Global green bond issuance last year reached an all-time high in terms of both individual bonds issued and collective value issued, global law firm Linklaters has concluded. According to Linklaters’ latest annual analysis, based on data from Thompson Reuters, 479 green bonds were issued by companies, governments and financial organisations in 2019, up from 382 in 2018. The collective value of green bonds issued in 2019 was $185.6 billion, compared to $142.4 billion the year prior. Linklaters’ analysis covers all bonds specifically created to fund projects that deliver environmental benefits in terms of emissions, resources, waste or habitats. In 2019 around 40 percent of all issuances in terms of both number and value originated from China, the US, France and Germany. Linklaters is predicting further growth across Europe, as the EU’s new taxonomy regulations on green finance come into effect in 2021. The new regulations aim to ensure adequate finance is allocated to meet the aims of the bloc’s ‘Green New Deal’, which includes a 2050 net-zero target.

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