TAIPEI, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 5,800 participants from over 2,000 organizations joined the 10th Cathay Sustainability Finance & Climate Change Summit on July 1, making this year's event the largest on record. The summit brought together more than 850 listed companies representing over 80% of Taiwan's market capitalization, alongside policymakers, global investors, business leaders and international experts, reinforcing Cathay Financial Holdings' (Cathay FHC) position as one of Asia's leading conveners of climate finance dialogue and sustainable transition.
As global sustainable finance enters a new phase shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, accelerating the energy transition and growing demand for transition capital, Asia is emerging as a critical engine for mobilizing investment, technology and innovation. Against this backdrop, Cathay FHC's annual summit has evolved into one of Asia's leading platforms for sustainable finance dialogue. It brings together policymakers, investors, businesses and academia to help shape the region's next phase of resilient and inclusive growth.
The summit opened with congratulatory video messages from former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, whose support inspired the inaugural summit in 2017, and Jin-lung Peng, Chairman of Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC). Distinguished speakers included Chin-Tsang Ho, Vice Minister of Economic Affairs, Sherman Lin, Chairman of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, Sherri Chuang, Vice Chairperson of Taiwan's FSC, Rebecca Mikula-Wright, CEO of the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC), Professor Ryo Kohsaka of the University of Tokyo, Sam Kimmins, Energy Director at Climate Group, and Taiwan Power Company Chairman Vincent Tseng, highlighting the summit's growing role as a platform where international perspectives converge with Asia's transition agenda.
Climate Change Has Become a Systemic Challenge
Opening the summit, Cathay FHC President Chang-Ken (CK) Lee emphasized that climate change has evolved from an environmental issue into a systemic risk affecting economic development, industrial competitiveness, financial markets and people's daily lives.
Reflecting on his participation in London Climate Action Week just days earlier, Lee noted that temperatures reached 37–38°C during the event, highlighting how climate change is already reshaping societies. He also pointed to the disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, many of whom lack the financial resources to adapt to increasingly frequent climate extremes.