1月13日，应香港特别行政区行政长官李家超邀请，中国气候变化事务特使刘振民出席第十八届亚洲金融论坛并在开幕式发表致辞，阐释气候融资对促进能源转型及推进绿色发展的重要作用，表示能源转型和绿色低碳发展是世界经济增长的重要引擎，认为香港作为国际金融中心应当发挥优势、积极作为，助力气候融资赋能亚洲能源转型，为推动全球可持续发展作出新的更大贡献。致辞全文如下：

中国气候变化事务特使刘振民

在第十八届亚洲金融论坛

开幕式上的致辞

（1月13日 中国香港）

上午好！很高兴参加第十八届亚洲金融论坛。今年论坛主题为“启动增长新引擎”，借此机会，我想围绕气候融资对促进能源转型、推进绿色发展的重要作用分享一些看法。

气候变化正成为当今人类社会面临的现实威胁，应对气候变化要靠发展方式的根本变革，而能源转型是变革发展方式的重要路径之一。2023年，联合国气候变化迪拜大会（COP28）开启“以公正、有序和公平方式转型脱离化石燃料”的全球进程，带来了实现能源转型的巨大资金需求。迪拜大会完成的对《巴黎协定》的首次全球盘点指出，到2030年，清洁能源投资需要达到每年4.3万亿美元，到2050年清洁能源投资需要增加到每年5万亿美元。

2024年11月举行的联合国气候变化巴库大会（COP29）确立了未来十年支持发展中国家的气候资金目标及气候融资安排。大会呼吁所有行为体共同努力，到2035年将所有公共和私人来源为发展中国家缔约方开展气候行动提供的资金规模扩大到每年至少1.3万亿美元。为此，大会重申由发达国家带头，到2035年每年至少为发展中国家缔约方筹集3,000亿美元用于气候行动。大会也鼓励发展中国家在自愿的基础上通过包括南南合作做出贡献。这些决定为推进全球能源转型注入了强大动力，为多边开发银行和私营部门等各类主体参与气候融资提供了重要指引。

女士们、先生们、朋友们，

正如联合国秘书长古特雷斯所说，气候融资不是慈善事业，而是一项投资。以亚洲地区为例，亚洲是世界经济增长主要动力源，也是全球能源转型的关键地区。据国际能源署预测，亚洲2025年将消耗全球一半的电量，亚洲各国能源转型的挑战异常突出，气候投融资的需求巨大。

朋友们，

亚洲能源转型面临诸多突出挑战。一是受限于能源禀赋，亚洲国家高度依赖化石能源，亟需发展可再生能源以逐步替代化石能源。二是亚洲能源需求保持高位增长，需要在能源转型同时保障能源安全。三是很多亚洲国家工业化和城镇化快速发展，面临治理大气污染和减少温室气体排放的双重挑战。四是亚洲多数是发展中国家，普遍面临技术不足、资金短缺等现实压力。五是从碳达峰到碳中和，亚洲国家能源转型窗口期短。这一进程美国有40多年，欧洲是60多年，而亚洲国家多数仍在工业化进程中，仅有30年左右时间。

为有效应对这些挑战，亚洲各国需要加强区域合作，加大重点领域气候投资，可考虑建立能源转型合作平台，突破能源转型的技术、资金和产品供给等制约。为此，我们亚洲需做出更多努力。一是推进可再生能源投资建设。各国需要大力发展光伏、风电等非化石能源电力。二是推动传统能源行业更新升级。各国需要推进多元化电力供应，加强化石能源清洁高效利用，将化石燃料不利影响降至最低。三是投资新型电力系统。建设适合可再生能源的新型电网，实现电力系统的高效协调运行。四是加大能源转型技术投资。进一步提高太阳能、风能等可再生能源的效率，降低成本，增强稳定性，提高兼容性。五是推进减污降碳协同发展。温室气体与大气污染物多是同根同源，协同治理能够产生改善环境质量和实现气候目标的双重红利。

女士们、先生们、朋友们，

香港特别行政区是全球应对气候变化的先锋。我们高兴地看到，香港于2014年实现碳达峰，正积极落实“净零发电”“节能绿建”“绿色运输”“全民减废”四大减碳策略，取得卓越成效。着眼未来，香港在支持全球气候行动、支持亚洲能源转型方面优势突出，在整合多方资源，推进气候融资方面大有可为。香港可在以下四个方面继续努力：

一是助力多元化气候融资。当前发展中国家气候投资缺口较大，但私营部门气候投资动力不足。香港是国际金融中心，拥有成熟的金融市场和完善的金融基础设施，可以帮助有关发展中国家拓展多元资金募集渠道。

二是引导气候资金流向。当前气候资金分配不均，部分发展中国家获资不足，而且资金大多集中在减缓领域，适应领域投入不足。以多边开发银行为代表的公共资金可以释放更加清晰的投资信号，积极引导私营资金流向。

三是助推气候资金流通。香港金融市场高度开放，可以积极拓展同内地及其他亚洲各国气候金融合作，帮助企业和项目按照国际标准进行融资准备，便利亚洲地区和国际气候资金的相互流通。

四是创新气候融资工具。香港在绿色债券等方面有领先优势，可发挥金融机构和企业的创新主体作用，进一步优化推广金融工具，为亚洲国家量身定制解决方案。同时，香港具有发达的保险市场，也可通过开发气候保险产品，降低项目风险，提高气候融资吸引力。

女士们、先生们、朋友们，

过去十多年来，中国秉持人与自然和谐共生理念，积极推进绿色低碳转型，建成全球最大、最完整和最具竞争力的清洁能源产业链。2023年，中国能源转型投资达到6760亿美元，是全球能源转型投资最多的国家。

与此同时，作为一个发展中大国，中国自身应对气候变化仍面临巨大资金缺口。据估算，综合考虑减缓和适应行动，中国到2030年的总资金需求规模约为25.2万亿元，2031到2060年的总资金需求规模约为243万亿元。我们将努力做好自己的事，并将继续为其他发展中国家提供力所能及的支持。

女士们、先生们、朋友们，

能源转型和绿色低碳发展已成为全球大势，成为世界经济增长的重要引擎。香港作为一个重要的金融中心，应发挥优势，积极作为，助力气候融资赋能亚洲能源转型，为推动全球可持续发展作出新的更大贡献。

预祝本届论坛圆满成功！谢谢大家！

Keynote Speech by H.E. Liu Zhenmin, 

China's Special Envoy for Climate Change,

At the Opening Session of

The 18th Asian Financial Forum

(Hong Kong SAR, January 13)

Honorable John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR,

Excellency Mr. Adylbek Kasymaliyev, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan,

Excellency Mr. Zhou Ji, Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China,

Excellency Dr. Pan Gongsheng, Governor of the People's Bank of the People's Republic of China

Dear Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning! I'm very glad to attend the 18th Asian Financial Forum (AFF). The theme of this year's forum is "Powering the Next Growth Engines". I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some thoughts on the important role of climate financing in promoting energy transition and advancing green development.

Climate change is becoming a real threat to humanity today. To address climate change, a fundamental transformation of development model is required, and energy transition is one of the important paths to that. In 2023, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai (COP28) launched a global process of "transitioning away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner", which brought about a huge demand for funds to achieve energy transition. The first global stocktake of the Paris Agreement completed at COP28 pointed out that by 2030, about USD 4.3 trillion needs to be invested in clean energy per year, and by 2050, this number needs to increase to about USD 5 trillion per year.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29) held in November 2024 established the climate finance target and climate financing arrangements to support developing countries in the next decade. The Conference called on all actors to work together to enable the scaling up of financing to developing country parties for climate action from all public and private sectors to at least USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035.

To this end, the Conference reaffirmed that developed country parties should take the lead in raising at least USD 300 billion per year by 2035 for developing countries. The Conference also encouraged developing country parties to make contributions on a voluntary basis, including through South-South cooperation. These decisions have injected strong momentum into global energy transition and provided important guidance for various entities such as multilateral development banks and the private sector to participate in climate financing.

Dear Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said, climate finance is not charity, it's an investment. Taking Asia as an example, it is a major driver of global economic growth and a key region for global energy transition. According to the International Energy Agency's forecast, Asia will consume half of the world's electricity in 2025. The challenges of energy transition facing Asian countries are particularly prominent, and the demand for climate investment and finance is huge.

Dear Friends,

Asia faces many challenges in energy transition:

First, confined by their energy endowments, Asian countries are highly dependent on fossil energy and urgently need to develop renewable energy to gradually replace fossil fuel.

Second, energy demand in Asia continues to grow at a high rate, and it is necessary to ensure energy security while pursuing energy transition.

Third, many Asian countries are experiencing rapid industrialization and urbanization, and face the challenges of air pollution control and reducing greenhouse gases emission.

Fourth, most Asian countries are developing countries and are confronting real pressures such as technological insufficiency and capital shortage.

Fifth, the window for Asian countries to transition from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality is short. This process took over 40 years in the United States and more than 60 years in Europe, while most Asian countries are still in the process of industrialization and have only about 30 years.

To effectively address these challenges, Asian countries need to strengthen regional cooperation, increase climate investment in key areas, and consider establishing a cooperation platform for energy transition to overcome constraints of technology, capital, and product supply in the process. In this respect, we the Asian need to exert more efforts.

First, we need to promote investment and development of renewable energy. All countries need to vigorously develop non-fossil energy such as solar and wind power.

Second, we need to upgrade and renew traditional energy industries. All countries need to promote diversified power supply, enhance the clean and efficient use of fossil energy, and minimize the adverse impact of fossil fuels.

Third, we need to invest in new power systems. New power grids suitable for renewable energy need to be built, so as to achieve the efficient and coordinated operation of power systems.

Fourth, we need to increase investment in energy transition technologies, in order to further improve the efficiency of renewable energy such as solar and wind power, reduce costs, and enhance stability and compatibility.

Fifth, we need to coordinate pollution reduction with carbon reduction. Greenhouse gases and air pollutants often share the same origin. Coordinated governance can have the dual benefits of improving the environment and achieving climate goals.

Dear Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Hong Kong SAR is a pioneer in the global response to climate change. We are delighted to see that Hong Kong, which reached carbon peaking in 2014, is now actively implementing the four major decarbonization strategies of "Net-Zero Electricity Generation", "Energy Saving and Green Building", "Green Transport" and "Waste Reduction", and has achieved remarkable results. Looking to the future, Hong Kong has distinct advantages in supporting global climate action and Asia's energy transition, and enjoys great potential in integrating resources from multiple actors and promoting climate financing. Efforts can be continued by Hong Kong in the following four areas:

First, to facilitate diversified climate financing. There is a large gap in climate investment in developing countries, but the private sector lacks motivation in investing in climate projects. As an international financial center, Hong Kong has a mature financial market and well-developed financial infrastructure, which can help relevant developing countries expand fund-raising channels.

Second, to guide the flow of climate funds. Currently, the distribution of climate finance is uneven, as funds received by developing countries are severely insufficient. Most of the funds are for mitigation, leaving adaptation underfunded. Public funds such as those from multilateral development banks can send clearer messages for investment and guide private funds in the right direction.

Third, to promote the flow of climate funds. With a highly open financial market, Hong Kong can proactively expand climate financial cooperation with the mainland and other Asian countries, help enterprises and projects prepare for financing in accordance with international standards, and facilitate the two-way flow of climate funds between Asia and the rest of the world.

Fourth, to innovate climate financing tools. Hong Kong has a leading advantage in green bonds and other areas. It can give full play to financial institutions and enterprises as innovation drivers, further improve and promote financial tools, and tailor solutions for Asian countries. Moreover, Hong Kong can fully leverage its sophisticated insurance market to reduce project risks and attract more investment through developing climate insurance products.

Dear Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Over the past decade or so, China has adhered to the idea of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, actively promoted green and low-carbon transition, and developed the largest, most complete and most competitive clean energy industrial chain in the world. In 2023, China's investment in energy transition reached USD 676 billion, making it the world’s largest investor in energy transition.

At the same time, as a large developing country, China still faces a huge funding gap in its own climate response. It is estimated that, considering both mitigation and adaptation actions, China’s total funding demand will be approximately 25.2 trillion RMB yuan by 2030, and the number from 2031 to 2060 will be about 243 trillion RMB yuan. We will work hard in our own climate response, and continue to provide support for other developing countries to the best of our ability.

Dear Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Energy transition and green and low-carbon development have become a global trend and an important engine of the world economy. As an important financial center, Hong Kong could leverage its strengths, take active actions, and empower Asian energy transition through climate financing, so as to make new and greater contributions to global sustainable development.

In conclusion, I wish this year's AFF a complete success! Thank you!