Experts discussed the prospects for cooperation between the banking sector and business of the Russian Federation and the Asia-Pacific region within the framework of the ESG financing and sustainable development agenda
September 29, 2022
On September 29, 2022, a side event „Cooperation between the banking sector and business of the Russian Federation and the Asia-Pacific region within the framework of the ESG finance and sustainable development agenda“ was held online on the sidelines of the Third Ministerial Conference on Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration in the Asia-Pacific Region, UNESCAP.
The event was held by the United Nations Russian Association with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MFA of Russia), the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of Thailand and Sberbank. The event was attended by experts in the field of green finance from Russia and other countries of the Asia-Pacific region (hereinafter referred to as the Asia-Pacific region), representatives of international organizations, business, government agencies, academies and the nongovernmental sector.
The stated purpose of the event was to discuss the current status of cooperation in the field of sustainable finance between interested companies and regulators in Russia and the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the event discussed potential projects and initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation and promoting crisis resilience.
The event was opened by its moderator — First Deputy Chairman of the UN RAS, Vice-President of the World Federation of UN Associations, Head of the UNESCO Chair A.N. Borisov.
Further, Oleg Anatolyevich Shamanov, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to ESCAP, delivered a welcoming speech.
Sberbank’s ESG Managing Director Milana Stanislavovna Verkhunova spoke on behalf of Sber, noting the bank’s goals in the field of sustainable development and ESG transformation, the development of the ESG Policy, and achievements in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda.
UNESCAP Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Development Finance Hamza Ali Malik said ESCAP is stepping up its technical assistance in the area of sustainable finance, not only influencing policy making, but also improving the ESG investment environment. Hamza Ali Malik stressed that ESCAP works with a wide network of partners to provide training programs to governments and the private sector on sustainable finance principles, issuance processes and policy development.
VEB.RF Senior Banker Sergei Anatolyevich Storchak noted that the discussion on topics related to the efficient use of the resource possessed by Sberbank, VEB.RF, other Russian banks, as well as banks in the Asia-Pacific region, must be supported in every possible way.
Daria Arkadyevna Silkina, Head of the Sustainable Development Financing Division of the Corporate Relations Department of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, presented the activities of the Bank of Russia in the field of sustainable development. D.A. Silkina spoke in detail about the working group on financing sustainable development of the Bank of Russia, the priorities of the Bank of Russia, participation in the development of criteria for sustainable development projects (taxonomies), the market for „green“ financial instruments, regulation of the sustainable development market in Russia, green mortgage, and also about the publication of recommendations of the Bank of Russia, taking into account all international approaches.
During the Q&A session, Chief Researcher of the MGIMO Center for Sustainable Development K.E. Turbina, UNIDO National Expert I.N. Seregin, President of the Thai-Russian Chamber of Commerce V.E. Dyukarev.
Ivan Seregin, in his speech, noted megatrends in the postpandemic future according to the UNIDO report on industrial development.
“According to the report (UNIDO — ed. note), digitalization, green industry and the global shift of power towards Asia are identified as megatrends that will affect industrial development in the postpandemic future. „, — he said.
First Deputy Chairman of the UN RAS, Vice President of the World Federation of UN Associations, Head of the UNESCO Chair A.N. Borisov summed up the event, noting the need for further development of cooperation between Russia and the banking sector and business of the Asia-Pacific countries in order to increase resilience to crises.