Unlocking Profitable Opportunities: The Financial Markets' Role in Climate Action
Key Ideas
- Global markets are moving towards mandatory reporting on ESG issues, particularly climate-related disclosures, offering insights beyond individual company sustainability.
- MSCI Research's report on companies in the MSCI AC Asia-Pacific Investable Market Index reveals a shift towards clean-tech sectors like hydrogen, renewables, and electric vehicles.
- Investment plans in the energy, utilities, and materials sectors are emphasizing clean energy, hydrogen, and decarbonization efforts, indicating a growing trend towards sustainable practices.
- Increased transparency through sustainability reporting not only helps manage risks but also presents profitable opportunities for companies as investors value credible climate strategies.
Sustainability and climate reporting continue to face resistance among businesses in Singapore. However, global markets are moving towards mandatory reporting on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, especially climate-related disclosures. MSCI Research's latest report on the MSCI AC Asia-Pacific Investable Market Index highlights that companies with transition plans are investing more in clean-tech sectors like hydrogen, renewables, and electric vehicles. In the energy sector, companies are focusing on hydrogen, renewables, electric vehicles, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Companies in the utilities sector are prioritizing clean energy and hydrogen-fired generation, while the materials sector is investing in renewable-energy and low-carbon products. Despite challenges in transitioning materials like steel, cement, and hydrogen away from fossil fuels, companies are exploring cleaner alternatives. The increase in companies reporting transition plans, from 12% to 22% over two years, indicates a growing trend towards sustainability. Investors are recognizing climate action as a source of profitable opportunities, driving the importance of sustainability disclosures for credible climate strategies. As companies adopt global accounting standards for disclosing transition plans, the quality and comparability of data are expected to improve, facilitating more informed investment decisions and driving sustainable practices.