Hong Kong Postpones Implementation of Mandatory Climate Disclosures to 1 January 2025

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) announced on 3 November 2023 that the implementation date of the Listing Rule amendments on mandatory climate disclosure will be postponed to 1 January 2025.

HKEX published in April 2023 a consultation paper proposing to mandate all listed companies in Hong Kong to provide climate-related disclosure in their Environmental, Social and Governance reports from 1 January 2024 (see our earlier Update for details).

The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has since then published the final IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards in June 2023 (see our Updates on Asia Regulators’ Responses and IOSCO Supports IFRS Standards But Others Do Not). The ISSB has also indicated that it will issue an adoption guide (ISSB Adoption Guide) before the end of 2023.

HKEX stated that it intends to take into account the recommended approaches to scaling and phasing-in of requirements available in the ISSB Adoption Guide when finalising the Listing Rule amendment, the implementation of which is thus postponed.