In late May 2020, Energy Foundation China (EF China) organized its sixth Economists Dialogue on global and China’s low carbon and green development agenda, focused on China’s green post-pandemic economic stimulus and the 14th Five-Year Plan.

In September 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to peak China’s carbon emissions “before 2030” and archive carbon neutrality “before 2060” in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly.

With support from Energy Foundation China, the Shenzhen Emissions Exchange released this research report in February 2020 to provide tailor-made policy recommendations for the city’s green growth and finance. The report analyzed the core elements and key process of establishing a green enterprises pool, especially screening criteria and evaluation methodology of eligible green enterprises, based on existing green evaluation standards in China and abroad. Taking into consideration of green development plans and industrial characteristics in Shenzhen, the research also put forward how to define green enterprises and choose screening criteria and methodologies, before it suggested how to establish and implement a green enterprises pool for Shenzhen, a metropolis of 12 million people in South China.

This report was published by Shenzhen Emissions Exchange in May 2019, with support from Energy Foundation China. After reviewing green finance standards and practices domestically and internationally, as well as fund operation in China, this research report summarized core requirements for green private equity and venture capital funds, and proposed policy recommendations on how China’s green fund standard should be with respect to standard indicators, labeling requirements, and evaluation and certification by third parties. As part of the National Green Finance Standardization Program, this report proposed a system for standardized green fund evaluation and certification, which is conducive to guiding the sustainable growth of green funds, encouraging more responsible green investors, and thus increasing industry financing.

This report was compiled by Wang Qingyi, co-founder of the China Energy Research Society, with assistance from the Innovative Green Development Program and support from Energy Foundation China.