CIMBT says sustainable finance enters capital allocation era, highlights three new megatrends

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โดย Kaohoon·TH·Read original
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CIMB Thai Bank says sustainable finance is moving from an era of classifying green assets to an era of capital allocation. Financial institutions will increasingly assess project feasibility, transition pathways, readiness in energy, water and infrastructure, and the ability of assets to generate income amid climate risk. The three key megatrends are transition finance, the expansion of AI and data centre infrastructure, and climate adaptation. In transition finance, the new bottleneck is likely to be corporate readiness, because debt instruments are only financial tools, not transition plans. Businesses therefore need to clearly define the assets to be transformed, greenhouse gas reduction targets, investment amounts, project sequencing and responsible parties. On AI and data centre infrastructure, CIMB Thai sees investment in Thailand shifting from quantity to quality. Investment promotion applications to the Board of Investment in the digital sector stood at 1.12 trillion baht, while data centre screening criteria now emphasise energy and water efficiency, environmental impact, benefits to the country, and the transition to clean energy. As a result, readiness in energy, water, power grids and climate risk management has become a key factor in project feasibility and bankability. At the same time, climate adaptation will play a larger role. World Bank data shows that of Thailand's climate investment needs of 219 billion US dollars, adaptation accounts for as much as 105 billion US dollars, exceeding the 96 billion US dollars for greenhouse gas reduction. In 2025, CIMB Thai has approved sustainable finance under its GSSIPS framework of about 22.98 billion baht, covering large corporate clients, investment banking, financial institutions and individuals. Its Sustainability360 Advisory Program has supported sustainability-linked fundraising connected to the market of more than 7 billion baht. The bank is also developing the Climate Transition Canvas, a tool to help plan climate transition by linking greenhouse gas reduction targets, carbon reduction measures, investment needs, funding sources, economic value and governance, so that they can lead to concrete financing. Jason Lee, Head of Sustainability, said that from 2026 to 2028, Thai businesses need to watch five trends: project readiness will be a key constraint on access to transition finance; energy competition will affect the location of AI infrastructure; water, power grids and climate resilience will carry more weight in data centre bankability; investment budgets to manage climate risk will increase; and sustainability functions in the financial sector will become more involved in capital allocation decisions. Driving Thailand's new economy requires linking carbon reduction, digital transition and climate adaptation with financial and investment plans to create long-term value for the Thai economy.

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CIMB Thai highlights its sustainable finance approvals and strategic focus, positioning it favorably in the capital allocation era.

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