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As much as $4tn a year funding is required to solve the problems of climate change, which is mere 4% of the total global market capitalisation, and the Arab region’s capital markets, which have had “significant” growth in the past decade, could play pivotal role, a top official of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (Iosco) said here yesterday.
Addressing the Third Arab Capital Markets conference, organised by the Qatar Financial Market Authority (QFMA), in cooperation with the Union of Arab Securities Authorities (UASA) via videoconferencing, Iosco deputy secretary general Tajinder Singh said under sustainable financing, which is able to solve the problems of climate change, the funding needed is in the range of $4tn annually.
Highlighting the funding requirement accounts for just 4% of the global market capitalisation; he said "so if 4% of the global market capitalisation was to be directed to this area, then that would be able to help in solving this (climate change) problem."
Asserting that capital markets could play an effective role in solving global problems; Singh said the markets in the Arab region have experienced "significant" growth over the past decade and have "considerable" potential for further growth due to the young and growing population, urbanisation and natural resources.
The conference, which was inaugurated by the Qatar Central Bank governor Sheikh Bandar bin Mohamed bin Saoud al-Thani, brought together a number of economic and financial officials and decision-makers, leaders of Arab, regional and international financial institutions, a group of experts and financial analysts and major investors, as well as university professors and experts in the field of artificial intelligence, in addition to representatives of Arab and international regulatory authorities, and financial markets.
In his keynote address, QFMA chief executive officer Dr. Tamy bin Ahmad al-Binali said the importance of capital markets is escalating "significantly" at the level of the international and national economy, due to their financing role and their effectiveness in attracting, redirecting and investing financial resources.
"Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of such markets, and work to develop their performance indicators, and this applies directly to the Arab capital markets, which face great challenges, and at the same time enjoy great opportunities for growth and development," he said.
Al-Binali said the world is witnessing at this time rapid developments in various fields, especially in the high-tech sector, particularly in artificial intelligence and other technologies, which have left their direct and indirect effects on various aspects of economic activity and the financial sector in general and capital markets in particular.
"This led to the emergence of major opportunities to develop technologies and mechanisms of work in the capital markets, which will reflect positively on their financing role," he added.
However, at the same time, technological developments have imposed new challenges, which cannot be dealt with using the same traditional tools, so the Arab capital markets find themselves in a technological reality full of opportunities, challenges and risks, which requires working to invest opportunities and face challenges, which will positively reflect on the stability of capital markets and their ability to carry out their functions and reduce the risks they may face, he said.
