Our Scans · (FS.9.00) Sustainable & Green Finance · Weekly Summary

• [New] The UN's scrutiny of national climate plans signals imminent shifts in codes, procurement conditions, and finance that will influence sustainable construction strategies and accelerate decarbonising the built environment. Whole Life Carbon
• [New] In the Middle East, sustainable bond issuance is expected to remain resilient, as governments integrate sustainability objectives into broader economic diversification strategies. Yahoo Finance
• [New] With the largest number of sustainable and responsible investors in the world, Europe will remain at the forefront of new sustainable bond issuance, accounting for an estimated 42% of the new issuance volume in 2026. Environmental Finance
• [New] The SBV's policy framework - reduced credit risk weights, interest rate subsidies for green investment, and a new Green Taxonomy - creates financial incentives that are more immediately relevant to Vietnamese SMEs than disclosure compliance. Generation Impact Global
• [New] The PBOC's green bond catalogue classifies eligible assets; CBIRC guidelines require banks and insurers to integrate environmental and climate risks into credit and underwriting decisions; and the AMAC's ESG disclosure guidelines apply to fund managers. / China Generation Impact Global
• [New] With many North American banks now shying away from sustainable finance, Scotiabank has more than redoubled its commitment, raising its previous ESG-finance goal of $100 billion by 2030 to $350 billion and offering the full range of ESG products. Global Finance Magazine
• [New] The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund's Investing in Women window is a powerful opportunity specifically designed to back women-led or women-focused enterprises in the agribusiness and green economy sectors. Africa Agricultural Network | The Face of African Agric
• [New] Financed through the African Development Fund (ADF), the AfDB's concessional lending arm, TAAT-III will consolidate earlier gains while introducing a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model. African farming
• [New] Germany and Norway is expected to be the key investment markets backed by aggressive green hydrogen subsidies. Yahoo Finance
• [New] With global ESG assets projected to surge past $50 trillion, one-third of total global assets under management, the scale of sustainable investing is undeniable. ESGPro Mastery Institute
• Repsol will install its second 100 MW renewable hydrogen electrolyser at the Petronor refinery near Bilbao, investing EUR 292 million to produce up to 15,000 tonnes of green hydrogen a year mainly for industrial use. Ipieca
• Saudi Arabia, having set its net-zero target for 2060, has been heavily investing in the renewable energy sector, and with the world's largest green hydrogen plant, located in Neom, set to become fully operational in 2027. ArabNews
• The UK's Sustainability Disclosure Requirements, Saudi Arabia's sustainable debt labelling, and the UAE's sustainable finance agenda are all increasing demand for taxonomy alignment, disclosure support, risk governance and impact measurement. IFC Review
• Energy companies such as Masdar in the UAE are expected to continue issuing green bonds to expand renewable portfolios. Carbon Credits
• Canada is developing its own sustainable investment taxonomy to label and classify green and transition investments, with the initial system expected to be released by the end of 2026. Center for Sustainbability & Excellence
• As we look to 2026 and beyond, investment in data-driven, sustainable agriculture will be the most critical lever for addressing agricultural issues causes, with organizations like Farmonaut providing the tools necessary for transformation at every scale. Farmonaut
• Sustainable bond issuance in the Middle East is expected to remain strong in 2026. Carbon Credits
• Companies are investing heavily in hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel technologies to achieve net-zero goals by 2050. Market Data Forecast
• Sustainability-linked bonds will continue to see weaker momentum in 2026 than project-based sustainable finance - including green, social, sustainability, and transition bonds and loans. ING Think

Last updated: 17 March 2026