In this issue, we will outline the changing environmental landscapes in Hong Kong and China amid the current financial crisis, and look into the changes crucial to enable a greener future.
Ignoring the Environment Is Not a Viable Strategy in China
China’s unique public consultation window system now offers local communities and environmental NGOs an opportunity to scrutinise the environmental performance of companies, and even a chance to block their IPO applications at the very first stage.
Are the Banks Putting Their Money Where Their Mouths Are?
It has now become the trend for the banks to talk about integrating environmental, social and governance issues into their due diligence and risk-assessment exercises. Provided financial institutions are really serious about addressing the climate crisis, they should report details of the amounts of loans they refused to make or requests for financial services they turned down for the sake of saving the climate in China.
The newly established Dow Jones Sustainability Asia/Pacific Index (DJSI Asia/Pacific) may offer some clues. The "business-as-usual" attitude of Hong Kong's regulators is alarmingly dangerous when one considers that the city's current lead over the mainland could disappear rapidly.
Forestry Companies Must Say More About Their Green Credentials When They Seek a Hong Kong Listing
Hong Kong Exchanges has no specific guidelines or disclosure requirements relating to the environment for companies in the forestry sector. The dearth of such data makes it impossible for investors to distinguish between those who practice sustainable forestry strategies and those who do not.
