Bonds to Save the Planet
Eco-friendly fixed-income funds can help create a stronger market for securities that back environmental projects.
Green bonds could be a key tool to finance the fight against climate change. But good luck getting your hands on one, or figuring out exactly what it’s worth.
The securities are just like regular bonds, except their proceeds are earmarked to fund projects that have positive benefits for the environment or climate. Countries including Poland and France have issued them to support renewable energy. Companies may use bond proceeds on projects that reduce emissions or enable funding for electric vehicles. Municipalities are also big issuers of green bonds. More than $600 billion in green bonds have been issued worldwide in the past decade, according to BloombergNEF.