CBI network member Ben Caldecott has published a piece on green bonds in the British Guardian newspaper (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2011/jan/11/what-are-gre...).
Climate Bonds Blog
Posted: Jan 6, 2011
Environmental Finance has just published an article. Responsible Investor briefly reports on the project. And Verdantix list Climate Bonds as one of their Ten Predictions for Sustainable Business in 2011.
From the Verdantix report: "Climate bonds will spur financial innovation for sustainability. Broader marketing of climate bonds – debt finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation projects –will increase financing options available for low carbon infrastructure." etc.
Media on Climate Bonds standards
Posted: Dec 24, 2010
The Climate Bonds Initiative has now secured funding for a project to develop an international standards and certification scheme for Climate Bonds.
One of the issues the Climate Bonds Initiative has canvassed in the past has been the need for standards around the labeling of "green" debt.
The aim of the certification project is to develop a means to give assurance for investors and NGOs about whether funds are being invested in credible manner. This will support liquidity, so that investors can buy and sell climate bonds knowing that if they stick to certified bonds they can be assured different bonds will have the same level of environmentally credibility.
Christmas News: Climate Bonds certification project underway!
Posted: Dec 23, 2010
Responsible-Investor.com reported this week that Danone, the French dairy products and bottled water giant, has been looking at the idea of issuing corporate bonds that would have an increased payout if they didn't meet environment, social and governance targets.
Would investors be interested if this approach were used for climate bonds, with penalty rates triggered if bonds don't live up to their environmental promises?
Danone considering corporate 'sustainability' bonds that premium if they don't meet targets
Posted: Dec 15, 2010
1. The Indian government is planning to use the proceeds from their new coal tax to help set up a green bank to fund renewable energy projects. Now that's a good idea for countries like the US, Australia and Brazil!
2. New article: We can learn from Japanese state banks how to use Climate Bonds to fund the transition to a low-carbon economy.
India setting up Green Inv Bank / Lessons from Japan's 'state' banks
Posted: Dec 12, 2010
Bryan Martel is managing director of California-based Environmental Capital Group. He serves as the advisor to the CalPERS California clean energy and technology fund, and other West Coast investors, on the environmental performance of private equity investments. He is one of the drivers behind the P8 and serves on its Secretariat. Bryan will also be joining the working party for the Climate Bonds International Standards and Certification project.
Bryan Martel and Vince Julier join Climate Bonds Advisory Panel
Posted: Dec 11, 2010
As the Cancun sun sets .... Russia helps sink Kyoto / UK Climate Change Committee a hit / Climate Finance Fund gets up / China’s low carbon Five Year Plan ... see below.
1. The UK Climate Change Committee (a statutory body under their Climate Action Bill) was popular amongst Cancun NGOs this week with its call for 60% emission cuts in the UK by 2030 and 50% by 2025. One NGO newsheet called it a “ray of sunshine”.
13 farewell COP snippets: >Indian hero >Finance Fund mess >China shows the way > and more
Posted: Dec 8, 2010
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has released its first green bond, with funds raised being used to finance environmental sustainability projects. This follows similar bonds issuance by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the European Investment Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
EBRD does green bonds as well
Posted: Dec 7, 2010
11 snippets today:
Cancun snippets #2: >$13 tn of investors hammer govts >Germans propose 100% renewable by 2050 >Bolivia blocks REDD >+more
Posted: Dec 5, 2010
Friends: I'm at the COP16 Conference in Cancun, aiming to talk about climate bonds as a mechanism to divert private investment to building a low-carbon economy. Here are six snippets from my first 24 hours:
7 Cancun snippets: >machine-guns >Japanese pre-emptive strike >climate talks CEO in tears >and more