Introduction

In recent years, accelerating climate change has driven the global economy toward low-carbon transition. Since the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, it has catalyzed innovative low-carbon solutions and new markets. An increasing number of countries, regions, cities, and corporations are establishing carbon neutrality targets, with green finance emerging as a pivotal lever for industrial transformation.
As the world's largest green finance market, China has been spearheading the development of a multi-tiered green financial system under the guidance of its "dual carbon" goals. Through its hybrid model of top-down policy-driven approaches and market-based instruments, China provides a replicable template for green transition in emerging markets.
Launched in 2020 by the International Finance Forum (IFF), the "IFF Global Green Finance Award" has been successfully held for five consecutive sessions, earning widespread acclaim from the United Nations and other international organizations.
The 6th IFF Global Green Finance Award for 2025 is now officially open for global submission since April 8th, seeking innovative green financial solutions that have demonstrated significant impact in advancing the green transition of economic models, enhancing environmental pollution control, promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, and addressing global climate change – all while actively contributing to the achievement of global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Merits of the Award


Participation in High-level Conference:

  • Award-winning organization will be invited to the 2025 IFF Annual Meeting, a high-level dialogue platform in global green finance;
  • Medal and certificate from the IFF.

Accreditation by Authorities:

  • The Jury is composed of distinguished leaders and scholars from the global economic and financial realms.

Attention from Key Stakeholders:

  • Face-to-face communication with prominent figures in global green finance;
  • The award-winning organization and projects will be included into the IFF Global Annual Report for global promotion and propogation.

Significant International Influence:

  • Positive reports and publicity in global mainstream media will improve the winner’s green finance credentials and enhance their brand image and popularity.

Goals and Principles

The IFF Global Green Finance Award is conducted with the goals of encouraging and attracting the participation of a more diverse range of institutions from different sectors while still ensuring the quality and standards of the awards. The Award also aims to increase the proportion of applicants and award winners that are international institutions and projects, and it also seeks to strengthen the international influence of the awards so as to promote green transformation and climate response in a wider range of fields and actively promote the achievement of the “dual carbon" goal and the UN’s SDGs.
Based on the above goals, and after integrating the experiences from previous awards along with feedback from various experts and institutions, the following principles are proposed for the IFF Global Green Finance Award 2025:

1. Maintain continuity and consistency within the core framework of the award, with the purpose, features, selection process, and evaluation indicators remaining essentially unchanged. Maintain a rigorous level of review through the entire application process to ensure the authority, fairness, and representation of the awards.

2. Encourage the participation of projects from multiple industries and involving cross-industry collaboration, and attract a wider range of industry institutions, solutions, and practical cases for participation. Financial participation in the promotion of progress and innovation also remains an underlying consideration.

3. Make the Award more international. Engage with multinational companies and international organizations to promote and expand dialogue on green financial cooperation as part of existing mechanisms for international cooperation.

4. Be pragmatic, rigorous, and innovation-driven. Find the right balance between innovation and replicability, social impact, and economic benefits, all while taking into account the differences in industries and stages of development.

  • Award Features
  • Evaluation Indicators

    The IFF Global Green Finance Award consists of Annual Awards for institutions and Innovation Awards for innovative projects.

  • Annual Award

    Granted to institutions that have significant achievements in green finance practices, especially those that have outstanding performances in the promotion of the carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals at the global, regional, or national level, and that are committed to addressing climate change and conserving biodiversity. To win this award, institutions must make outstanding contributions to sustainable development, and their green finance businesses must be both sustainable and profitable. (Max. 10 winners)

  • Innovation Award

    Granted to projects that demonstrate significant innovation in the field of green finance, especially those that have made significant contributions to promoting green transformation, achieving the carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, effectively addressing climate change challenges, and promoting the UN SDGs. The Innovation Award covers, but is not limited to, innovative practices and solutions in policy formulation, institutional construction, industry development, service systems, technological innovation, and talent cultivation. (Max. 10 winners)

    Annual Award: 7 primary indicators and 18 secondary indicators.
    Innovation Award: 6 primary indicators and 14 secondary indicators.


    Eligibility Criteria for Applicants

    Any institution/project globally that is committed to advancing green finance and has achieved outstanding results is eligible to apply for the awards, including but not limited to public and private sector entities across industries, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Applicants must meet the following conditions:

  • The applying institution must have been established/registered for at least three years as of the application deadline, with no legal violations, significant environmental penalties, or ESG-related controversies in the past three years.
  • The applying institution or project must have generated demonstrable economic, environmental, or social benefits and impacts through its own initiatives in green transition, climate action, or sustainable development. Conceptual proposals or anticipated impacts will not be considered.
  • Projects applying for the Innovation Award must demonstrate significant innovation in green finance methodologies, technological applications, or collaborative models. The project’s development stage, funding scale, or influence coverage will not be considered restrictive criteria.
  • Each institution may apply for only one award category per year.
  • Previous award-winners are discouraged from reapplying for the same award.

Message from Jury Committee

Timeline

Application Form

Previous Cases