Sustainable finance

The potential of sovereign sustainability-linked bonds in the drive for net-zero

Sovereign SLBs could help incentivise climate policies in EU countries, and accelerate emission reductions.

Concessional climate finance: the Bridgetown Initiative

Five lessons from the Recovery and Resilience Facility for future crisis-response instruments

Presented as a new departure in EU policy-making, the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is now in its second year of implementation.

Success at COP27 will be defined by progress on climate finance and ‘loss and damage’

COP27 should create the basis of a global loss-and-damage fund to help vulnerable countries already suffering from climate disasters.

Mobilising EU investors to narrow the developing-country climate-finance gap

The EU needs to address through public and private funds the lack of private climate finance to low- and middle-income countries.

Owning up to sustainability risks: the EU should champion international standards

To keep European Union capital markets open and integrated, new international standards should be reflected in future European law.

Environmental, societal and governance criteria: hit or miss?

Is sustainable investing contributing to society’s climate and social goals, or preventing systemic change?

Small investors punch above their weight when it comes to improving corporate governance

Far from being irresponsible know-nothings, retail investors provide a vital counterpoint to institutional investors.

The EU green bond standard: sensible implementation could define a new asset class

The proposed EU green bond standard will be less prone to ‘greenwashing’.

Banks in a net-zero Europe

A net-zero emissions target is a powerful incentive for the low-carbon transition.

Accounting for climate policies in Europe’s sovereign debt market

Sovereign debt will be vital in stimulating sustainable investment, but information is lacking on how green public spending actually is.