Enabling Green Finance For A Circular Economy – Perspectives From Asia & Europe
Supporting the below United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:支持以下聯合國可持續發展目標：支持以下联合国可持续发展目标：
The circular economy (CE) as a concept aims to conserve natural resources and increase resource productivity within economic systems. Critical enablers of this strategy are circular business models (CBMs): By applying R-strategies, such as refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, remanufacture and recycle, CBMs generate economic value, while simultaneously contributing to climate change mitigation, resource and environmental protection as well as the creation of novel employment opportunities.
Despite their inherent value for sustainability, CBMs face an uphill battle against traditional, linear systems. To facilitate their growth, investments, more specifically, green and sustainable finance, play a potentially invigorating role. The European Union as well as Hong Kong are both developing taxonomies to determine what qualifies as ‘green’ and should therefore be eligible to benefit from green finance (GF). While the relationship between green finance and climate change mitigation measures is gradually progressing, the link to the circular economy is still in its infancy.
The present workshop taps into this evolving nexus by bringing together experts from France and Hong Kong as well as local, corporate stakeholders to explore a number of key topics:
- Embedding the CE in the GF Taxonomy – viability and experience in Hong Kong and France
- Expanding GF taxonomies to include a CBM’s strategic objectives by identifying suitable metrics, thresholds and technical screening criteria.
- CBM capacities to document and measure resource-efficient related indicators
- Design and appropriateness of GF instruments for the CE
The workshop is open to academics as well as practitioners active in the circular economy, sustainability, green finance and other related domains.
Enabling Green Finance For A Circular Economy – Perspectives From Asia & Europe
04 June 2025 - Academic Day
09:00 | Welcoming remarks: Alexis Lau (ENVR), Benjamin Steuer (HKUST) and Felix Papier (ESSEC Business School)
Session 1: Sustainable Green Finance
09:30 - 10:00 | Quentin Moreau (HKUST) | Unlocking the potential of environmentally friendly solutions by innovative financial mechanisms: evidence from nature-based solutions
10:00 - 10:30 | Sandy Wu Yuhui (HKUST) | Water resource management and green finance
10:30 - 11:00 | Zoey Zhou Yiyuan (HKUST) | Biodiversity Co-Benefits in Carbon Markets
11:00 - 13:00 | Lunch break
Session 2: Circular Economy Business Models
13:00 - 13:30 | Felix Papier (ESSEC Business School) | The circular Building-as-Material-Bank business model to gain competitive advantage in sourcing
13:30 - 14:00 | Naila Azhar (HKUST) | Circularity upgrades in Pakistan’s textile industry
14:00 - 14:30 | Benjamin Steuer (HKUST) | How to measure circular performance among Hong Kong’s circular business models tackling single-use plastics?
14:30 - 15:00 | Coffee break
Session 3: Financing the Circular Transition
15:00 - 15:30 | Keith Chan Jin Deng (HKUST) | The role of sustainable finance taxonomy on circular economy development
15:30 - 16:00 | Lionel Wilson Mok (HKUST) | Political economy of sustainable finance taxonomies: Lessons for circular economy criteria development
16:00 - 16:30 | Han Lü (HKUST) | Green Bond Regulation and Stock Market Reaction
16:30 - 17:00 | Sofia Ramos (ESSEC Business School) | In labels we trust? The influence of sustainability labels on mu¬tual fund flows
17:00 | Wrap-Up | Felix Papier (ESSEC Business School) and Benjamin Steuer (HKUST)
05 June 2025 - Decision Maker Day
Session 1: Financing Circular Start-Ups
10:00 - 12:15 | Welcoming remarks: Setting the Stage / Key Questions | Felix Papier (ESSEC Business School) and Benjamin Steuer (HKUST)
Challenges & Needs from Start-Ups:
- Ceicy Wong - Vegware
- Debbie Lau - TapAway
- Eric Swinton - V Cycle
- George Chen - Ecoinno Hong Kong Ltd.
- Jack Cheuk - Huaden Hong Kong Ltd.
- Natasha Chawla - Muuse Hong Kong
- Orwell Wan - BD8 Biodegradable plastics
(Presentations are followed by a Round Table discussion among symposium participants.)
12:15 - 14:00 | Lunch break
Session 2: Developing Linear Shifters, Tech Firms & Finance Platforms
14:00 - 16:00 | Setting the Stage / Key Questions | Felix Papier (ESSEC Business School) and Benjamin Steuer (HKUST)
Challenges & Needs from Linear Shifters, Tech Firms & Finance Platforms
- Tbd - Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd.
- Karolis Navickas - Digital Climate Group
- Entela Benz-Saliasi - HKUST & Intensel Ltd.
(Presentations are followed by a Round Table discussion among symposium participants.)
16:00 - 16:30 | Panel debriefing & summary of key learnings | Felix Papier (ESSEC Business School) and Benjamin Steuer (HKUST)
16:30 | Closing of the Day
6 June 2025 - Conclusion Day
09:30 - 10:00 | Wrap-Up breakfast
10:00 - 12:00 | Learnings and open discussion