Executive Director, Nature Finance, Oxford Sustainable Finance Group. Director, Transition Asia
Joined December 2008
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Calvin Quek retweeted
If you're in Beijing on Nov 4, I'm doing a talk at this event hosted by the Beijing Energy Network.
Going after the companies is important as a pressure tactic but the longer term effort should be to instill and institutionalize soil, water and forest management practices - practices which fell by the wayside in recent years. ft.com/content/b9a45b74-72f6…
Data from @rhodium_group
shows that in the early 2010s, Chinese funding in Africa concentrated on projects tied to natural resource extraction. Last year, however, investment in manufacturing and processing reached $7.7bn, exceeding the $4.8bn invested in extraction.
Anything by htx studios is amazing. iPhone Duo Review: Folding Has a Price youtu.be/o1qc29t04GI?si=6Q1H… via @YouTube
China climate positioning in lead up to COP 31. mee.gov.cn/ywgz/ydqhbh/qhbhl…
Just started this by @RobinWigg and what a start! War, Venice, and the Byzantine empire, and how everyone had a stake in the military machine via prestiti (loans)… gripping stuff!
As always, the brilliant folks at @CREACleanAir knocking it out the park with timely clear analysis and insights.
This is a good, clear video by @ChannelNewsAsia about how water management is so key to preventing peatland fires in Indonesia. Good questions and answers. The interviewee got emotional talking about her colleagues doing fire fighting work. I can imagine the difficult situations they must all be in.
Indonesia's peatland fires: Can the damage be reversed? A scientist weig... youtu.be/QvFOcyz3488?si=RBU8… via @YouTube
Some rough thoughts on the climate/nature topic from the WB meetings in Bangkok.
First, WB climate change action plan has been extended indefinitely. It was due to expire this June.
Second, previously announced, WBs 45% climate finance target is gone. The Bank actually hit 48% in FY2025, so 45% was really more of a floor. Dropping the target makes the COP29 climate finance goal of US$300bn/year by 2035 that much harder.
Third, still in the plan is Paris alignment for all operations, which is basically a screening tool, and one of three lines of defence for climate at the WB:
a.) The exclusion list, which includes upstream oil and gas
b.) PA screening
c.) climate finance target (now off the table).
Certain countries is pushing to remove the oil/gas restriction. If that goes, screening is pretty much the only thing left, since the climate finance target is already out.
Fourth, the WBs big push now is into private capital (ft.com/content/0e57c134-bb4b…). The Bank mobilised a record US$112bn last year, a lot via guarantees. Since FY22, upper-middle-income countries went from US$12bn to US$50bn, while low-income countries stayed flat at US$3bn. But money is going to where risk is most manageable (hence the key role of guarantees), and less to countries in most distress (where grants and special trust funds play a role).
Fifth, re: Nature Finance, this barely came up, with one line on natural capital in the official statement.
Lovely, interesting piece on how women in China navigate reproductive choices ft.com/content/a6f9e7c6-996e… by @EleanorOlcott
It’s really nice to come across people reading hardcover classics. I’m on a plane getting ready to take off, and across from me is a Chinese man quietly reading Romance of the 3 Kingdoms 三国演员. Meanwhile here is idiot me tweeting about it. 🤪
Calvin Quek retweeted
Whoever thought Carney would just be a technocratic prime minister should watch this. Perfect timing…
Calvin Quek retweeted
Ajay Banga’s unfinished business ft.trib.al/sFUUnWm