Planetary Pulse reveals the findings from new primary research into transition finance.
It is based on a survey of 300 senior professionals at asset-owner institutions and advisors around the world, including pension funds, insurers, endowments, foundations, central banks, sovereign wealth funds, and consultants.
Regional highlights
Asia Pacific highlights
A strong majority of Asia Pacific asset owners (68%) report that fighting climate change is one of their fund’s strategic objectives – a higher proportion than Western Europe (56%) and North America (60%). However, Asia Pacific respondents in our survey recorded the lowest adoption of transition finance (13%) among the featured regions.
Asset owners report that the top barrier to transition finance in Asia Pacific is that expected returns are too low. Indeed, the region has a relatively low proportion (47%) that believe transition finance is a major commercial opportunity for asset owners, when compared to regions like North America (60%) and the UK (56%).
But this is expected to change. More Asia Pacific asset owners say they are likely to make transition finance investments in the next 12 months (43%) than most other regions (only Southern Africa is higher, at 48%). Plus, two thirds believe transition finance will grow rapidly over the next three years. Asset owners in Asia Pacific are clearly committed to climate-related investing and seem to expect to find stronger returns from transition finance in the months ahead.
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Visualised: The rise of transition finance
When it comes to generating real-world impact through transition finance, adoption rates vary. Transition Finance Leaders are actively using transition finance as part of climate-related strategies, Transition Finance Laggards are not.
Partner content published on FT.com
Real-world impact: The rise of transition finance‘Green’ strategies, such as ESG-branded assets, are designed to have small carbon footprints. In some cases though, this means they are avoiding carbon-intensive industries, rather than taking meaningful steps to help lower emissions. Transition finance is about real-world impact. |
How pension funds enable transition financeListen to an exclusive interview with Brunel Pension Partnership’s chief responsible investment officer, Faith Ward, and portfolio manager, Daniel Spencer as they discuss how asset owners can enable vital transitions while remaining true to their fiduciary duties. |
Resources
Download the report and infographic to reveal what transition finance means for asset owners and its role in the path to net zero.
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