Archive

  • Green Bond Comment, August 2021: A new dawn for the beleaguered transition bond label?

    04 August 2021

    Once seen as the next exciting frontier in sustainable fixed income, the take-up of transition bonds has so far underwhelmed the market. But could the beleaguered label stage a fight back, asks Ahren Lester

  • 'Green' money market fund growth faces 'significant' challenges

    23 July 2021

    The emergence of an entirely 'green' money market fund (MMF) is currently unfeasible due to "significant implementation challenges" around lack of sufficiently diversified investment supply, according to Fitch Ratings, despite rising demand for such instruments.

  • Japanese regulator publishes draft social bond guidelines

    22 July 2021

    The Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) has published its proposed Social Bond Guidelines (SBG)...

  • Green Bond Principles tightens 'key' recommendations to reflect market best practice

    10 June 2021

    Three years after the last update, the widely adopted Green Bond Principles has received a raft of updates to bring it in line with the developing best practice in the global sustainable bond market. Ahren Lester reports

  • External verification mandatory in updated Sustainability Linked Loan Principles

    01 June 2021

    External verification is now required under the Sustainability Linked Loan Principles (SLLP) following an update, with the voluntary standards published by three industry associations also tightening guidance on sustainability performance targets.

  • Transition bonds may 'not survive' amid lacklustre adoption

    10 May 2021

    The future of 'transition' bonds as a separate label remains uncertain, as market experts questioned the validity of the instrument, despite acknowledging the importance of the sustainable bond market supporting the shift to a low-carbon economy.

  • ICMA confirms further transition finance guidance 'underway'

    07 May 2021

    The International Capital Market Association (ICMA) has confirmed that work to provide further guidance on its climate transition finance handbook is "underway," with the first update expected in June.

  • Green bond comment, May 2021: Is it the time of consolidation rather than proliferation of bond labels?

    05 May 2021

    There are early indications that the market is looking to consolidate existing sustainable bond labels rather than add further ones to the mix. Ahren Lester asks whether this is a worry for the future of the market

  • ICMA launches consultation on role of repo market in sustainable finance

    27 April 2021

    The European Repo and Collateral Council (ERCC) of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) has launched a consultation on how the repo market can play an "active" role in green and sustainable finance.

  • Emerging market sustainable bonds deliver 'more impact'

    26 April 2021

    Despite the misconception, market experts explained that emerging market sustainable bonds can deliver more impact for investors than developed market paper. Ahren Lester reports