Background

As energy consumption soars with the rapid growth in population and economy amid rising challenges of climate change worldwide, green growth has become an important path for economic development and a priority towards a low-carbon economy, which may save the planet that we living on. To this end, the International Finance Forum (IFF) initiated the IFF Global Green Finance Award in 2020 to reward innovative green finance solutions worldwide. This award, which leverages IFF's global resources, aims to encourage international cooperation and exchange of successful practices in this area, to support sustainable development and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

The International Finance Forum (IFF) will start accepting applications for the annual IFF Global Green Finance Award, on June 5, 2023, which is also World Environment Day.

Echoing the theme of World Environment Day, "Only One Earth", which stresses the need to change through policy changes and our choices to live in harmony with nature sustainably, the IFF Global Green Finance Award is targeting applicants offering green financial solutions that promote the transformation of economic growth modes, contribute to pollution prevention and control and address climate change, as well as improve energy efficiency, energy conservation and emission reduction. This year's award is a global call for innovations and application practices in policy, system, industry, services, technology and talent building.

Salient features of the 2023 awards

Participation in high-level dialog:

    • One representative of the winner will be eligible to attend the 2023 IFF Annual Meeting, a high-level dialogue platform in global finance;
    • Medal and certificate from IFF.

Accreditation by authorities:

    • The Jury is composed of distinguished leaders and scholars from the global economic and financial realms.

Attention from key stakeholders:

    • Face to face communication with prominent figures in global green finance;
    • Winners are revealed and propagated in the IFF Global Annual report.

Significant international influence:

    • Reports and publicity in global mainstream media will improve the winner’ green finance credentials, and enhance brand image and popularity.

Projects that are suitable for the awards

We are looking for global green finance solutions that promote the transformation of economic growth mode, contribute to pollution prevention and control, address climate change, improve energy efficiency, energy conservation and emission reduction. These include but are not limited to innovation and practices in policies, institutions, industries, services, technology and talent creation.

Info

  • Award
  • Eligibility Criteria

    The International Finance Forum (IFF) "Global Green Finance Award" has been highly rated by the United Nations and many international organizations. Based on the success of the previous three years, 2023 IFF Global Green Finance Award will have no more than 10 winners for the Annual Award, no more than 10 winners for the Innovation Award, and no more than 5 winners for the Spark Award.

  • Annual Award:

    Open to any organization worldwide that has achieved outstanding performance in promoting a green transition, addressing climate risks, and achieving SDGs.

  • Innovation Award:

    Open to any organization worldwide that has innovative and leading projects and practice cases through financial instruments to promote green development and achieve outstanding performance.

    Specific areas covered include: green transition, i.e., the use of financial instruments to promote innovative technology projects implemented by institutions for purposes such as energy saving and carbon reduction, as well as green financial solutions; climate investment and finance, i.e., the use of financial instruments to promote climate change mitigation projects, climate change adaptation projects, and innovative projects with both mitigation and adaptation effects, as well as innovative solutions for financial institutions to address climate risks; the achievement of SDGs, i.e., the use of financial instruments and forms to promote innovative projects with outstanding achievements in biodiversity, green rural revitalization, green buildings, sustainable urbanization, and more.

  • Spark Award:

    Open to startups and SMEs at the forefront of development, especially those that have achieved original, leading, and exploratory achievements in the field of green development.
    Based on the Chinese and international definitions of the criteria for classifying SMEs, organizations applying for the Spark Award must meet the following conditions: A formally registered independent legal entity with no more than 250 employees, registered capital of no more than RMB 100 million (or USD 14.4 million), and an annual operating income of no more than RMB 100 million (or USD 14.4 million).

  • Any institution worldwide that has achieved outstanding performance in promoting green transition, addressing climate risk, and achieving SDGs. This includes public and private companies from different industries, as well as government agencies and non-profit organizations.

  • Eligible institutions that apply for the awards should be established for at least three years as of the application date, i.e., no later than June 2020. For the Innovation Award, eligible innovative project activities should have been completed no earlier than January 2020.

  • Having used financial instruments to promote a green transition, address climate risk, and achieve SDGs to produce significant economic, environmental, or social impacts; anticipated impacts are NOT considered.

  • This selection does not set a minimum threshold for the scale of an organization or its economic, environmental, or social impact.

  • The same organization can only apply for one category of award in a year.

  • Applications from previous award-winning institutions will no longer be accepted in principle. However, such institutions can still apply for Innovation Award based on a different innovative project.

Jury Committee

Han Seung-soo

Chairman
Han Seung-soo

IFF Co-chairman

Chair, the Council of Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly

Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea

Jenny Shipley

Co-Chairpersons
Jenny Shipley

IFF Co-chairperson & Director of IFF Sustainable Development Committee

The 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand

Erik Solheim

Co-Chairpersons
Erik Solheim

IFF Vice Chairman

Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations

Former Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

Deborah Lehr

Deborah Lehr

IFF Vice President

Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Paulson Institute

Siddharth Tiwari

Siddharth Tiwari

IFF Vice President

Former Chief Representative for Asia and Pacific, Bank for International Settlements

Gerry Rice

Gerry Rice

Director of Communications Department of International Monetary Fund

Spokesman of International Monetary Fund

Antony Leung

Antony Leung

IFF Vice Chairman

Former Financial Secretary, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Leong Vai Tac

Leong Vai Tac

IFF Vice President

Former Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao Special Administrative Region

Frank Rijsberman

Frank Rijsberman

IFF Board Member

Director-general of Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

LI Tong

LI Tong

IFF Board Member

Chairman of BOCHK Asset Management Limited

LIN Jianhai

LIN Jianhai

IFF Executive Vice President and Director of the IFF Global Center

Former Secretary of International Monetary Fund

LIU Yanhua

LIU Yanhua

IFF Advisory Committee Member

Honorary Director of the Expert Committee at National Climate Change Committee

LU Xuedu

LU Xuedu

IFF Academic Committee Member

Former Lead Climate Change Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

NIE Qingping

NIE Qingping

IFF Academic Committee Member

Former Chairman of China Securities Finance Corporation

SONG Min

SONG Min

IFF Academic Committee Member

Dean of the IFF Institute

SUN Hong

SUN Hong

Chief Engineer of the Administrative Centre for China's Agenda 21 (ACCA21)

WANG Yi

WANG Yi

IFF Academic Committee Member

Member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress

Deputy Director of National Expert Committee on Climate Change

Domenico Siniscalco

Domenico Siniscalco

IFF Vice Chairman

Former Minister of Economy and Finance of Italy

Vice Chairman, Morgan Stanley International Limited

Zafar Uddin Mahmood

Zafar Uddin Mahmood

IFF Board Member

Special Advisor (ministerial level) to Prime Minster of Pakistan

The First Special Envoy (ambassadorial level) for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

James X. Zhan

James X. Zhan

Chair of the Governing Board of the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative

Editor-in-Chief, the UN World Investment Report

Chair of Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones

ZHANG Yansheng

ZHANG Yansheng

IFF Academic Committee Member

Chief Researcher of China Center for International Economic Exchanges

ZHANG Shenfeng

ZHANG Shenfeng

Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade

ZHOU Jian

ZHOU Jian

IFF Advisory Committee Member

Former Vice Minister of Environmental Protection of China

ZHOU Yanli

ZHOU Yanli

IFF Vice Chairman

Former Vice Chairman of China Insurance Regulatory Commission

ZHU Xian

ZHU Xian

IFF Executive Vice President and Secretary-General

Former Vice President of the World Bank

Former Vice President of New Development Bank

Timeline

Winners

  • Annual Award Winners
  • Innovation Award Winners
  • Spark Award Winners

Previous Cases

Host

Organizer

Academic Support

Supporting Organizations