Michael Hurley

London and Amsterdam top index of world’s green financial centres

European cities dominated an index of the world’s top green financial centres, with London and Amsterdam outperforming their peers.

Green bonds round-up: IBRD, Folksam Group, Electrolux, Interstate Power & Light, Pace Funding Group, EBRD

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), part of the World Bank Group, has tapped the €600 million ($675 million) green bond it issued in November to raise a further €250 million.

Australia launches HLEG-style sustainable finance initiative

A group of leaders and senior executives at Australia’s major banks, superannuation funds and insurance companies has been assembled to devise a sustainable finance ‘roadmap’.

Dutch pension fund allocates €5.8bn to SDG index

A Netherlands-based pension fund has allocated €5.8 billion ($6.5 billion) – more than a quarter of its entire portfolio – to a newly-created ‘sustainable’ benchmark index.

Natixis poaches Pictet water fund managers to create thematics arm

Natixis Investment Managers has made two hires from rival Pictet to co-manage a newly-created water fund.

EIB provides €16bn in ‘climate action’ lending in 2018

The European Investment Bank (EIB) lent a combined €16.1 billion ($18.2 billion) – 29% of its overall lending – to ‘climate action’ projects in 2018.

Sustainability-linked loan principles launched

The launch of a set of Sustainability Linked Loan Principles has been hailed as a “critical development” for incentivising borrowers to improve their sustainability performance.

Retail sector less transparent on water risk than oil & gas, CDP says

Eurosif likely to set EU action plan as focus of new direction

The European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif) plans to mould its new strategy around implementation of the EU’s Sustainable Finance Action Plan, Environmental Finance has learned.

Financial centres stunted by lack of green finance products, finds FC4S

A lack of green financial products has been identified as a key barrier to the growth of sustainable finance in some of the world’s largest financial centres.