Group 1 - As of August 2025, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in collaboration with the China Securities Index Company, has released a total of 155 ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) related indices [1] - The indices cover a variety of themes, including ESG series indices based on the China Securities ESG evaluation system, green energy and new energy vehicle indices focusing on green and low-carbon industries, carbon neutrality series indices depicting corporate carbon emissions and decarbonization trajectories, and bond series indices based on the ESG evaluation of bond issuers and the environmental benefits of bonds [1] - Nearly 100 products tracking these indices have been launched, with a total scale exceeding 70 billion yuan [1]

Core Insights - The "dual carbon" goals have become a social consensus in China, driving the economy towards low-carbon and sustainable development over the past five years [2] - The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) is actively building a green financial market with diverse products and participation from various entities, serving as a crucial hub for connecting industry and capital [2] Group 1: Product Supply and Financing - SSE has facilitated the listing of 68 IPOs in the new energy and environmental protection sectors on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board by providing lifecycle consulting services [2] - 19 listed companies in the energy-saving and new energy sectors have completed refinancing on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board, raising a total of 648 billion yuan [3] - SSE has issued over 930 billion yuan in green bonds and low-carbon transition bonds, supporting traditional industries in energy conservation and low-carbon transformation [4] Group 2: ESG and Investor Engagement - SSE has published 155 ESG-related indices, with nearly 100 products tracking these indices, amounting to over 70 billion yuan in scale [4] - 46 green ETFs have been listed on SSE, covering various themes such as ESG and new energy, with a total scale approaching 50 billion yuan [5] - SSE has conducted training sessions for over 870 listed companies to improve ESG information disclosure, with over half of the companies expected to publish ESG reports by 2025 [6][7] Group 3: International Collaboration and Standards - SSE has actively participated in G20 discussions on sustainable finance, showcasing China's progress in this area and contributing to global climate governance [9][10] - As a member of the World Federation of Exchanges, SSE has led the development of sustainable exchange principles, enhancing its role in the global sustainable development agenda [10]

Core Viewpoint - The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) is actively developing a green financial market to support China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, integrating green development into various sectors of the economy and facilitating connections between industries and capital [1][8]. Group 1: Product Supply and Market Development - SSE is enhancing its green financial market by providing diverse products and services, including lifecycle consulting for green enterprises, which has led to 68 IPOs in the new energy and environmental protection sectors on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board by August 2025 [2]. - SSE has streamlined refinancing processes for listed companies, resulting in 19 companies in the energy-saving and new energy sectors completing refinancing with a total of 648 billion yuan raised [2]. - The bond market has seen significant innovation, with SSE issuing over 9,300 billion yuan in green and low-carbon transition bonds since 2016, supporting projects like hydropower station construction [3]. Group 2: Indexes and Fund Products - SSE has launched 155 ESG-related indexes, with nearly 100 products tracking these indexes, amounting to over 700 billion yuan in scale, facilitating investment in green sectors [4]. - There are 46 green ETFs listed on SSE, covering various themes related to ESG and green development, with a total scale approaching 500 billion yuan [4]. Group 3: Policy and Governance - SSE is promoting ESG information disclosure among listed companies, with over half of the companies expected to publish ESG reports by 2025, enhancing their competitiveness [5][6]. - The SSE has implemented action plans to improve the quality of ESG disclosures, resulting in 22% of listed companies seeing an increase in their ESG ratings by August 2025 [6]. Group 4: International Engagement - SSE actively participates in international discussions on sustainable finance, representing China at the G20 Sustainable Finance Roundtable and contributing to the development of global sustainable finance principles [7]. - SSE has made ESG investment a core topic at its international investor conferences, providing opportunities for local companies to showcase their green development efforts to global investors [7].

Global ESG Trends - The global ESG landscape continues to show divergence, with a reported net outflow of $8.6 billion from sustainable funds in Q1 2025, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of outflows in the U.S. and the first outflow in Europe since 2018 [2][21] - As of Q1 2025, the total size of global sustainable funds reached $3.16 trillion, with the U.S. experiencing a net outflow of $6.1 billion and Europe $1.2 billion [2][21] Europe: Regulatory Framework - The EU has established a comprehensive ESG information disclosure framework, including the EU Taxonomy, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) [3][4] - The CSRD will be fully implemented by July 2024, requiring large companies and listed firms to disclose "double materiality" data, which includes the financial impact of environmental factors and the company's impact on the environment [4][6] United States: Political and Regulatory Challenges - The U.S. ESG landscape is marked by political division, with federal policies regressing under the Trump administration and states like California and New York pushing for stricter ESG disclosures [8][9] - The SEC's climate-related disclosure rules have faced legal challenges, leading to a decrease in ESG shareholder proposals by 34% in 2025 [9][10] China: Practical Approach to ESG - China's approach to ESG is characterized by a pragmatic strategy linked to national development goals, focusing on energy independence and supply chain resilience [10][11] - By May 2025, China's cumulative installed solar capacity surpassed 1,080 million kilowatts, accounting for over 40% of the global total, while the sales of new energy vehicles reached 5.608 million units, representing 68.3% of global sales [11][12] ESG Investment Products in China - The number of ESG investment products continues to rise, but the scale is beginning to shrink, with the total size of ESG public funds at approximately 504.59 billion yuan as of June 2025, down from 572.6 billion yuan in 2024 [22][21] - Despite the overall decline in scale, over half of passive ESG equity index funds have outperformed the market, and more than 80% of passive ESG bond index funds have shown stable returns [21][38] ESG Reporting and Disclosure in China - As of June 2025, 46.1% of A-share listed companies have published ESG reports, with a notable increase in disclosure rates among large firms [14][16] - The quality of ESG reports has improved, but issues of "formalistic disclosure" remain prevalent, particularly among smaller companies [18][19] Performance of ESG Funds - ESG public funds have shown mixed performance, with a one-year average return of 8.55%, which is on par with the overall public market, but a three-year average return of -20.20%, indicating underperformance [35][36] - In contrast, ESG bond funds have demonstrated more stability, with average returns of 1.11% over the past year and 2.98% over three years [37]