THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines launched the Philippine edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Investor Map, with the Board of Investments (BoI) touting SDG-compliant investment opportunities in renewable energy (RE).
The SDG Investor Maps are a market intelligence tool that aids private-sector participation in achieving the SDGs and identifying investment themes in emerging markets.
“The Philippine SDG Investor Map is envisioned as a dynamic document that will reflect country opportunities for sustainable investment. It has identified 12 investment opportunity areas, including opportunities in the climate and health sectors,” it said in a statement.
The map covers seven sectors and supports 17 SDGs.
To further expand the first edition of the map, UNDP Philippines prepared a Policy White Space Report to identify investment opportunities currently in need of either more business-enabling government policy and regulations or a more reliable business model.
UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Selva Ramachandran noted the key role of the private sector in “moving from solutions to action.”
“How to drive collective action and make progress towards common goals to address climate change and achieve more equitable and inclusive development outcomes for all,” he said.
Rose Marie Mendoza, the head of the BoI’s energy division under the agency’s Resource-Based Industries Service, said the renewable energy industry thrives on collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Ms. Mendoza said equitable financing options backed by supportive policy will allow all participants in the ecosystem to thrive and adapt to an evolving landscape.
“Only 15% of global-impact investments are channeled to Asia, and only 3% to Southeast Asia. This is too low, especially since ASEAN is set to become the fourth-largest economy globally,” Centre for Impact Investing and Practices Director Sue-Ann Huang said.
“The maps help investors and businesses identify impact business models and investment opportunity areas that contribute towards the SDGs. Building from these findings, the SDG Venture Scaler will focus on supporting growth-stage enterprises.”
The event also launched the SDG Venture Scaler, a new program to drive private investment for sustainable development in Southeast Asia.
It will focus on supporting growth-stage enterprises in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, highlighting climate action, education, and healthcare projects that are aligned with the SDGs. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante
