BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Dr Abdul Manaf Metussin (pic), who is also the chairman of Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) Board of Directors, officiated the launch of the Brunei Darussalam Sustainable Finance Roadmap (SFR) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy on Tuesday (Nov 25).
He highlighted the importance of integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations within the financial sector. He also underscored the potential for Islamic sustainable finance guided by Maqasid Syariah, calling on the industry to strengthen strategies, transparency and collaboration.
BDCB managing director Rashidah Sabtu emphasised that climate change and social inequality are significant financial risks impacting financial stability.
She noted that the SFR, developed with the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Council (BNCCC), marks a new phase in transforming the nation’s financial landscape to support sustainable development.
Themed ‘A Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Financial Sector’, the SFR serves as a strategic guide for adopting sustainable finance. It aims to support Brunei’s sustainability agenda outlined in the National Climate Change Policy and the Financial Sector Blueprint, while addressing sustainability-related risks. Key priorities ahead include establishing a common framework, improving disclosure standards and embedding sustainability into financial governance.
The ceremony also highlighted BDCB’s role as Chair of the Asean Taxonomy Board since 2021, steering regional sustainable investments through the Asean Taxonomy.
The event featured a presentation by Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI) Advisor Dr Adam Ng and a panel discussion involving BDCB, the Brunei Climate Change Office, BIBD Securities and Universiti Brunei Darussalam. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN