On May 7, 2021, in connection with the implementation of China’s Securities Law, which came into effect on March 1, 2020, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) published consultation papers on amendments to the “Standards Concerning the Contents and Formats of Information Disclosure by Companies Offering Securities to the Public No.2 —
On May 4, 2021, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released the details of its Green and Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme (GSF Grant Scheme), which will consolidate Hong Kong’s existing Pilot Bond Grant Scheme and Green Bond Grant Scheme into one new program. According to the Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr. Eddie Yue:
“The global green bond market has grown from practically non-existent ten years ago to US$270 billion in 2020. In Hong Kong, we have taken early and proactive steps to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a regional green and sustainable finance hub, including the issuance of two rounds of Government green bonds since 2019 and the establishment of the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group to coordinate cross-agency market development efforts. The launch of a new [GSF] Grant Scheme to support green and sustainable bond issuance and lending will further enrich the green and sustainable finance ecosystem in Hong Kong.”
Continue reading for more details on the GSF Grant Scheme.Continue Reading Hong Kong’s New Green And Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme Begins May 10
On April 30, 2021, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) published Malaysia’s national climate-focused sustainability taxonomy for the financial sector, the Climate Change and Principle-based Taxonomy (CCPT). The CCPT sets out five Guiding Principles (GPs) intended to help financial institutions (FIs) assess and categorize economic activities according to the extent to which they meet climate objectives and promote the transition to a low-carbon economy.
In this Blog Post, we discuss the scope and applicability of the CCPT, the five GPs and what this new national taxonomy could mean for Southeast Asia’s forthcoming regional sustainability taxonomy.Continue Reading Malaysia Publishes Climate Change Taxonomy For Financial Institutions
On April 28, 2021, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SCM) updated the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG) to strengthen the corporate governance culture of Malaysia’s listed companies. According to SCM, in this first update since 2017, the MCCG “focuses on the role of the board and senior management in addressing sustainability risks and opportunities of the company”, among other topics. The SCM notes:
“The MCCG 2021 also addresses the urgent need for companies to manage [ESG] risks and opportunities, with the introduction of new best practices that emphasise the need for collective action by boards and senior management. The global commitment and acceleration of efforts to transition towards a net zero economy has resulted in demand for greater action on the part of corporates. The SC[M]’s review of sustainability statements by large listed companies found that some have begun to address climate-related risks but more can and needs to be done.”
In this Blog Post, we provide additional background on the MCCG and highlight ESG-related aspects of the 2021 update, as well as recent, similar efforts to highlight the connection between ESG management and good corporate governance in other Asian jurisdictions.
On April 16, 2021, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) issued a consultation paper (the “Consultation“) seeking public comment on proposed amendments to the SEHK’s Corporate Governance Code and Listing Rules intended to promote good corporate governance practices among listed companies and IPO applicants. Amidst the global surge in
On April 13, 2021, the Government of New Zealand announced the introduction of legislation that would make climate-related disclosures aligned with the Recommendations of the Task-Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) mandatory for certain financial services organizations, as well as all equity and debt issuers listed on the NZX. This mandatory reporting regime is both robust and broad – the first of its kind – and other countries around the world may soon follow suit.
The Government views the proposed law as a significant step toward realizing New Zealand’s ambitious climate agenda. According to Climate Change Minister James Shaw, “We simply cannot get to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 unless the financial sector knows what impact their investments are having on the climate. This law will bring climate risks and resilience into the heart of financial and business decision making.”
We summarize key aspects of the proposed law in this Blog Post.Continue Reading New Zealand Introduces Mandatory Climate Disclosure Law
On April 6, 2021, the Council of Experts Concerning the Follow-up of Japan’s Stewardship Code and Japan’s Corporate Governance Code (Council) published a consultation on proposed revisions to Japan’s Corporate Governance Code (Governance Code) and Guidelines for Investor and Company Engagement (Guidelines) intended to, among other things, increase attention to sustainability and ESG matters and promote diversity among Japan’s listed companies.
The Governance Code sets out the fundamental principles for effective corporate governance of listed companies in Japan, while the Guidelines provide agenda items for engagement that institutional investors and companies are expected to focus on. The proposed revisions to these two documents could significantly influence the state of ESG and diversity among Japan’s listed companies, with a key emphasis on sustainability-related disclosures.
In this Blog Post, we provide additional background on the Governance Code and the Guidelines, as well as details and analysis of the consultation proposals.Continue Reading Japan to Promote ESG Disclosures and Diversity for Listed Companies
Amidst the global surge in interest around ESG investing, asset owners with diversified, global portfolios must understand the specific ESG risks that may apply to investments in different regions and industries, as well as the variety of approaches to ESG risk mitigation across public and private markets.
Southeast Asia is a particularly attractive region for
On March 30, 2021, finance ministers and central bank governors from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced their support for an ASEAN Taxonomy of Sustainable Finance (ASEAN Taxonomy). Like the Taxonomy Regulation in the European Union, the ASEAN Taxonomy will serve as ASEAN’s common language for sustainable
The National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China approved China’s 14th Five Year Plan (the “Plan”) at the annual “two sessions” in early March 2021, setting forth the overarching economic and social policy directive for the country in the coming five years. Released months after President Xi Jinping’s carbon neutrality pledge of September 2020, which targets to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality in 2060, the Plan is expected to provide a clear roadmap for achieving the climate goals.
The Plan specifies binding indicators for energy intensity and CO2 emissions intensity, which demand a 13.5% reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP and a 18% decrease in CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 2025. In addition, the Plan proposes to establish a modern energy system, detailing the construction of major energy projects and setting the goal of increasing the share of non-fossil energy in China’s total energy consumption from 15.8% to around 20% by 2025. The Plan also calls for regional and departmental action plans on peaking CO2 emission before 2030 and acknowledges that the country would make efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2060.Continue Reading Key Policy Directive for China’s Energy Transition: China’s 14th Five Year Plan