Hydropower

NOW AVAILABLE The Hydropower Criteria is now ready for use for certifications.  Get in contact with certification@climatebonds.net(link sends e-mail) to start the certification process of your green bond. 

Hydropower Criteria 

Climate Bonds’ Hydropower Criteria provide guidance for developers on ensuring climate change resilience, improving environmental and social sustainability. Projects adhering to the Criteria strengthen their credibility and increase their access to responsible investment options.

Hydropower Criteria Background Paper

In this background paper, learn how the Paris Agreement shaped the Hydropower Criteria to ensure sustainable development, without compromising economic development and access to electricity. The background paper explains how the Hydropower Criteria applies to all types of projects interested in securing responsible financing.  It also provides detail on why certain thresholds were chosen and the rationale for the criteria.

Hydropower working groups

The Criteria and it's background paper were developed by a Technical Working Group (TWG) that brought together a host of industry, environmental, technical and water experts drawn from international NGOs, government and academia.

The group met regularly and undertook bilateral consultations, organised around evolving draft documents. The evolving Criteria was reviewed regularly by the Industry Working Group (IWG) made up of experts from the hydropower industry and financial sphere to ensure their usability for the industry and the climate and green bond market.

Once developed, the draft Criteria was opened for public and industry stakeholder consultation. Feedback was reviewed and documents edited before they were submitted to the Climate Bonds Standard Board for consideration and eventual approval.  Members of the TWG and IWG are listed below.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we need Climate Bonds in Hydropower? What type of hydropower projects can be financed via climate bonds? Click here to read the most frequently asked questions about the Hydropower Criteria and the Consultation Process. 

Hydropower Technical Working Group:

WWF Jian-hua Meng International Water Security Lead	RMT Renewables Consulting Ltd  (Formerly CEO of International Hydropower Association) Richard Taylor	Alliance for Global Water Adaptation Dr. John Matthews Secretariat Coordinator	International Institute for Environment and Development Jamie Skinner Principle Researcher, Natural Resources Group & team leader, water
Water and Power Law Group PC Richard Roos-Collins Principal	Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy Oivind Johansen Deputy Director	State Secretariat for Economic Affairs Mattia Celio Program manager	National Planning Commission, South Africa Mike Muller Commissioner
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IUCN Global Water Programme Dr James Dalton Coordinator Global Water Initiatives	Great Rivers Partnership, TNC David Harrison Senior Advisor and Consultant	REN21 Christine Lins Executive Secretary	International Hydropower Association (IHA) Cameron Ironside Formerly Sustainability Director at IHA
Independent Consultant Joerg Hartmann	IHE Delft Institute for water Education Miroslav Marence Associate Professor in Storage and Hydropower	The Nature Conservancy Jorge Gastelumendi Global Director for Water and Energy Policy	International Hydropower Association Eddie Rich CEO
IEA Technology Collaboration Program on Hydropower Niels Nielsen Research Programme Co-ordinator
TWG Observers			Technical Consultant
Pravin Karki Senior Hydropower Specialist Energy & Extractives Global Practice	Diego Rodriguez Senior Economist	Rickard Liden Lead Energy Specialist	Climate Bonds Initiative Helen Jackson Environmental Economist

Hydropower Industry Working Group (IWG):

Disclaimer; 

"The Climate Bonds Standard Board operates legally as an advisory committee of the Climate Bonds Initiative Board and oversees the development of the Climate Bonds Standard. Neither the Climate Bonds Standard Board nor any organisation, individual or other person forming part of, or representing, the Climate Bonds Standard Board (together, "CBSB") accepts or owes any duty, liability or responsibility of any kind whatsoever to any issuer which wishes to apply for any of its bonds to be certified under the Climate Bonds Certification Scheme ("Scheme"), or to any issuer whose bonds may at any time be certified under the Scheme or to any other person or body whatsoever, whether with respect to the award or withdrawal of any certification under the Scheme or otherwise. All advice or recommendations with respect to any certification under the Scheme or otherwise that CBSB provides to the Climate Bonds Initiative Board is provided to it in an advisory capacity only and is not to be treated as provided or offered to any other person”