Is 2021 an inflection point for green lending?

Greenwashed loans will soon become limited due to intervention at EU level and advancements in the valuation process, so the competitive edge will be with those who invest in sustainable buildings

Over the coming years, green covenant reporting is set to become a standard function of real estate financing with KPIs measuring energy efficiency, noise, light and waste processing. Picture: Getty

With global leaders facing criticism following Cop26 of being self-interested, disjointed and delivering watered down commitments on climate action, an unlikely contrast is apparent in the capital markets where a common sense of purpose is developing between the world’s largest asset managers when it comes to the ‘green agenda’.

To date, 220 organisations representing over $57 trillion assets under management, or AUM, (which represents more than half of global AUM) have signed up to ...