In 2012, the Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia, in cooperation with Netherlands Development Finance Company, introduced the first Sustainable Finance program “Environmental and Social Management Systems” (ESMS) in Mongolia. As a result, the national roadmap was approved in the following year. The forum was initiated following an imminent need for private and public cooperation to develop and effectively implement policies, actions, and initiatives in line with the commitment of the Government of Mongolia to the global sustainable development agenda and the Paris Agreement, and the unanimous commitment of the banking sector to advance sustainable finance in the country.

According to the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association (MSFA), a total of MNT 1.3 billion was granted to environmentally-friendly projects in the last five years. Furthermore, the banking sector financed another MNT 16 billion on environmental projects within this period.

• A total of MNT 1.3 billion allocated to environmentally-friendly projects since the program inauguration.

• Banks financed MNT 16 billion on environmental projects in the last five years.

• SME demand for green loans stands at USD 1.5 billion.

A market study conducted by the Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA) and MSFA shows that the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) demand for green loans stands at USD 1.5 billion. Specifying by sectors, construction and processing plants require significant amount of loan. Thus, commercial banks informed that a low-interest credit source will allow them to distribute discounted loan for environmentally-friendly projects for SMEs.

Traditionally, the MBA annually selects a flagship bank to steer the business organizations towards environmentally and socially-friendly. In this year’s forum, the association picked Khan Bank to be in charge of green development activities in 2019. Thus, the bank will be responsible for protecting cultural heritage, supporting green economic growth and developing transparency.