Funds raised by the bond will be used to finance the bank’s popular sustainability-linked loans, which encourage corporates to partake in the net-zero transition
Concerns have arisen over risk management and market liquidity if access is limited
A major concern is the level of interoperability with upcoming standards from the ISSB and the SEC
In the EU, the Green Bond Standard was proposed to create a taxonomy-aligned framework for green bond issuers but there is uncertainty on how far the UK will align with the EU
While Britain is trying to build its own path through plans such as the Net-Zero Financial Centre, it has followed in the EU’s footsteps with its green taxonomy and SDR
A previously booming sustainable bond market has been subject to a continued slowdown against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical situation
The lack of eligible assets for the ESG European securitisation market is at least partly due to the high barriers of entry set by the taxonomy
Although ESG accounts for only approximately 7.5% of global assets held by financial firms, stricter regulation, public opinion, and buyside and sellside activism could scale the market dramatically
Still under development in the EU, the regulation is set to build on ICMA’s Green Bond Principles and create an ambitious standard for sustainable finance across the bloc
While a US taxonomy is off the cards, senior bankers say the definitions proposed in the SEC’s climate disclosures and ESG guidelines could serve as a substitute and help the fight against greenwashing
Stuart Kirk’s controversial speech has met with mixed reactions in the financial community, with some commending his brutal honesty, and others finding serious flaws in his argument
IOSCO secretary general Martin Moloney stresses the urgent need to improve issuer information to mitigate the risk of greenwashing
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IFLR’s latest explainer looks at the Commission’s proposal on climate disclosures for issuers, for which the comment period will end on June 17
In our latest explainer, we take a closer look at the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, which replaces the Non-Financial Reporting Directive
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Opinion: China must ensure Belt and Road Initiative is sustainable
Although the country’s move to stop overseas funding of coal-fired power plants is pivotal in lowering global emissions, it needs to be complemented with steps to lower oil and gas investments and switch to renewable energy investments