Guernsey has inveiled a development strategy for the island’s financial services sector, with a focus on green investment.
Guernsey Finance Acting Director of Strategy Dr Andy Sloan said the aim was to develop the broadest and best range of product with a green focus among international finance centres, incorporating investment, securities and insurance markets and services.
“The potential for green and sustainable finance is enormous and streams into major global initiatives,” he said. “Action in this area builds on Guernsey’s strengths in private equity and infrastructure, supports other initiatives in areas such as impact investing, and supports a general repositioning of the island’s financial services offer.”
Green Fund
The Guernsey Financial Services Commission is poised to launch a new regulatory initiative known as the Guernsey Green Fund. Compliance with green criteria will be required and it will be open to all types of funds.
The Commission expects to issue a consultation paper next month and to launch the Green Fund by the middle of the year.
Insurance push
The GFSC also has plans to work with the global insurance industry to enable long-term green investments to be taken on as assets to meet long-term life insurance liabilities.
The initiative seeks to make it easier for insurance companies to access long-term investments – making it easier for insurance companies to offer sustainable long-term returns to policyholders – and to widen the pool of purchasers for green investments.
Interest from industry is being sought as the GFSC develops its new approach to regulatory life insurance solvency requirements.
Dr Sloan said a Guernsey industry strategy group would be looking to work with global organisations and standard-setters to foster international co-operation on green finance development. Its emphasis would be on infrastructure services.