The European Investment Bank (EIB) this week placed a 7 year, SEK400m ($60m) Climate Awareness Bond with Scandinavian investors. Coupon was 3-Month STIBOR +43bp. Lead manager was Danske Bank.
I’m writing beside a beautiful lagoon on the tropical South Pacific island of Espiritu Santo, not far from where I was born and spent my early years.
Working on climate change introduces a note of melancholia to such holidays: how long before my waterside bungalow gets washed away in more extreme storm surges and rising sea levels? Does that bizarre tubular jellyfish that I managed to avoid snorkelling today represent the new dominant as oceans acidify?
At least there is good news on the energy front:
Some further details about EIB's latest climate bond:
1. 60% of the entire transaction went to "socially responsible investors".
2. Investors were 32% from Benelux, 30% Germany, 22% France, 8% elsewhere in Europe and 8% from Asia. (UK investors don't make up much, falling into the 8% which make up the rest of Europe.)
We’re beginning to see some friendly competition emerging among US States around Green Banks. New York Governor Cuomo a few weeks ago announced the setting up of a new Green Bank.
(Apologies for the double post. This is the correct one)
1. The total size of the global debt securities market is (drum roll): $78 trillion … not the previously reported $100 trillion
If you’re thinking that figure looks odd, you’re right, this is some $20 trillion less than last reported – but it’s just change in counting methodology, not some sort of calamitous drop in the bond market.
