Beijing, China, Nov. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Forum, co-organized by Singapore Management University (SMU) and Renmin University of China (RUC), concluded successfully on 21 November, 2023. The Forum brought together experts, industry leaders and academics from Singapore, China and around the world to discuss the theme of "Green Finance and Governance: From Commitments to Actions".
The Forum aimed to take participants beyond the traditional academic research paradigm to explore innovative ways in which green finance can achieve economic growth in the context of environmental obligations. Experts agreed that green finance has become a focal point for the financial community in Asia and globally, with governments, financial institutions and corporations committing to and taking concrete actions to promote sustainable development. The Forum explored the delicate balance between transparency in financial practices, accountability, green objectives and economic stability, and how to reconcile ESG (environmental, social, governance) with other government goals in the context of economic behavioral change.
In their opening speeches, Prof. Timothy Clark, SMU Provost, and Prof. Kangtao Ye, Vice President of RUC, on behalf of their respective universities, warmly welcomed the participants and pointed out the importance of green finance in addressing global environmental issues. Prof. Ye also highlighted the important achievements of China-Singapore cooperation in the field of green finance and called for more wisdom and strength for the cause of green finance. Prof. Clark expressed the positioning of SMU as an engaged city university with a strategic focus on digital transformation, sustainable living and growth in Asia, and the importance for the university to actively seek partners with similar visions in Singapore and the region. In addition, Prof. Clark emphasized the role of universities in driving change, particularly in the integration of research and industry expertise, as well as the contribution of universities in driving green finance. At the same time, he reviewed the multi-faceted partnership between SMU and RUC, and expressed his hope to deepen the collaboration in research areas, such as green finance and ESG investing.
In the keynote speech session, Hong Lan, Associate Director of the Ecological Finance Research Center of RUC and Professor of Environment and Natural Resources School, Hao Liang, Associate Professor of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB), Ho Bee Professorship in Sustainability Management and Co-Director of Singapore Green Finance Centre, Joris Dierckx, Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking for Southeast Asia and CEO of Singapore Branch at BNP Paribas, and Jang Ping Thia, Lead Economist and Manager of the Economics Department, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)- shared their insights and experiences on green finance and governance from their own areas of expertise.
The ensuing panel discussion was moderated by Zongxin Qian, Professor and Associate Dean of SFRUC. Focusing on the related topics such as ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) becoming an increasingly important policy issue for both developed and developing economies, Simon J.D. Schillebeeckx, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Innovation of SMU LKCSB, Co-founder and Director of the Global Mangrove Trust and GREEEN, Jang Ping Thia, Lead Economist and Manager of the Economics Department, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Qing He, Executive Deputy Director of of the National Finance Academy of RUC and SFRUC Professor, Haoyu Gao, SFRUC Professor, Yuchao Peng, Associate Dean of School of Finance, Central University of Finance and Economics, and Liping Lu, Associate Professor of SFRUC, shared their views on the topic and engaged in an in-depth and constructive discussion.
In an interview after the meeting, Professor Sun Sun Lim, SMU Vice President (Partnerships and Engagement), said that SMU as an engaged city university, aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of various issues in Asia through its in-depth research and teaching. SMU not only focuses on the major challenges in society, but also looks forward to collaborating with more leading Chinese universities in the future. Such collaborations will provide opportunities for both parties to engage in dialogues with Chinese academic and industry leaders on platforms, like the Global Forum to discuss important issues such as environmental sustainability and digital transformation. This collaboration will not only be a tremendous boost to the international reputation of SMU, but will also help promote in-depth research and solutions to the many challenges facing today’s society.
The successful conclusion of this Global Forum marks a new milestone in the interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration between SMU and RUC in the field of green finance and governance. It also provides a strong impetus for the sustainable development of green finance and lays a solid foundation for the future development of green finance.
