ASEAN regulators turn to capital markets to finance climate resilience

ASEAN regulators, policymakers, and market experts convened for the inaugural ASEAN Regulatory Sustainability Summit on September 9, 2026, at the Securities Commission Malaysia, in collaboration with Durham University’s Centre for Sustainable Development Law and Policy. The summit, supported by the Asian Development Bank, brought together over 40 senior stakeholders from across the region to explore how capital markets can play a vital role in financing climate adaptation and transition, while simultaneously strengthening resilience and ensuring the integrity of carbon markets.

Held under the theme “Building Resilience while Navigating Global Shifts,” the discussions centered on mobilizing private, concessional, and philanthropic capital to address climate adaptation and transition needs, as well as enhancing the credibility of voluntary carbon markets as they increasingly assume a crucial role in climate finance.

The event built upon the ACMF Action Plan 2026-2030 and sought to advance regulatory and market thinking on sustainability challenges faced by ASEAN and the broader international financial community. In his opening remarks, SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi emphasized that capital markets and regulators possess a crucial role in bridging the gap between increasing risks and preparedness.

He explained that resilience lies in the balance between the risks we encounter and our capacity to prepare for them; this delicate equilibrium is precisely where capital markets and regulators must step in.

The summit offers a unique regional platform for regulators, policymakers, and market participants to openly exchange insights on emerging sustainability risks and collaborate on developing strategies to enhance the resilience of ASEAN capital markets in the face of evolving economic and environmental challenges.