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

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

Debt,ESG,Green Bonds,Investment

Green bond comment, June 2021: Are oil and gas firms still locked out of the sustainable bond market?

The labelled bond market needs to start helping dirty issuers finance the transition, argues Peter Cripps

Green Bonds

ESG 'rapidly evolving' in cat bond market despite lack of deals

Willis Re Securities' Quentin Perrot tells Ahren Lester that 2021 could finally see the emergence of ESG-labelled cat bonds, as the insurance-linked security market increasingly takes its potential seriously

Green Bonds,Insurance

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

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

Green Bonds

Emerging market sustainable bonds deliver 'more impact'

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

Green Bonds,Investment

Social bond fund growth is coming - but perhaps not imminently

After social bond issuance jumped nine-fold in 2020, attention is increasingly turning to the lack of dedicated social bond funds. They are expected to arrive, but perhaps not immediately. Ahren Lester reports

Debt,Green Bonds,Investment

'Transition' firms preferring sustainability-linked over transition bonds

Sustainability-linked bonds are proving more popular for carbon-intensive issuers than transition bonds, and experts are worried the 'transition' label is adding unnecessary confusion in the market. Ahren Lester and Christopher Marchant report

Debt,Green Bonds

Green bond comment, April 2021: Central banks and a growing 'greenium'

With central banks increasingly active in the green bond market, should they shoulder the responsibility to moderate green bond valuations, Michael Hurley asks

Debt,Green Bonds

Green bond fund assets double in 2020

Total assets in green bond funds hit $20 billion at the end of 2020, with some funds tripling in size, Ahren Lester reports, and fund managers expect inflows to continue to power ahead in 2021

Green Bonds,Investment

Green bonds in emerging markets: issuer Q&A

In response to a recent webinar on emerging market green bond issuance we have hand-picked a selection of audience questions for webinar speakers Dirk Dijksma, head of innovation investments at Symbiotics and Shushanik Hovsepyan, head of capital markets at Ameriabank

Debt,Green Bonds

Sustainable bond pricing perk 'not enough' for emerging market issuers

A webinar organised by Environmental Finance and the IFC heard from emerging market issuers of green, social and sustainability bonds about their experiences. Ahren Lester reports

Debt,Green Bonds

Buoyant market supports strong GSSS bond fund performance in 2020

Building on a strong performance in 2019, green, social, sustainability and sustainability-linked bond funds delivered a healthy performance in 2020 as fixed income markets were boosted by low interest rates. Ahren Lester reports

Green Bonds,Investment

Green bond comment, March: Are green bond investors overly cautious about sustainability-linked bonds?

Interest in sustainability-linked bonds among investors has continued to grow, but green bond-focused investors have offered a more cautious reception to the innovative instruments, says Ahren Lester

Green Bonds

Shaping the UK's inaugural green gilt to maximise impact

In tomorrow's UK Budget statement investors will be looking out for details of the UK's maiden green bond. Simon Bentley shares his thoughts on how to make the issue a success.

Debt,Green Bonds

Green hijacking: SBI and KfW

The State Bank of India's ESG update flaunted its relationship with KfW to help give it credibility but it failed to mention its plans to finance the Carmichael coal mine, says Ulf Erlandsson

Green Bonds

Green bond comment, February 2021: Is it time for social bond focused investors to join their green peers?

Green Bonds

Social surge helps 2020 sustainable bond issuance to double

After a record-breaking $600 billion sustainable bond issuance in 2020 in which diversification beyond green bonds gathered pace, expectations are high that the momentum will be carried into 2021. Ahren Lester reports

Debt,Green Bonds

Bank of China transition bond a 'missed opportunity'

The Bank of China transition bond was ground-breaking in its claims to align with the newly launched transition finance recommendations, reports Ahren Lester, but experts judged the transaction as failing to live up to its promise and ambition

Debt,Green Bonds

Green bond comment January 2021: Carmichael coal mine furore heralds next wave of market evolution

An investor rebellion over financing a coal mine could herald a new dawn for the green bond market, writes Peter Cripps

Green Bonds

Are green bonds funding the transition?

A new study shows weak link between companies' climate targets and green debt financing, say Gregor Vulturius and Heidi Tuhkanen

Green Bonds