Asia is no stranger to its transformative sustainable finance solutions. From pioneering microfinance to advancing inclusive fintech and payments, the region has long been a successful testbed for its innovation in solving its pressing development challenges. Home to vibrant, growing economies, this region has all it needs – capital, knowledge, expertise, and talent – to provide homegrown, regional solutions to bridge the USD 2.5 trillion annual financing gap to tackle acute climate challenges. However, closing the climate finance gap will require more than just capital mobilisation, it requires deeper collaboration and trust across institutions, investors, and intermediaries.

Building on the momentum from recent high-level dialogues about closing the climate finance gap – including the Asia Partnership for Investment into Resilient Economies (ASPIRE) Bellagio convening, the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) International Business Forum in Seville, and AVPN Global Conference in Hong Kong – our engagement with Asia-focused leaders across government, the private sector, philanthropy and civil society crystallised a clear pathway forward, focusing on two key action agendas: (1) Unlocking supply through a Catalytic Capital Repository, and (2) Unlocking demands through effective country platforms. These action agendas for closing the climate finance gap are key to accelerating capital mobilisation and commitments for blended and innovative finance (BIF), overcoming policy and regulatory barriers at the national and regional levels, and facilitating country-to-country peer learning and cooperation.

On 6 October 2025, AVPN and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) convened a partner session on the climate finance gap, titled “Asia’s New Poly-tunity: Unlocking Catalytic Capital & Country Platforms for Blended Finance,” at the Rockefeller Foundation’s AsiaXchange 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Utilising an action lab format, the session brought together over 50 global and regional leaders to collectively discuss solutions in scaling blended and innovative finance in Asia – specifically, the creation of a regional catalytic capital repository and country-led financing platforms, closing the climate finance gap in Asia.

During the session, we heard insights from our ASPIRE Ambassador Group members, representing the two workstreams focused on closing the climate finance gap:

Unlocking Supply through a Catalytic Capital Repository:

  • Tracy Wong Harris, Executive Vice President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association
  • Shaun Seow, CEO of Philanthropy Asia Alliance

Unlocking Demands through a Country Platform:

  • Bambang Brodjonegoro, Dean of ADB Institute
  • Murizah Osman Salleh, Deputy Director of Central Bank of Malaysia

Read the full article about closing the climate finance gap in Asia by Evelyn Wong and Li Yang Lau at AVPN.