香港地球之友綠色金融顧問 Mostafa Monira Firdouse / Mostafa Monira Firdouse, Green Finance Advisor of Friends of the Earth (HK)

眾所周知,香港政府計劃發行高達1,000億港元綠色債券,以資助「綠色基建工程」項目。根據該計劃,政府會推出250萬港元的試點債券資助計劃,以發展綠色債券市場。

為支持這項綠色融資計劃,金管局將在基建融資促進辦公室下設立一個綠色金融中心(CGF),作為一個能力發展和經驗分享平台,並將致力推動本地銀行業和金融業的綠色發展。CGF將與國際金融公司(IFC)緊密合作,以達至意識增強和知識共享。

根據金管局進行的一項調查顯示,香港銀行已購入200億港元綠色貸款和400億港元綠色債券。大約六成受訪者表示,他們計劃發展綠色和可持續銀行業務。

匯豐銀行前大中華區行政總裁黃碧娟在今年五月時表示:「分三階段的監管方法提供了明確的路線圖和全面的戰略,以增強香港作為亞洲領先的國際綠色金融中心的地位。」她透露,匯豐銀行迄今已將其三成的資本投放於可持續投資,並預計在2025年前進行1,000億美元的此類投資。

中國銀行(香港)副董事長兼總裁高迎欣則表示,促進綠色金融是中國內地銀行集團的重要業務之一。他預計銀行將對綠色貸款收取較低的利率,而金融市場可以為綠色債券投資者提供較高的息票利率。https://www.chinadailyhk.com/articles/185/76/81/1557238115020.html

以上所見,銀行業正採取著多項措施來攻佔綠色金融市場。問題來了,金管局準備好監管綠色債券了嗎?

管理框架會是怎樣?

哪些材料將被視作證據?

與可持續發展目標或負責任融資有任何橫向及縱向相關性嗎?

此外,什麼類型的投資組合應被視作綠色融資?例如,只將新的投資組合視為綠色投資嗎?還是將重點放在從不良行業中徹資和現有行業的漂綠上?

As we all know, Hong Kong government plans to issue up to HK$100 billion worth of green bonds to fund “green public work” projects. Under this initiative, government plans to launch HK$2.5 million as a pilot bond grant scheme to develop the green bond market.

To support this green financing initiative, HKMA will set up a Centre for Green Finance (CGF) under the Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office as a capacity building and experience sharing platform and will focus on green development of local banking and finance industry. CGF will work closely with International Finance Corporation (IFC) to build awareness raising and knowledge sharing.

According to a survey conducted by the HKMA, Hong Kong banks have acquired HK$20 billion of green loans and HK$40 billion of green bonds. About 60 percent of the respondents said they planned to develop green and sustainable banking businesses.

 “The three-phase regulatory approach provides a clear roadmap and a comprehensive strategy to enhance Hong Kong’s position as a leading international green finance hub in Asia,” said HSBC’s former Greater China Chief Executive Helen Wong Pik-kuen in May 2019. She revealed that HSBC has so far invested 30 percent of its capital in sustainable investments and expects US$100 billion in such investments to have been made by 2025.

Gao Yingxin — vice-chairman and chief executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong) — said promoting green finance is one of the important businesses of the Chinese mainland banking group. He expects banks to charge lower interest rates for green loans, while the financial market can provide higher coupon rates for green bond investors. https://www.chinadailyhk.com/articles/185/76/81/1557238115020.html

As we see, banks are taking many initiatives to grab green finance market. And the question comes, how much HKMA is ready to monitor green bonds?

What is the monitoring framework?

What are the materials will be counted as evidence?

Any horizontal and vertical correlation with SDG and, or, with responsible financing?

Besides, what type of portfolio should be counted as green financing? Like; is that only new portfolio to be considered as green investing? Or, it will also focus on divesting in the bad industries and green washing for existing industries?