Sustainable debt issuance jumps three-fold in 2021

This demonstrates the huge opportunity for a sustainable finance market in the city-state.

Singapore’s sustainable debt issuance jumped three-fold in 2021 to $41.08b (US$30.09b) from $13.78b (US$10.09b) in 2020, data from a Standard Chartered research report showed.

The increase in sustainability-linked bond issuance in Singapore demonstrates “the huge opportunity of a sustainable finance market in the city-state,” according to the bank.

Globally, Standard Chartered said green, social, sustainable, and sustainability-linked bond issuance will also balloon going forward, estimating a 52% YoY growth to $2.3t (US$1.7) in 2022.

By 2025, the bank said GSSS bond issuances might even reach $5.7t (US$4.2t).

The bank, however, said emerging markets would still need an additional $129.4t (US$94.8 t) to transition to net-zero by 2060.

Asia, in particular, would need additional transition finance of $69.6t (US$51t).

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