Asian countries (excluding Japan) are leading the way in providing goods, products and services that are focused on tackling climate change, according to the latest findings from the Climate Change Index published by the international bank HSBC.

Driven by large and direct government investments into clean energy and manufacturing capacity, Asian companies included in the Index have outperformed the 380 companies worldwide that are featured in the Index by 63 per cent. Meanwhile, the US companies in the Index have underperformed the 380 companies as a whole by 33 per cent.

The 380 companies have been singled out by HSBC as having engaged with climate change mitigation, and where this activity now has a marked impact on their revenues. The Index is designed to give investors the opportunity to put their money into specific elements of global climate change. Investors can track and monitor climate-related investments and the transition from high-carbon to a low-carbon for listed companies on a global, regional and country basis.

Joaquim de Lima of HSBC, who led the team that developed the Index, said two factors are at play, with investors on the lookout for new growth areas, while many governments are creating a regulatory framework that encourages climate change measures. “It’s increasingly clear that governments and investors alike are convinced that climate change is both real and a viable business opportunity.”

Vijay Sumon, an index specialist at HSBC, added that while many western countries have relied on large companies to take the lead in tackling climate change, in Asia governments have taken the lead. “Forty six per cent of global climate change stimuli spend is concentrated in Asia [apart from Japan] according to our Index framework. Many clients are looking at this closely and are becoming increasingly interested in gaining exposure to climate-related investment opportunities focussed on specific countries and regions.”