Why Green Finance Must Move Beyond Slogans And Tick-Boxes

 Why Green Finance Must Move Beyond Slogans And Tick-Boxes 

The essence of true green finance is not to cheerlead the greenest technologies, but to invest in the greening of grey—and yes, even brown—sectors. Srinath Sridharan 17 Dec 2024, 12:57 PM IST Business Why Green Finance Must Move Beyond Slogans And Tick-Boxes Green finance, for all its promise, is at a crossroads. Much like a greenwashed wa

Green finance, for all its promise, is at a crossroads. Much like a greenwashed wall that peels when touched, the rhetoric often fails to match the reality. The concept has become both a rallying cry and a quagmire of contradictions. We extol the virtues of a net-zero world, but can we really wager our last treasury coin on achieving it? The uncomfortable truth is that sustainable finance risks be

Green finance, despite its growing prominence, remains a shallow construct in India, hampered by limited regulatory progress and insufficient alignment between rhetoric and reality. With an estimated $10.1 trillion needed for India’s climate transition by 2070, and a $3.5 trillion funding gap persisting despite conventional financing, it is clear that the current approach is inadequate.

What exactly makes a project “green”? The answer should be simple, yet it’s anything but. A wind farm? Undoubtedly green. A dairy farm practising “sustainable” methods? Perhaps. A bank funding a brown industry’s transition to cleaner operations? Now we’re in murky waters. The EU taxonomy—designed to define what counts as sustainable investment—has demonstrated the limits of rigidity. Forcing banks

The allure of taxonomy lies in its promise of clarity. But clarity should not come at the cost of nuance. Green finance is not a binary equation of green versus not-green. Proportionality is essential, particularly for small businesses. An artisan using solar-powered kilns should not be held to the same standards as a multinational revamping its fossil fuel-heavy operations. Simplicity in regulati

For example, despite India issuing its first green bonds in 2023, these efforts contribute minimally to its vast climate financing needs. Banks are not only grappling with accusations of greenwashing, where sustainability targets often become mere branding exercises, but also struggling to raise green deposits—a critical component of funding climate initiatives. This indicates that public confiden

Sustainable lending targets are now the fashion accessory of the financial sector, but they risk becoming exercises in branding. Stretchy definitions allow everything from wind farms to dubious projects to qualify, fuelling greenwashing accusations. Investors, quite rightly, are demanding proof that these initiatives go beyond mere promotion. The essence of true green finance is not to cheerlead t

As the financial sector grapples with high inflation, this transition focus could offer some of the most resilient investment opportunities. A brown industry turning green is, arguably, a safer bet than a shiny green start-up that may falter under cost pressures. Yet, these investments require patience and courage—qualities in short supply when quarterly earnings dominate the narrative.

Meanwhile, policymakers love to brandish the term “net zero” as though it were a magic wand. Global summits are replete with grand declarations and pledges that often crumble under scrutiny. Ukraine’s invasion has thrown energy security into sharp focus, forcing governments to rethink their priorities. This reappraisal may inadvertently inject much-needed realism into green finance. Energy transit

The Ukraine war exposed a stark reality: global rhetoric often masks self-interest. Nations publicly condemned Russia and championed sanctions, energy security frequently trumped solidarity. Germany, for instance, initially pledged to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, but quietly continued importing Russian gas via pipeline loopholes. India, too, faced criticism for increasing its purchases

The ideology of green financing, with its lofty promises of sustainability and altruistic soundbites, often clashes with the hard pragmatism of self-sufficiency and domestic realities. Governments, driven by socio-economic and political compulsions, must prioritise immediate stability over long-term ideals. For instance, developing nations like India and Indonesia, rich in coal reserves, face the

Meanwhile, wealthy nations champion green policies abroad, but fiercely protect domestic industries when jobs or energy security are at stake. Germany’s recent pivot back to coal amid energy shortages, despite being a green energy leader, is a stark example. This pragmatism highlights a critical challenge: green finance, though ideologically sound, risks becoming a luxury that only the most stable

And therein lies the hope. The renewed focus on energy security could finally align policymaking with economic reality. If regulators learn from missteps like the EU taxonomy, there’s a chance to design frameworks that encourage true sustainability. Green finance must move beyond slogans and tick-boxes. It must be about enabling long-term transitions, fostering innovation, and holding institutions

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