Green bonds issuance hit $255 billion in 2019

A new report by Climate Bonds Initiative has found that in 2019, green bonds issuance hit a record $255 billion.

Global green bond and loan issuance climbed by 49% last year to a record high of $249.5 billion, analysis by Climate Bonds Initiative found. Of this total, 2.6% were green loans. 

The report breaks the bonds down, categorising them in to countries. The data shows the largest international green bond market was the European Union with $106.7 billion of annual issuance.

The USA tops national rankings with $50.6 billion, China at $30.1 billion and France the third largest green issuing nation at $29.5 billion. 

Sean Kidney, CEO at Climate Bonds Initiative, said: “The 2019 results and 2020 estimates bring the vital international milestone of $1trillion in annual green investment by 2021/2022 into sight. Acceleration into trillions of annual investments to support transition, adaptation and resilience must become the hallmark of the new decade.”

The report then broke the data down into how the investment was utilised. Clean energy dominated overall Use of Proceeds at 31.5%, followed by low carbon buildings on 29.3%, low carbon transport 20.2%, water 9.3%, with land use and waste both at 3.5%.

Climate Bonds Initiative is an international organisation working solely to mobilize the largest capital market of all, the $100 trillion bond market, for climate change solutions.

They revealed that Climate Bonds Certified bonds/loans for the year reached new record ($39.3 billion) of volume, reflecting an acceleration of green issuers demonstrating international market best practice.

Climate Bonds' new forecast for 2020 is $350-400 billion in global annual green bond/loan issuance. 

Sean Kidney added: “The vital $1trillion in annual green investment is coming into sight.”

Read the full report here.