OVERVIEW - Global green bonds overtake 2016 total

Image by CBI (www.climatebonds.net).

Year-to-date green bond issuance reached USD 83 billion (EUR 70.4bn) on September 28, the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) announced. Below you can read part of their overview, released on Friday.

The record 2016 green bonds total of USD 81.6 billion has been surpassed and there are 94 days left to reach the CBI's longstanding USD-130-billion forecast for 2017. Latest green issuance from New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York State Housing Finance Agency, French energy group Engie (EPA:ENGI) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have tipped us over the 2016 line.

AT A GLANCE - GROWTH SINCE 2015

The late September movers:

New York MTA have just finalised their latest USD-662-million Climate Bonds Certified green bond, with Sustainalytics providing verification. MTA is one of the large issuers who have adopted the streamlined Programmatic Certification process for green issuance. This is their sixth green bond since February 2016, for a cumulative total of USD 3.4 billion.

New York State Housing Finance Agency is another large issuer to use the Programmatic Certification process. Their latest is a USD-40.9-million Climate Bonds Certified green bond under the Low Carbon Buildings Criteria. This is HFA’s fifth green bond, totalling USD 275 million since December 2016.

On September 28, Engie closed a EUR-1.25-billion (USD-1.5-billion) green bond. It is their second for 2017 and third issued since 2014, for a total of USD 6.6 billion. Vigeo EIRIS provided the second opinion.

The EIB re-opened their August 2017 Climate Awareness bond on September 28, adding AUD 200 million to the original AUD-125-million issuance.

A PEEK AT ALL TOP 3's FOR 2017 TO DATE

Top 3 by amount issued (USD billion)	Top 3 by number of deals (rank)	Top 3 nations (USD billion)	Top 3 issuer types (USD billion)
Republic of France (7.5)	EIB (5)	France (14.7)	Corporates (30.4)
EIB (4.6)	Fabege (5)	China (12.2)	Development banks (14.4)
Mexico City Airport (4)	New York State Housing Finance Agency/New York MTA (4 each)	USA (11.7)	Commercial banks (12.1)

Climate Bonds Initiative regular reporting only includes green bonds (not ‘social’ or ‘sustainability’ bonds) that fit inside rigorous definitions and Taxonomy, around what constitutes a green bond and where we’ve been able to find sufficient documentation to make a reasonable assessment.

"Our figures may not be the largest, but they’re the greenest."

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