Climate Bonds Initiative, in partnership with the London Stock Exchange Group, held in February 2016 in London, the inaugural Green Bond Pioneer Awards to celebrate the heroes and pioneers of the new and fast-growing market.
Christiana Figueres welcomed a bevy of bankers, investors and green bond issuers, watch:
“I applaud the effort to raise the profile of green bonds and acknowledge leaders in the sector. This is exactly what we need as a follow up to last years UN Climate Change Conference in Paris. (...) Let me be one of the first to congratulate this year’s first ever winners of the Green Bond Awards. You are part of the real on-the-ground movement that will spur the transformation that spells success for the Paris Agreement.” - Christiana Figueres.
Winners of the Pioneer Green Bond Awards:
- Corporate Green Bond Pioneer - Vasakronan
- Green Covered Bonds (Green Pfandbrief) Pioneer - Berlin Hyp
- Green Asset Backed Securities Pioneer - Hannon Armstrong
- Pioneer in Green Bond Underwriting - Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB)
- Pioneer in Green Bond Policy - Peoples Bank of China (PBoC)
- First Municipal Green Bond - Île-de-France
- Pioneers in Emerging Markets - Yes Bank & Agricultural Bank of China
- First Commercial Bank Green Bond - Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- First Green Bond - European Investment Bank (EIB)
- Global Market Development Pioneer - World Bank
Sean Kidney, CEO and co-founder of the Climate Bonds Initiative, closed the ceremony saying:
“The award recipients are the pioneers of the market, organisations at the forefront of the global financial sector’s response to the investment challenges posed by climate change. (...) They are laying new foundations for the capital flows needed to achieve the commitments within the national climate change plans tabled at COP21.(...) Behind each of the award winners in each category are other companies, municipalities, development and commercial banks all meriting recognition.(...)Together all these organisations are making a leading contribution to developing green bond markets, creating new and innovative climate finance solutions. They are to be congratulated.”
The Awards recognised organisations that have demonstrated the potential of green bonds, either by being first to market, or by positive example have called investors, governments and business to action.
The Inaugural Green Bond Awards were held in partnership with the London Stock Exchange Group. And PwC and UNEP Inquiry were event sponsors.
Foundation supporters included the PRI and ICMIF.
Responsible Investor was the media partner.
