Responsible Finance as a Point of Synergy for Issuers and Investors when Tapping International Capital Markets
The transformation of the global economy to a low-carbon model will require substantial funding, which has been estimated at USD 120 trillion. At the same time, another transition is under way, whereby ESG principles are forming a key component of investment projects. It is a model that is becoming increasingly interesting to investors and borrowers, and the ESG bond market is growing rapidly. The global market is already worth USD 1 trillion, making it bigger than the Russian debt and equity markets combined, and it has the potential to grow tenfold by 2025. International standards and a financial infrastructure have been put in place, and Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) are set to be toughened in 2021–2022. This will lead to an increase in the proportion of assets being managed according to compulsory ESG principles from 50% to 90% (or USD 90 trillion). This will only serve to increase the flow of investment in responsible finance tools. As things stand, the Russian economy is not able to comply with strict green standards, and the country’s public institutions and businesses are therefore faced with the challenge of overhauling their strategies. If they do not do so, the risk of becoming less competitive and more restricted as a result of a range of consequences (such as the EU’s carbon tax) is very real. Moreover, the Russian market is limited in terms of potential finance. What needs to be done to prepare for and comply with the new reality, given that only a few players have full access to the tools provided by the international market?
