Climate Bonds Initiative

Climate Bonds Initiative is an international organisation working to mobilise global capital for climate action. We achieve this through the development of the Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme, Policy Engagement and Market Intelligence work. We empower our Partner organisations with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate, influence and instigate change.

Climate Bonds Initiative is an investor-focused not-for-profit. Our work therefore is an open source public good and falls into three workstreams:

1. Market intelligence

• Thought leadership and research

We produce regular reports on the state of the sustainable finance market both global and regional, as well as thematic reports such as our semi annual study of the greenium in the green bond market. We issue thematic reports, e.g. on sectors and structures used in the market. We also produce guides to facilitate issuance. We also engage on our research with the market through events and webinar.

• Tracking the climate bonds universe: our databases

We track the evolution of climate bond market, we maintain several databases:

• Green Bond Database: we screen self-labelled debt instruments to identify bonds and similar debt instruments as eligible for inclusion based on our taxonomy.

• Social and Sustainability Bond Database: where we track issuance of debt and similar instruments issued under Social and Sustainability labels

• Climate Aligned Database: universe of vanilla (ie not green) bonds issued by companies whose entire activities are de facto green

Ask us about our Sustainability Linked Bond database

We run a Partnership programme which is a network for sharing best practices and exchange ideas, we aim to help advance our Partners’ climate agendas.

2. Developing a trusted standard

The Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme is a labeling scheme for bonds. It is designed as an easy-to-use tool for investors and governments that assists them in prioritising investments that truly contribute to addressing climate change. The Standard is a public good resource for the market. The Climate Bonds Taxonomy is the backbone of the standard work – it defines investments that are part of low carbon economy.

Bonds and loans which are verified to conform with the Climate Bonds Standard are called Certified Climate Bonds. The Standard contains scientific criteria consistent with the 1.5 degrees Celsius target declared in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

In order to receive the Certification mark, a prospective issuer must appoint an Approved Verifier, who will provide assurance that the bond meets the Climate Bonds Standard’s requirements. The Climate Bonds Standard Board provides the final confirmation of all Climate Bond Certifications.

It is important for standards to evolve with the market, and we are constantly updating and expanding areas covered. Transition is a good example, as we are adding sector criteria in hard to abate sectors and even defining criteria for assessing the credibility of decarbonisation transitions at the entity level.

3. Training & Policy models, advice

Since 2018, the Climate Bonds Initiative Training Academy has empowered professionals in finance and sustainability to harness the potential of green finance as a tool to support our transition to a low-carbon economy. Answering the need expressed by many to stay abreast of the latest developments in sustainable finance, Climate Bonds Initiative has developed a series of leading training options to empower the next generation of sustainable finance leaders to take action.

Rapid change at very large scale will also depend on a close working relationship between government, finance and industry. The Climate Bonds Initiative is provides advice to many governments in the world on sustainable finance including on the development of national taxonomies. Our Technical Assistance team provides training, capacity building and advisory services.

In addition, global and country level policy analysis is one of the key focus areas for Climate Bonds Initiative.

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