On December 2
nd, 2025, the 13
th China Sustainable Investment Forum (China SIF) Annual Conference was successfully held in Beijing. The Conference was hosted by SynTao Green Finance and co-hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (UN SSE). Dozens of experts from regulatory bodies, the market, academia, and domestic and international organisations shared their insights at the event, engaging in in-depth discussions on the evolving global landscape of responsible investment and new opportunities for ESG investing.
Franziska Zimmermann, Managing Director of Sustainability at Temasek, participated in the Annual Conference as a keynote speaker and delivered the following speech titled “Navigating Complexity: ESG as a Strategic Compass for Global Investment”:
Good morning, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen. It is a privilege to join you here today – at a time when clarity and conviction matter more than ever.
Let me begin with Temasek’s journey in China. Since the 1980s, our portfolio companies have been active here, through investments in properties, hospitality and services. In the early 2000s, we established our Beijing office – one of the first two outside Singapore – to capture opportunities in emerging Asia. Today, we have offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. China is our second-largest market outside Singapore by underlying exposure.
What matter most in our decades-long journey here, are the partnerships and friendships we have forged – enabling us to participate actively in China’s growth. China’s long-term prospects remain attractive to us — with opportunities in the green economy, life sciences innovations, and leading domestic brands.
Speaking of the green economy, China has, over the past decade, transformed from a carbon-intensive economy to becoming a global leader in green innovation. In 2023, China added nearly 300 gigawatts of renewable capacity, accounting for 63% of global expansion. We are also witnessing a rapid acceleration in overseas investment by Chinese green technology manufacturers. These innovations - and the resulting strategic capital flows abroad - are reshaping the global clean-tech landscape, accelerating progress in emerging markets.
Together, these achievements underscore the strong economic and commercial momentum behind China’s commitment to transform and de-carbonise energy systems.
For Temasek, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. We aim to build a resilient and forward-looking portfolio that delivers sustainable returns over the long term, while catalysing positive outcomes towards net zero, nature positive and inclusive growth. To succeed, we must ensure sustainability delivers on two fronts: earning the social license to operate, while driving commercial viability. When businesses create value for all stakeholders, they build trust, resilience, and competitiveness.
The transition to a low-carbon future presents distinct and significant opportunities where our capital can play a differentiated role. One structural trend guiding our portfolio construction is Sustainable Living — investing in less-carbon intensive businesses, and scaling transition solutions.
Here in China, we were early investors in its green transformation – with investments in the energy storage and EV industries. Today, our portfolio spans the EV value chain, across companies such as battery manufacturer CATL and EV company BYD.
We are also invested in companies like AlphaESS, a global energy storage solution and service provider; Yangzhou Nanopore, a developer of new energy materials; and PCG Power, a developer and operator of renewable energy projects.
Beyond direct investments, we are also scaling our capital with likeminded partners to invest in opportunities arising from China’s energy transition. For example, in 2021 we set up True Light Capital, a Singapore-based asset manager focused on China, investing in areas that align with Temasek’s long-term strategy such as green energy, healthcare, and emerging technologies.
Building on China’s momentum, let’s turn to Asia — the decisive battleground for climate action. The region currently accounts for half of global emissions with coal still dominating its energy mix. Simply put, without Asia’s decarbonisation, the world cannot achieve net zero.
Today, the region faces an estimated annual climate financing gap of 800 billion US dollars, with emerging economies struggling to secure funding given various risk factors – either actual or perceived – as well as shrinking global aid.
This challenge is also one of the greatest investment opportunities of our time, and Chinese companies are actively tapping into the opportunity by leading cross-border green investments in markets like Indonesia and Vietnam. Collectively, we must also go beyond “financing green” to “greening finance” - embedding sustainability into financial systems to unlock the necessary capital for the transition.
We see innovative financing mechanisms such as blended finance, carbon markets, and transition credits as key to expanding the financing toolbox, and mobilising the capital needed for transition opportunities.
One example is our collaboration with the Monetary Authority of Singapore and other partners on the Green Investments Partnership, also known as GIP. GIP recently achieved its first close with 510 million US dollars in committed capital from global and regional private, public and philanthropic institutions. These funds will support green infrastructure in Southeast and South Asia, including investments in renewable energy and storage, sustainable transport, water and waste management. Pentagreen, our joint venture with HSBC focusing on blended finance, will manage GIP.
We also support frameworks for transition finance, critical for carbon-intensive sectors. As a knowledge partner in TRACTION—the Transition Credits Coalition—we work alongside others to explore the use of transition credits to improve the economic viability of financing the early retirement of coal-fired power plants.
You will see that concerted efforts in collaborating with others for systems change go beyond our role as an investor.
For Temasek, sustainability leadership is about action, accountability, and partnership. Our philosophy is simple: companies that embed sustainability are better positioned to navigate risks, strengthen competitive advantages and create sustainable value over the long term, - not just for investors and businesses, but also communities and societies.
One way we do this, is by systematically embedding environmental, social and governance considerations across our investment process, from pre-investment due diligence to post-investment management. Since 2021, we have also applied an internal carbon price of 65 US dollars per tonne of carbon emissions to embed the cost of carbon in our investment and operating decisions, thereby enabling a greater focus on the long-term climate resilience of our portfolio.
As shareholders, we also engage our portfolio companies on ESG considerations using tools like our Climate Transition Readiness Framework and ESG Value Creation Playbook. We want to help them understand and manage climate-and sustainability-related risks to build business value and resilience over the long term.
As I close, I would like to leave you with this: The climate crisis knows no borders – no single institution or country can solve it alone.
The green transition is both an urgent challenge and a major opportunity. China’s own journey demonstrates that ambition and execution go hand in hand. Temasek’s experience shows that sustainability is not a tradeoff — it is a source of resilience and long-term value creation.
All of us here have a choice: to stand on the sidelines or to lead, especially when the journey is tough and uncertain. I hope that together, we can turn climate risks into opportunities and build a sustainable, inclusive future.
Thank you.
The 13
th China Sustainable Investment Forum (China SIF) Annual Conference and the 2025 China SIF Week is hosted by
SynTao Green Finance and co-hosted by
UNEP FI and the
UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (UN SSE). China SIF is an international exchange platform focused on responsible investment and sustainable development, dedicated to promoting responsible investment and ESG (environmental, social and governance) concepts, advancing green finance, and supporting the sustainable development of China’s capital markets. The strategic partners of this year’s Annual Conference are Harvest Fund, SPDB-AXA Fund Management, and Pictet Asset Management. The partners are Ofi Invest Asset Management, Syncicap Asset Management, and Asia Research & Engagement (ARE). The event also received strong support from KLP Asset Management AS, HSBC Asset Management, Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC), CDP, and SynTao Consulting. Media partners of this year’s Annual Conference include Shanghai Securities News, Cnstock.com, Sina Finance, The Economic Observer, Caijing Magazine, Faren Magazine, Stockstar, China Fund News, China Times, Hexun.com, Caixin Global, NetEase Finance, WallstreetCN, Huxiu, qeubee LIVE, Wind 3C Conference, and iFinD. Special thanks go to the China Climate Engagement Initiative (CCEI), China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters (CCCMC), World Resources Institute (WRI) Beijing Representative Office, Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN), Institute of Finance and Sustainability (IFS), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), Bank of Jiangsu, Yuze Cixin, International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), CCM CSR Promotion Center, CUHK-Shenzhen School of Economics and Management, Meijin Energy, Capital University of Economics and Business China ESG Research Institute, Shenzhen Finance Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Data Economy, New Development Bank, and other institutions for their contributions to the successful organization of the 13th China SIF Annual Conference and the 2025 China SIF Week. Dozens of experts from regulatory bodies, the market, academia, and domestic and international organisations shared their insights at the event, engaging in in-depth discussions on the evolving global landscape of responsible investment and new opportunities for ESG investing. More than 300 representatives from different organizations joined onsite, while online viewership surpassed one million for the first time.
The Annual Conference was broadcast live in Chinese on the “SIFSustainable Investment Forum” “SynTao Green Finance” “Guo Peiyuan Talks ESG” “SynTaoXiaoSynTalks” “Huaxia ESG Obeserver” video channels, and simultaneously on platforms such as the Economic Observer · Jingguan App, Sina Finance, Sumscope Qeubee LIVE, Wind 3C Conference, and the iFinD Terminal. In addition to the Annual Conference, the 2025 China SIF Week also worked with nearly 50 organizations to produce 11 Side Events, covering an ESG media training focused on COP30, a transition finance and methane reduction seminar, the UNEP FI China workshop on biodiversity finance and environmental and social risk management, the CCEI Annual Conference, the Mining 2030 Luncheon, the PRI China Nature Forum, the GRI Climate Standards Workshop, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Roundtable, an ESG Academic Seminar, the CCEI Corporate Visits, and the Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact Investment Seminar. You are welcome to subscribe to SynTao Green Finance “Online Classroom” to watch the replays of the 2025 China SIF Week events.
Welcome to follow the China SIF WeChat account “SIF Sustainable Investment Forum” (China SIF), as well as the organizer SynTao Green Finance’s WeChat account (syntaogf).
For inquiries regarding China SIF cooperation and information requests, please contact the organizer at:
contact@syntaogf.com.
About the China Sustainable Investment Forum
The China Sustainable Investment Forum (China SIF) was launched in 2012 in Beijing and formally registered in 2016 in Shenzhen as a non-profit private organization under the full name Shenzhen Jifeng Green Finance Promotion Center. China SIF is an international exchange platform focused on responsible investment and sustainable development, dedicated to promoting responsible investment and ESG (environmental, social and governance) concepts, advancing green finance, and supporting the sustainable development of China’s capital markets.
As a member of the Global SIFs Network, China SIF has, since its establishment, organized annual conferences, summer conferences, China SIF Week, and a series of thematic seminars and exchange events. It invites domestic and international experts, researchers, practitioners in responsible investment, financial institutions, and listed companies to share research findings, practical experience, and case studies, exploring and advocating responsible investment and green finance in various forms.
China SIF has published a series of flagship reports and research results, such as the China Sustainable Investment Review, and has continuously supported the ESG Thesis Competition. Together with partners and many industry experts, it has developed the “Online Classroom” video course series to promote ESG investment concepts and practices. After years of development, China SIF has become a signature event platform in this field.
For more information, please visit the China SIF official website: https://chinasif.org/
