Hello everyone, we are Li Ziyi and Kang Qiming, the two “backbones” and “data maniacs” of the Youying Low-Carbon Environmental Protection Organization. On regular days, we lead volunteers in planting food forests, building cozy shelters for bees, and committing ourselves to refreshing and elegant environmental initiatives. But lately, we’ve transformed into full-blown “coders,” pulling all-nighters to develop a data model called the “Green Asset Gold Rush Methodology,” aiming to unlock the capital market for environmental protection through carbon emission data.

The story begins at a “Regional Carbon Footprint Assessment” presentation. Although enthusiasm ran high and the PowerPoint slides were beautifully crafted, every time the topic of financial support came up, it felt awkward and unconvincing—like showing up to a job interview with a selfie stick. That’s when we had a spark of inspiration: if data is the best evidence, could we package environmentalism in the language of finance, turning it into an investment darling for capital markets?

We dove in right away—after a glass of hand-crafted soy milk, of course—and entered a high-intensity data-mining mode. We first gathered Scope 1/2/3 carbon emission data through corporate annual reports and CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), and also collected ESG scores from respected institutions such as MSCI and S&P Global. Then we became “data hunters,” scouring Bloomberg and Wind terminals for extensive data on corporate financials, shareholder returns, and various green finance indices, building a massive and comprehensive database.

Initially, it was pure curiosity: Can green assets really outperform the market? The data soon brought us a pleasant surprise. Take the well-known S&P 500 ESG Index—it has outperformed the traditional S&P 500 by 15.1 percentage points since its launch on January 28, 2019. In other words, adding a “green filter” to conventional assets not only doesn’t dilute returns—it actually stabilizes and boosts them. The numbers speak for themselves: “Investing in environmental protection isn’t just a passion—it’s a profitable business.”

Since 2019, the S&P 500 ESG Index has outperformed the traditional S&P 500 by approximately 15.1 percentage points in cumulative returns. This indicates that applying a "green filter" not only preserves financial returns but also enhances stability and performance—demonstrating the tangible value of ESG strategies.

Further data exploration elevated our understanding of green investment. According to a recent Financial Times ranking, Europe’s top 500 carbon-reducing companies delivered an average 15.5% shareholder return over the past five years, beating the FTSE All-Share Index’s 14.8%. This comparison clearly shows that environmentally responsible companies are not ethical martyrs—they are resilient, competitive, and superior investment choices.

According to the Financial Times, the top 500 carbon-reducing firms in Europe achieved an average 5-year shareholder return of 15.5%, surpassing the 14.8% return of the FTSE All-Share Index. This gap highlights that environmentally responsible companies tend to be more resilient and competitive long-term investment choices.

To delve deeper into the investment logic behind the data, we applied multiple linear regression models to examine how carbon intensity and ESG ratings contribute to financial performance. We also deployed a random forest machine learning algorithm to detect complex nonlinear relationships—essentially identifying which green features are the real drivers of return. The results were robust and revealing: ESG scores and low-carbon performance can indeed help investors achieve better long-term returns.

With solid empirical results in hand, we compiled our findings into a Green Investment Data Report. It’s now being used to apply for long-term funding from impact investment organizations and environmental foundations. Internally, we’ve launched a “green finance training program” to equip our volunteers with cross-disciplinary skills in data and finance—shaping them into true environmental elites.

More importantly, we aim to break the “cold and distant” image of green finance through a series of public WeChat articles—so the concept of “green assets” enters everyday conversations. We want everyone to know: “Environmentalism doesn’t just protect the planet—it can create personal wealth.”

In summary, this deep data expedition has been both meaningful and impactful. It empowers environmental organizations with sustainable “self-blood-making” mechanisms, provides volunteers with rare interdisciplinary learning experiences, and, most critically, promotes public literacy in green finance, enabling more people to grow wealth while protecting Earth.

This is our recent “small research” and “big ambition.” Next time, we’ll take you into the heart of the food forest to see how green investment takes root in the soil—and blossoms in the capital markets.