GREEN TREND IN INTERNATIONAL BANKING BUSINESS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR UKRAINE

Abstract

The main forces influencing the bank's decision to switch to green banking are systematized, the potential for its growth in Ukraine is identified. Green banking in developing countries is explored, taking into account the growing need for finance to combat climate change in this group of countries. The conceptual and categorical apparatus of green finance research is improved due to the presentation of the author's approach to the interpretation of the "green bank" category, which is understood as a bank that, in both its credit and investment activities, gives priority to environmental protection over profit maximization. Based on the analysis of the latest scientific research, the systematic identification and classification of factors influencing the bank's decision to switch to green banking, which include economic (bank competition) and non-economic (ecological, cultural, moral, political) factors, are improved. It is concluded that the motives and pressure on banks for their switch to green banking have, unlike the factors, more subjective nature and are closely related to the future benefits or losses that each specific bank plans to receive or incur as a result of such switch. The ultimate goal of most motives is to increase the value of the bank, but political and economic motives for expansion and various non-economic goals of some international banks should be factored in, since they can significantly limit the effect of the market mechanism in the banking systems of recipient countries and lead to increased instability. Motives (risk avoidance, cost reduction, reputation improvement, profit maximization) are proposed to be identified as positive incentives for banks to switch to green banking, and pressure (regulatory or governmental; from stakeholders, customers and employees) as negative ones. Opportunities and challenges for international banking business in the process of the switch to green banking are considered. In the context of global trends in the development of international banking business, the development potential of green banking in Ukraine is analyzed.