DIFC announces Sustainable Finance Framework

Arabian Post Staff

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) announced its Sustainable Finance Framework, which sets out fundraising principles for investments in its environmental and social projects that enable sustainable business operations.

Globally, an estimated USD 3.3-4.5 trillion per year is required to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This has called forth the sustainable debt market, which has been growing at a rapid pace driven by strong demand from investors and rising expectations for governments and organisations to deliver on their sustainability commitments.

DIFC continues to support growth of the sustainable debt market within Nasdaq Dubai. As of September 2023, DIFC’s Nasdaq Dubai is the largest ESG sukuk market in the world, accounting for approximately 64 per cent of the world’s dollar-denominated sustainable sukuk (USD 16.4bn out of USD 25.8bn) and 46 per cent of the world’s all-currencies sustainable sukuk (USD 17.5bn out of 38.3bn).

S&P Global Ratings Second Party Opinion (SPO), appointed to review the DIFC Sustainable Finance Framework, provided ‘strong’ opinions on its process for project evaluation and selection; and reporting. The SPO provides aligned opinions on Use of Proceeds and Framework Assessment.

According to S&P Global, DIFC’s Sustainable Finance Framework is also aligned with international standards including, Social Bond Principles, Social Loan Principles and Green Bond Principles.

The framework further aligns with DIFC’s Strategy 2030 to drive the future of finance; with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to drive economic growth, innovation, and promote environmentally friendly and energy-efficient businesses; and with the UAE Sustainable Goals 2030.

As the UAE prepares to host the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28), DIFC’s year-long ‘Path to COP28’ programme, delivered in partnership with the Global Ethical Finance Initiative’s (GEFI), has been building momentum on the critical role of finance in addressing global sustainability challenges ahead of COP28.

As leading global financial centre, DIFC’s Sustainable Finance Framework demonstrates action, and further aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which require consistent finance flows to enable sustainable development.

In addition, DIFC continues to spearhead a range of comprehensive sustainability programmes in the pursuit of a net zero future, including its chairmanship of the Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group (DSFWG), established in 2019.

DIFC obtained guidance from Standard Chartered Bank in the development of the Sustainable Finance Framework.

Also published on Medium.