SEC pushes ‘bankable’ climate projects to draw more capital
MANILA, Philippines — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pushing for climate adaptation projects that can attract financing at scale, as regulators seek to channel more private capital toward climate resilience in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
SEC Commissioner Javey Paul Francisco said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (Asean) next challenge was not a lack of climate ambition or capital, but turning climate goals into “measurable, credible and investable projects.”
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“Regulators play a catalytic role by creating the conditions that allow private capital to confidently identify, compare and finance sustainable investments,” Francisco said.
He made the remarks during the Unlocking Capital for Sustainability 2026 Philippines forum organized by Eco-Business in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme.
The forum gathered policymakers, regulators, financial institutions and businesses to discuss ways of mobilizing capital for climate resilience across Asean.
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Francisco highlighted the “Mitigation Co-benefit and Adaptation for Resilience Guide” under the Asean Taxonomy, which is scheduled for release this year under the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Asean Capital Markets Forum.
The framework seeks to make climate adaptation projects more investable by moving beyond simply labeling projects as “adaptation.”
Instead, investments would have to demonstrate how they reduce specific climate risks through measurable resilience outcomes. INQ
