Sustainable Debt Jumps 17% in Q1 2023 – CBI

Data from the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) showed a 17% rise in green, social sustainability, sustainability-linked, and transition (GSS+) bonds in Q1 2023 compared to the previous quarter. CBI recorded GSS+ debt of US$204.8 billion Q1 2023. However, this marks a 21% year-on-year drop versus Q1 2022. In the first three months of 2023, green bonds saw US$122.9 billion added, surpassing the USS97.5 billion added in Q4 2022. Social bonds captured volumes of US$30.6 billion during the quarter, sustainability bonds added US$29.6 billion, and sustainability-linked bonds US21.4 billion marking a “huge rebound” from Q4 2022. In addition to the volume of green bonds recognised in its Q1 figure, a further US$57.7 billion of green deals were either excluded from the Climate Bonds Green Bond Database or are awaiting further clarification from the issuer. By the end of March 2023, the CBI had recorded lifetime GSS+ of US$3.9 trillion since the market’s 2007 inception. Sean Kidney, CEO at Climate Bonds, said: “Stabilising the road ahead means getting tough on climate action and all market actors need to step up and shoulder this responsibility. Climate commitments, credible pathways and sustainable finance should be the pillars of good governance in public and private sector alike.” 

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