16 January 2018

Survey aims to discover world's greenest financial centres

A survey has been launched that aims to compile a Global Green Finance Index (GGFI) by ranking the world's financial centres according to the quality and depth of their 'green finance' offerings.

Responses are being invited, by 31 January, from financial services professionals, NGOs, regulators, and policy makers.

The GGFI is being developed by Brussels-based NGO Finance Watch and the London-based Long Finance initiative and will draw on the methodology already in place for the widely watched Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI).

Publication of the index is expected in March and the backers intend to repeat the exercise twice a year, as is done with the GCFI.

The term 'green finance' is intended to include "any financial instrument or financial services activity – including insurance, equity, bonds, commodity and derivatives trading, analytical or risk management tools – which results in positive change for the environment and society over the long term".

Recent initiatives to boost cities' green credentials include: Hong Kong's launch of a Green Finance Certification Scheme; and New York's city pension funds divesting $5 billion from fossil fuels companies.

Environmental Finance readers can vote in the survey here.

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