News

• Banker tips $10bn green bond market, but urges framework clarity

  21 October 2010

  The value of environmental bond issuance could reach $10 billion by the end of next year, a developer of green financial products said, but warned a clear and transparent framework is necessary to foster the growth of the asset class.

• Government regulation needed, say US sustainable business pioneers

  21 October 2010

  Progressive businesses in the US are focusing on sustainability efforts they can engage in without government direction, but their efforts can only go so far.

• £1bn GIB funding not enough: industry

  21 October 2010

  Industry and green groups have welcomed the UK government's commitment to allocate £1 billion ($1.6 billion) to create a green investment bank (GIB), but say the figure is well below what is required.

• Renewable heat programme, feed-in tariffs survive UK cuts

  21 October 2010

  The UK renewables industry welcomed yesterday's news that incentives for renewable heat installations and small-scale renewables will survive a round of cuts which will slash 20% from public spending.

• Trade brawl with China no substitute for US climate policy - experts

  21 October 2010

  The US government's decision to investigate whether China's green energy subsidies violate international trade law is good news for US manufacturers, but does not alleviate the need for a US climate policy that adequately supports the clean energy sector, experts said.

• Ratings agencies failing bond investors over water risk – report

  21 October 2010

  Bond investors are "blindly placing bets" on which US public utilities are best able to manage growing and imminent water risks, Ceres said in a report out today – which partly blames "weak scrutiny" by ratings agencies.

• Enel begins marketing $3bn green energy IPO

  21 October 2010

  Italian utility Enel has begun marketing shares in its renewable energy unit, in Europe's largest initial public offering (IPO) since 2007 – and a key test of sentiment for the embattled clean energy sector.

• Europe's SRI market almost doubles, to €5 trillion, in two years

  14 October 2010

  The value of the European sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) market has almost doubled, to €5 trillion ($7 trillion) over the last two years, according to the European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif).

• UK faces £370bn low-carbon investment gap without GIB

  14 October 2010

  The UK is facing a £370 billion ($591 billion) shortfall in available capital to transform into a low-carbon economy, according to a report by consultancy Ernst & Young, which sets out how the much-anticipated Green Investment Bank (GIB) could close the gap.

• Offshore wind drives clean energy asset financing to record

  14 October 2010

  Investment in clean energy hit $37.9 billion in the third quarter, as a flood of cash into offshore wind infrastructure in the North Sea helped drive a record $32.8 billion in asset financing.