International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF)

What International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF) does

The International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF) is a non-profit research institute founded on September 26, 2016, and housed under the Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) in Beijing. The institute conducts policy-oriented research on green finance, climate finance, ESG, biodiversity finance, blue finance, transition finance, and Belt and Road sustainable investment. IIGF develops proprietary analytical assets including the Global Green Finance Development Index (GGFDI, 53 indicators across 55 economies), a Green Bond Database, a BRI Renewable Energy Database, a Carbon Database, and an annual Index of Provincial Green Finance Development. The institute's primary clients are Chinese central government ministries (PBOC, MEE, NDRC), local governments, China's largest financial institutions, state-owned enterprises, and a network of international organizations (UNDP, WWF, TNFD, WRI, EIB, OECD, WEF).

IIGF operates a community-led, commissioned research and advisory model. Revenue is derived from project-based engagements funded by national ministries, local governments, financial institutions, and international partners, supplemented by international cooperative research grants from organizations such as the Energy Foundation, WRI, and UNDP. Knowledge dissemination is handled through a monthly China Green Finance Brief newsletter, an annual Blue Book of Green Finance, working papers, technical reports, an annual conference attracting over 150 representatives, international expert seminars, and academic exchanges with institutions including Cambridge, LSE, Oxford, and Tsinghua. Distribution of research outputs is primarily institutional and open-access, with no commercial product pricing disclosed.

The institute is led by Director General Prof. Wang Yao, with governance provided by CUFE Vice President Shi Jianping (Chairman) and Tianfeng Securities President Wang Linjing (Executive Board Chair). IIGF serves as the technical advisor for UNDP BIOFIN China and as a founding member of the TNFD Informal Working Group, positioning the organization as China's leading connector between domestic green finance policy and international sustainable finance standards-setting bodies.

Name

International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF)

Legal name

International Institute of Green Finance

Website

https://iigf-china.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IIGF is a non-profit green finance research institute under Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, serving Chinese government ministries, financial institutions, and international organizations with proprietary indices, databases, and policy research on sustainable finance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Finance Research

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAMAJ

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Trade & Economic Development

SECONDARYBPADACAH

Climate Finance Funds & Green Investment Facilities

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Financial Institutions & Development Banks

SECONDARYBPADACAO

Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Financial Institutions & Development Banks

SECONDARYFSAAALAG

Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure)

Financial & Insurance/Asset & Wealth Management/Asset Management — ESG/Sustainable & Impact Investing

SECONDARYBPAHADAO

Infrastructure & Project Finance Advisory

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Strategy & Corporate Finance Advisory

Keywords

• Green finance research
• Climate finance advisory
• ESG research services
• Sustainable finance policy
• Green bond analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Research Projects: IIGF undertakes research projects commissioned by national ministries and commissions, local governments, financial institutions, and social organizations. This includes policy research, market analysis, and advisory services for government bodies and financial institutions.
2. International Partner Projects: Research projects commissioned by international organizations including World Resources Institute (WRI), Energy Foundation, Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and others working on climate and sustainable finance agendas.
3. Publications and Knowledge Products: Production and dissemination of reports, working papers, and analytical publications including the annual Blue Book of Green Finance, BRI Investment Reports, and various thematic research reports.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IIGF conducts commissioned research on green finance, develops analytical frameworks, databases, and indices for sustainable finance, and provides policy advisory for governments, financial institutions, and international organizations. Its work covers green bond analysis, sustainable sector finance, and cross-border clean energy investment tracking.

Product overview

IIGF operates as a research institute affiliated with Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE), offering a portfolio of research publications, databases, indices, and knowledge products focused on green finance. The core offerings include the China Green Finance Brief newsletter, comprehensive research reports covering green bonds, climate finance, ESG, biodiversity, blue finance, and gender finance, the Belt and Road Initiative Renewable Energy Database, the Global Green Finance Development Index (GGFDI) ranking tool, and sustainable seafood finance research. These products collectively support policymakers, financial institutions, and researchers in advancing sustainable finance in China and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• China Green Finance Brief Newsletter Recurring newsletter summarizing green finance policy, market, and regulatory developments in China for institutional readers.
• Commissioned Research Reports Custom research reports on green finance topics commissioned by governments, financial institutions, and international organizations.
• Belt and Road Initiative Renewable Energy Database Proprietary database tracking renewable energy projects and investments under the Belt and Road Initiative across participating countries.
• Global Green Finance Development Index (GGFDI) Proprietary index benchmarking and ranking countries on their green finance development, policies, and market maturity.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• CAREC InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Regional cooperation with Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Institute. IIGF experts attended Fourth CAREC Institute Annual Research Conference in 2024. CAREC Institute visited IIGF for expanding regional exchanges and cooperation.
• World Economic Forum (WEF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Joint release of Transition Finance Transformation Map in June 2024, providing roadmap for scaling up transition finance investments.
• World Bank Sustainable Banking NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024China participates as both a mature case and active contributor to the network where emerging countries learn from each other's green finance experience through knowledge sharing, events, and dialogue. IIGF supports China in sharing green finance lessons with other developing countries.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Joint Gender Finance Workshops held in Beijing and Shanghai in January and March 2024. IIGF-UN Women 'Sustainable Financing for Gender Equality: Practices, Strategies, and Innovations in ESG Framework' salon series promoting gender-inclusive finance.
• DZ Bank and KfWmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Sino-German Dialogue on Transition Finance hosted by IIGF in collaboration with DZ Bank and KfW in November 2023, focusing on scaling up investment into transition sectors.
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023OECD visited CUFE's IIGF in July 2023 to discuss green finance research and potential cooperation areas between IIGF and OECD.
• Luxembourg Stock ExchangemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023First cross-border green bond index jointly launched by Luxembourg Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2017. IIGF research supports international cooperation on green bond standards and indices between China and Europe.
• Cambridge UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Academic exchange visit in March 2023 as part of international university partnership program. Joint discussions on green finance research and academic collaboration.
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Academic exchange visit in March 2023. Joint seminar on Biodiversity Finance held in November 2023 to discuss research methodologies and findings.
• Oxford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Academic collaboration including collaborative project training sessions in Cambodia and Indonesia in March 2023. IIGF research cited Oxford University studies on stranded assets in China's coal sector.
• WWF-ChinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 January 2022Joint project on 'Development of Sustainable Fisheries Finance in China' launched January 2022. The project conducts baseline study of Chinese fishery industry finance and develops roadmap for sustainable financial flows, while identifying financial risks from unsustainable fishery production. Joint seminar held with expert participation from financial institutions, academia, and industry associations.
• International Finance Forum (IFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2021Joint development and release of the Global Green Finance Development Index (GGFDI) and country rankings. The project measures green finance development across 55 major economies using 53 indicators in three dimensions. Results published in IFF flagship report. Prof. Wang Yao and IFF Chief Economist Juzhong Zhuang jointly presented findings.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2021Formalized long-term partnership for SDG-enabled efforts, particularly in SDG finance. IIGF supported UNDP in leading a technical working group that launched the Technical Report on SDG Finance Taxonomy in 2020. Joint activities include knowledge products, capacity-building, policy dialogues, and training. Prof. Wang Yao serves as Chief Technical Advisor for UNDP BIOFIN China.
• China Life Property and Casualty Insurance Co., LtdmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2021Formalized cooperation at 2021 Annual Conference. Collaboration on insurance sector ESG investments and environmental sustainability practices.
• China Clean Development Mechanism FundmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2021Formalized cooperation at 2021 Annual Conference. Collaboration on climate finance, carbon market development, and clean development mechanism projects.
• China Green Finance CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2021IIGF works closely with the Committee on green finance standards development, BRI Green Investment Principles, and international cooperation initiatives with UK and EU partners.
• UNDP BIOFIN (Biodiversity Finance Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2021IIGF serves as technical advisor for UNDP BIOFIN China project. Prof. Wang Yao appointed Chief Technical Advisor. Joint workshop launched biodiversity finance initiative in China focusing on improving effectiveness of financial resources allocation for biodiversity conservation. China joined BIOFIN in 2021.
• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2021IIGF represented by Prof. Wang Yao and Dr. Christoph Nedopil-Wang as founding members of the Informal Working Group (IWG) preparing TNFD launch. The IWG comprised 74 members including 8 regulatory institutions, 17 think-tanks, and 49 financial institutions. TNFD aims to build international benchmark for analyzing biodiversity-related financial risks by 2023.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2021Prof. Wang Yao participated in EU Green Week 2021 Virtual Conference on sustainable investment. Joint discussion on green bonds development between EU and China representatives including European Commission and EIB.
• Positive MoneyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2021Prof. Wang Yao participated in launch of 'Green Central Bank: Evaluation Report of G20 Central Banks and Financial Supervisors' written by Positive Money and approved by 24 research institutions and NGOs.
• People's Bank of China (PBOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished Green Finance Task Force in 2014 with UN Environment Program. PBOC established Green Finance Committee (GFC) following 2016 Guidelines. IIGF conducts research supporting PBOC's green finance policy development and green macro-prudential assessment systems.
• European Investment Bank (EIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint white papers with China Green Finance Committee focusing on harmonizing green bond standards between EU and China. Published Phase I and Phase II reports on 'Common Language in Green Finance' to address overlapping and conflicting standards between jurisdictions.
• China Green Finance CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research on green finance standards, green bond taxonomy, and international cooperation. BRI Green Investment Principles established by the Committee and City of London Corporation's Green Finance Initiative with 27 major financial institutions as members.
• World Resources Institute (WRI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner for climate and sustainable finance research. Joint publication on 'Accelerating Climate Resilient Infrastructure Investment in China' as part of IIGF's annual flagship reports.
• Energy FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored the BRI Renewable Energy Database project providing comprehensive information on Chinese investment in renewable energy sector in Belt and Road countries. Project includes database and case studies report.
• Climate Policy Initiative (CPI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner contributing to IIGF's research on sustainable finance. Collaborative research activities as part of IIGF's international research network.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational environmental organization partner in IIGF's research network for sustainable finance and climate policy research.
• Central Banks and Regulators Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChina was a leading co-founder of NGFS. IIGF research supports China's role in spearheading implementation of green finance into monetary policy within the network of central banks and regulators.
• Tsinghua UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Green Finance Leadership Program, an initiative helping build green finance expertise among China's overseas partners, particularly under BRI. IIGF supports program's development and participates in curriculum design.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): Independent policy research institute with a long-running Sustainable Finance program covering investment, banking and disclosure. Comparable in mission, output mix (policy briefs, databases, convening) and donor-funded model.
• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): Independent research organization working on environment and sustainable development with finance-relevant work on green investment, climate risk and biodiversity. Peer because of similar research-and-advisory remit and donor-driven funding model.
• Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI): International organization focused on green bond standards, taxonomies and market data. CBI collaborates with IIGF on capital markets research and operates the Climate Bonds Taxonomy that IIGF references, making it the closest standard-setting peer.
• Climate Policy Initiative (CPI): Independent climate finance policy research organization that produces deep-dive analyses on green investment, just transition finance, and blended finance. Direct peer because IIGF and CPI collaborate on research and serve overlapping donor ecosystems in China and globally.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research organization working on climate, energy, and sustainable finance, including joint work with IIGF on climate-resilient infrastructure. Comparable in producing policy-relevant sustainable finance research for governments and FIs.
• Tsinghua University Center for Finance Research on Climate Change: Domestic Chinese peer under a leading university, working on climate finance research and capacity building, including the Green Finance Leadership Program that IIGF supports. Comparable in academic-affiliated model, China focus and donor/government relationships.
• Green Finance Institute (GFI, UK): UK-based membership organization advancing green finance innovation, research and capacity building. Direct structural peer as a national/regional green finance research hub, mirroring IIGF's role for China.

Others

• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): Development bank that co-publishes capital-markets-for-sustainability research with IIGF researchers and supports green finance development in emerging markets. Adjacent enabler/institutional investor rather than a direct research competitor.

Broad incumbents

• UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI): UN-convened global partnership of banks, insurers and asset managers driving sustainable finance. Larger, more established incumbent with broader portfolio; IIGF collaborates with UNEP-adjacent bodies and overlaps in sustainable banking and disclosure work.
• OECD Environment Directorate and Centre for Green Finance: Intergovernmental policy research and standard-setting body covering green finance, climate alignment and transition finance. OECD engaged with IIGF in 2023 on green finance research, positioning it as an overlapping but much larger institutional peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iigf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF)