Ahren Lester

Articles by Ahren Lester

  • IDB, World Bank launch 'Amazonia Bond' programme with $1bn deal plan

    02 July 2025

    The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced plans to raise $1 billion from a debut 'Amazonia Bond' after it launched a new sustainable bond issuance platform focused on the Amazon with the World Bank.

  • GCF approves anchor investment in €3bn public-private EM green bond fund

    02 July 2025

    The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a €200 million ($235 million) anchor investment in a public-private emerging market (EM) green bond fund developed by the EU-led Global Green Bond Initiative (GGBI).

  • London 'super sewer' seals first sterling 'blue bond'

    02 July 2025

    Long-standing green bond issuer Tideway London has raised £250 million ($344 million) from its debut 'blue bond,' with the 'super sewer' developer securing the first sterling-denominated bond with the closely watched label.

  • Aberdeen: 'Public bond markets are well-primed for climate adaptation and resilience'

    01 July 2025

    Bond markets may be thinking about climate adaptation and resilience finance "all wrong" when looking for investable assets, according to Aberdeen Investments, noting that public fixed income markets are already well-equipped for investing in the theme.

  • Debt-for-nature swaps get guidance to support scalability, project expansion

    01 July 2025

    The first 'practice standards' for the rapidly growing 'debt-for-nature' swaps has been published, which looks to introduce greater consistency in the bespoke instruments...

  • Pioneering Poland returns to green bond market after six-year hiatus

    01 July 2025

    Poland has raised €1.25 billion ($1.5 billion) from its first green bond since 2019, nine years after the central European country became the first sovereign sustainable bond issuer.

  • Manulife: 'We are watching the interesting SLLB instrument closely'

    30 June 2025

    The nascent Sustainability-Linked Loan Bond (SLLB) market is being watched closely by Manulife Investment Management (Manulife IM) as an "interesting" way to accelerate sustainable lending...

  • 'Better explanation of taxonomy differences could drive cross-border investment'

    30 June 2025

    Improved descriptions of why there is difference between different sustainable finance taxonomies could supporting cross-border investment at a time when these 'green lists' are necessarily proliferating, ...

  • Sustainable Debt Asia Conference 2025 Round-up

    27 June 2025

    The event in Singapore heard how the region is taking a practical approach to the transition, writes Ahren Lester

  • Stone Harbor launches $10m emerging market sustainable bond fund

    24 June 2025

    US asset manager Stone Harbor has launched a labelled sustainable bond-focused emerging market (EM) fund, which has more exposure to issues from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) than any other country.