Hong Kong ESG fund assets under management reach HKD 13 trillion, with a year-on-year increase of 19% in the number of ESG funds
In the first half of 2023, the asset under management of Hong Kong's ESG funds exceeded HKD 1.3 trillion, with the number of funds increasing by 19% year-on-year and total assets under management rising by 8%. The Hong Kong government has proposed five major measures to promote green finance, including issuing green bonds, formulating climate-related disclosure guidelines, talent training, financial technology, and a sustainable finance taxonomy. Since 2019, the Hong Kong government has issued approximately HKD 220 billion in green bonds and launched funding programs to support the issuance and review services of green bonds, enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness in the international sustainable finance sector
Viewpoint News: On September 13, the Hong Kong Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau announced that the asset under management of Hong Kong's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) retail funds exceeded HKD 1.3 trillion in the first half of this year.
Data shows that as of the end of June, Hong Kong had a total of 233 ESG funds, a 19% year-on-year increase in quantity, with total assets under management rising by 8%.
To promote green and sustainable finance development, the Hong Kong government has proposed five major measures, including issuing green bonds, formulating climate-related disclosure guidelines, talent training, financial technology, and launching a sustainable finance taxonomy. In terms of green bonds, the government has successfully issued approximately HKD 220 billion equivalent of government green bonds since May 2019. Additionally, the government has introduced funding schemes to support the issuance of green and sustainable bonds and external review services to encourage more industries to utilize Hong Kong's financing platform for carbon reduction. In terms of disclosure guidelines, the government is committed to making Hong Kong one of the first jurisdictions to align local sustainable reporting standards with international financial reporting sustainability disclosure guidelines to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong companies in the international sustainable finance arena. Furthermore, through training and technology funding programs, the government aims to enhance the capabilities of professionals in related fields and promote financial technology innovation to facilitate the widespread application of green and sustainable financial technology in Hong Kong's business environment