Hong Kong Government signs Green Bond Pledge: First signatory from Asia: 香港特別行政區政府簽署了綠色債券宣言 成為亞洲區首個簽署單位

HKSAR aims for low carbon infrastructure investment and role as Asia green finance hub 

 

 

Climate Bonds Initiative is pleased to announce that Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has become the first Asian signatory to the Green Bond Pledge, demonstrating Hong Kong’s commitment to incorporate low carbon, resilient and sustainable solutions into the planning and deployment of infrastructure projects, with the aim to reinforce the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The HKSAR Government is joining the US State Treasurers of California, New Mexico and Rhode Island, the Cities of Asheville and San Francisco, King County, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Government of Mexico City, Australian pension fund LGS, South Africa’s FedGroup and Luxembourg Green Exchange in the list of issuer and supporter signatories.

 

Spokesperson of Environment Bureau of the HKSAR Government: 

“The HKSAR Government is pleased to join the international community in making this Green Bond Pledge. Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2030+ has set out our 2030 target, which is to reduce Hong Kong’s carbon intensity by between 65% and 70%, compared with the 2005 level. We are sparing no efforts to make this happen.”

Spokesperson of Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau of the HKSAR Government: 

“The HKSAR Government aims to develop and firmly establish Hong Kong as a leading hub for green finance in the region.”

“Committed to fostering a robust green bond market in Hong Kong, we welcome like-minded issuers to arrange financing for their green projects through our deep and liquid capital markets. Amongst other incentive measures to promote the development of green finance in Hong Kong, we have launched the Government Green Bond Programme to encourage more issuers to arrange financing for their green projects through capital markets in Hong Kong and grow the local green investor base.”

 

Sean Kidney, CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative:

“We are very pleased that the HKSAR Government has joined the Green Bond Pledge. Hong Kong has been one of the pioneering cities in Asia to adopt and develop green finance. In 2018, the HKSAR Government announced its HKD100bn sovereign green bond programme which is one of the world’s largest, demonstrating its leadership and commitment to a low carbon economy.”

“We look to more financial institutions and cities in Asia and the Pacific to follow suit in signing the Green Bond Pledge and accelerating green and climate finance initiatives.”

 

About the Pledge

The GreenBond Pledge is a joint effort of  international climate finance, local government and sustainability groups, including the Climate Bonds Initiative, Mission2020, CERES, CDP, the California Governor and Treasurer, NRDC, C40, Global Covenant of Mayors, and others.

Launched in March 2018 by ex-UN climate-chief Christiana Figueres at the Climate Bonds Annual Conference, the Pledge is a simple declaration that calls on signatories to support long-term infrastructure and capital projects that address environmental impact and climate risk, and issue green bonds to finance low carbon transition.

Recent signatories include Fedgroup from South Africa, Enkla from Sweden and SPI Partners from the US.  

 

The last word

HKSAR Government joining the Green Bond Pledge is a significant regional development. 

In February, we released our first Hong Kong Green Bond Market Briefing supported by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) & Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA), and in partnership with HSBC, providing a snapshot of green developments to date. 

Hong Kong is one of Asia’s leaders in developing green finance capabilities; has foreshadowed a large sovereign programme and a clear ambition to become Asia’s foremost green finance hub.

The decision to sign the Green Bond Pledge should be seen in this context.  

We look to more financial institutions and cities in Asia and the Pacific to follow suit. 

Congratulations to our latest Green Bond Pledge Signatory!

 

‘Till next time,

Climate Bonds.

 

 

香港特別行政區政府簽署了綠色債券宣言 成為亞洲區首個簽署單位

                                                                                      

 氣候債券倡議組織很高興地宣布,香港特別行政區政府成為亞洲區首個簽署綠色債券宣言的單位。該行動表明香港致力於將低碳﹑具氣候應變能力和可持續的解決方案納入基礎設施項目的規劃和部署,進一步朝著“巴黎協定”的目標邁進。

 

香港特別行政區政府環境局發言人:

「香港特區政府很高興與國際社會一起作出綠色債券宣言。 按照《香港氣候行動藍圖2030+》,我們的目標是在2030年,把本港的碳強度從2005年水平降低65%至70%。 我們正全力推行有關工作,以達到此目標。」

 

香港特別行政區政府財經事務及庫務局發言人:

「香港特區政府旨在發展和鞏固香港作為區內首要綠色金融的地位。 我們致力在香港建立穩健的綠色債券市場,並歡迎志同道合的發行人透過我們流動性充裕的資本市場為其綠色項目融資。 除了安排優惠措施促進香港的綠色金融發展,我們也推出了政府綠色債券計劃,以鼓勵更多發行人透過香港的資本平台為其綠色項目融資,並培育本地綠色投資者基礎。」

 

Sean Kidney,氣候債券倡議組織首席執行官:

「 我們樂見香港特區政府加入綠色債券宣言的行列。香港一直是亞洲區內開拓綠色金融的領先城市之一 。去年,香港政府宣布1000億港元的主權綠色債券計劃,是迄今為止全球最大的政府發行計劃之一,展示其對低碳經濟的領導力和承諾。」

 

「我們期望有更多亞洲和太平洋地區的金融機構和城市能夠仿效,簽署綠色債券宣言並加快綠色和氣候融資計劃。」

 

編輯垂注:

 

  • Green Bond Pledge):

綠色債券宣言是由國際上多個支持氣候融資和可持續發展的團體,以及地方政府共同發起的一項聯合倡議,包括氣候債券倡議組織、2020任務(Mission2020)、環境責任經濟聯盟(CERES)、碳信息披露項目(CDP)、加州州長和財長、自然資源保護協會(NRDC)、C40城市氣候變化領導小組(C40),全球氣候能源市長盟約(Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy)及其他。

 

綠色債券宣言由前聯合國氣候變化框架公約(UNFCCC)執行秘書長Christiana Figueres於2018年3月在氣候債券年會上宣布正式生效。該宣言是一個簡單的聲明,簽署方藉此表明支持能夠應對環境影響和氣候風險的長期基礎設施項目,並會透過發行綠色債券為低碳轉型提供資金。

 

香港特別行政區政府是亞洲地區第一個簽署綠色債券宣言的單位。 其他簽署單位包括美國加州財政廳、新墨西哥州財政廳、羅德島州財政廳、阿什維爾市政府、三藩市市縣政府、華盛頓州金縣、三藩市公用事業委員會、墨西哥市政府,澳洲養老基金Local Government Super及盧森堡綠色交易所等。

 

發行人和支持機構均可簽署綠色債券宣言。 通過簽署發行人綠色債券宣言,政府、國際機構和私營部門企業同意所有基礎設施項目都需要具有氣候應變能力,並支持減少溫室氣體排放。此外,該宣言簽署方同意支持符合全球最佳實踐的綠色債券市場快速增長,並將在適當的時候以綠色債券的方式為基礎設施融資。欲了解更多資訊,請瀏覽https://www.greenbondpledge.com/

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