MAS to curb greenwashing with stress tests, technology

Singapore’s financial watchdog is turning to regulation and technology to tackle so-called “greenwashing,” which it considers the weakest link in the push to expanding sustainable finance.

Banks in Singapore will have to undergo stress tests from next year while making regulatory disclosures to ensure they’re managing risks related to climate change and other environmental issues, Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, said in an interview. Data verification using technology that can attest to the provenance of green products will also be required, he added.

Menon said the potential for greenwashing is on the rise as more funds are allocated for sustainability projects. Stocks and funds highly rated on environmental, social and governance metrics have attracted trillions of dollars of investments in recent years.

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