Assessing Citizens’ Financial Knowledge about Green Credit Products

Abstract

In recent years, the world has widely adopted green financing, including green loan products, to mitigate climate change and environmental degradation. In Mongolia, financial institutions have also begun offering green loans to support environmentally friendly and socially responsible projects and activities, but public awareness and understanding of these products remains insufficient. A survey found that 53% of Mongolian citizens are unaware of green credit (Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association, 2023). The results of this study show that the relatively low level of awareness among citizens about green loans can be attributed to the fact that the green financing system in Mongolia is not fully developed.
Although the majority of respondents are familiar with the term "Green Loan," they lack a detailed understanding of the loan's purpose, criteria, use, interest terms, and environmental impact.
According to the World Bank, buildings and factories financed with green loans have reduced their energy consumption by 20–30% on average (source: Green Building Performance Report 2022, World Bank). The level of financial education and access to information among citizens has been shown to have a major impact on their attitude towards green financial products. International studies and some research sources conducted in Mongolia have concluded as follows.