urgently requires large scale finance to fund its region’s sustainable and just transition. Yet bankable projects are lacking, more technical knowledge is required, along with effective mechanisms to tap on financial opportunities.
How can the region’s public and private sectors enhance cooperation and share interoperable data that will accelerate deal making? Is transition finance poised to finally take off in Asia?
With a wide range of financial instruments and emerging carbon markets now at their disposal, how can real economy players respond to evolving regulations and support the transition of the region’s hard-to-abate sectors?
Speakers
14:00
Plenary debate: This house believes regulation is needed to drive nature-positive outcomes in Asia
Over 130 Asian companies have pledged to start reporting against the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework by FY2025. But unlike climate-related risk, which is increasingly seen as a material issue, companies are only just starting to assess their nature-related impacts.
Environmental groups have also raised concerns about how effective a reporting framework penned by the same corporations behind historical environmental and human rights abuses will be to keep companies in check, pointing to the need for laws that will punish those driving nature degradation.
Is a markets-based approach sufficient to drive the changes we need to reverse nature loss? What laws are needed to hold companies to account for harming nature and to drive nature-positive outcomes in Asia? This debate convenes key decision-makers and experts across the region to explore the role of regulation for integrating nature and biodiversity risks into their business decisions.
Speakers
15:00
Plenary #3: Board governance: Stewardship for a global transition
Effective board governance and stewardship play a critical role in ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of organisations. Directors are entrusted to oversee the strategic direction, risk management and ethical conduct of companies — but how can boards build competence in these areas, and how can directors drive value creation by steering their organisations to capitalise on commercial opportunities in the global economic transition?
In this dialogue in partnership with Singapore Institute of Directors, we dive into the boardroom for insights on how boards can empower their organisations.
16:15
Closing plenary: Bridging the climate tech valley of death
Climate tech in Asia has reached a crossroads. While a range of climate technologies are emerging in the region, there is a wide gulf between research and commercialisation. Product development for these innovations have longer cycles and entrepreneurs need to navigate complex technical, commercial and regulatory environments.
Given the urgency to decarbonise the region, how can we better support climate innovations reach commercial scale? With the advancement of artificial intelligence, what are the exciting areas of growth for climate innovation? How can we nurture a thriving ecosystem that deploys patient capital and enables the widespread adoption and scaling of these solutions? This panel will bring together experts to discuss how the region can cultivate a culture of innovation in the region and bridge the valley of death.
Speakers
17:00
Closing keynote
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UOB
United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of about 500 branches and offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. We believe in being a responsible financial services provider and we are committed to making a difference in the communities in which we operate.
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RGE
Headquartered in Singapore, Royal Golden Eagle or RGE is a group of resource-based manufacturing companies with global operations. We produce sustainable natural fibres, edible oils, green packaging and clean natural gas used in consumer products such as paper, tissue, wet wipes, soap, shampoo, cooking oil and clothing.
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BDO Unibank
BDO is a full-service universal bank in the Philippines, providing a complete array of industry-leading products and services including Lending (corporate and consumer), Deposit-taking, Foreign Exchange, Brokering, Trust and Investments, Credit Cards, Retail Cash Cards, Corporate Cash Management and Remittances. Through its local subsidiaries, the Bank offers Investment Banking, Private Banking, Leasing and Finance, Rural Banking, Life Insurance, Insurance Brokerage, and Online and Traditional Stock Brokerage services.
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Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS)
Established in 2013, the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) is committed to improving the quantity and quality of philanthropic giving throughout Asia. Our mission is to improve the social investment sector in Asia by identifying and disseminating best practices, models, policies and strategies that can contribute to positive system change.
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Singapore Institute of Directors (SID)
The Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) is Singapore’s national association for company directors. Established in 1998, our mission is to transform boards and empower board directors to be champions of good governance. SID works with regulators and partners to serve as the voice for directors and facilitates consultations and feedback sessions on regulatory matters. In advocating for good governance, SID advances thought leadership and benchmarking research and indices on corporate governance and directorship issues.
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UNDP
UNDP is the United Nations' lead agency on international development. We work in over 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We connect countries to the knowledge, resources and networks they need to achieve development breakthroughs.
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Asia Research & Engagement (ARE)
Working for over 10 years as a catalyst for corporate change, Asia Research & Engagement (ARE) brings leading investors into dialogue with Asian-listed companies to address sustainable development challenges and help companies align with investor priorities. Operating in Asia, for Asia, we maintain offices in Singapore and China, with a growing presence in India and Japan, strategically positioning ourselves at the heart of the region's economic dynamism.
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Singapore Green Finance Centre
The Singapore Green Finance Centre was established in 2020 as Singapore’s very first Centre of Excellence dedicated to driving Asia-focused green finance research and talent development. The Centre is a joint initiative between the Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) at Singapore Management University and the Imperial College London. It is supported by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and nine leading financial institutions: Bank of China Limited, BNP Paribas, Fullerton Fund Management, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Schroders, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Standard Chartered and UBS AG. SGFC is committed to developing high-impact applied research, engaging with the industry, and building capability.
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Singapore Sustainable Finance Association (SSFA)
The Singapore Sustainable Finance Association (SSFA) is an industry body established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) along with the financial industry in January 2024. Building on the successful work of the Green Finance Industry Taskforce (GFIT), SSFA is established to collaborate across the financial and real economy sectors to support the growth of Singapore as a trusted, vibrant, and inclusive sustainable finance centre. SSFA welcomes participation from financial services, non-financial sector corporates, academia, non-governmental organisations, policymakers and other industry bodies.
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Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC)
Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC) is an initiative to create awareness and encourage action among Asia’s asset owners and asset managers about the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and low-carbon investing.
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Gaia Environment
Gaia Environment is a leading provider of Carbon Credits and Renewable Energy Certificates for carbon footprint offsetting and greenhouse gas emission reduction. With our expertise and a steadfast commitment to sustainability, we empower organizations to achieve carbon neutrality and meet their sustainability goals.
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Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)
Established in 1962, the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) is a non-profit and independent think tank committed to dialogues and policy analyses to bridge gaps between policymakers, private sector decision-makers and experts to respond to the key and emerging global challenges and opportunities.
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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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