BIS Launches Green Bonds Fund, RBNZ Affirms USD 100 Million Investment
BIS launched an open-ended fund for central bank investments in green bonds. The is denominated in US dollars, is structured according to Swiss law, belongs to the BIS Investment Pool (BISIP) family, and is managed in-house by BIS Asset Management. Meanwhile, RBNZ has affirmed its Climate Change Strategy through the investment of USD 100 million in green bonds. The climate change strategy of RBNZ focuses on the channels through which it can contribute to efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change. These include managing its own direct impact on the climate, reflecting climate risks in its core functions, and contributing to wider efforts to identify, monitor, and manage climate risks domestically and as part of the global regulatory community.
The BIS fund is a response to growing demand for climate-friendly investments among official institutions. The green bond fund initiative is intended to help central banks to incorporate environmental sustainability objectives in the management of their reserves. With the support of an advisory committee drawn from a global group of central banks, the fund pools BIS client assets to promote green finance through sizable climate-friendly investments and support the adoption of best market practices to deepen the green bond market. Eligible bonds have a minimum rating of A- and comply with the International Capital Market Association's Green Bond Principles and/or the Climate Bond Standard published by the Climate Bonds Initiative. The initiative is part of the broader commitment of BIS to supporting environmentally responsible finance and investment practices, in line with the BIS participation in the Central Banks and Supervisors' Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). Recently, BIS also published an article in the Quarterly Review that explores how environmental sustainability objectives might fit within central banks' reserve management frameworks.
Related Links
Keywords: International, Asia Pacific, New Zealand, Banking, Green Bonds Fund, Climate Change Risk, ESG, RBNZ, BIS
Previous Article
ESRB Welcomes FIN-FSA Decision to Extend Stricter Measure Under CRRRelated Articles
EU Amends CRD4 and CRD5 as Part of Capital Markets Recovery Package
EU published Directive 2021/338, which amends the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II and the Capital Requirements Directives (CRD 4 and 5) to facilitate recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
EU Committee Recommends Systemic Risk Buffer of 4.5% in Norway
The Standing Committee of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) recommended that a systemic risk buffer level of 4.5% for domestic exposures can be considered appropriate for addressing the identified systemic risks to the stability of the financial system in Norway.
PRA Clarifies Approach to Onshoring of Credit Risk Rules for UK Banks
In a recent statement, PRA clarified its approach to the application of certain EU regulatory technical standards and EBA guidelines on standardized and internal ratings-based approaches to credit risk, following the end of the Brexit transition.
FSB Sets Out Work Priorities for 2021
In a recently published letter addressed to the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, the FSB Chair Randal K. Quarles has set out the key FSB priorities for 2021.
EU Publishes Corrigendum to Revised Capital Requirements Regulation
EU published, in the Official Journal of the European Union, a corrigendum to the revised Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR2 or Regulation 2019/876).
ESAs Issue Statement on Application of Sustainability Disclosures Rule
ESAs published a joint supervisory statement on the effective and consistent application and on national supervision of the regulation on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial services sector (SFDR).
EC Consults on Crisis Management and Deposit Insurance Frameworks
EC published a public consultation on the review of crisis management and deposit insurance frameworks in EU.
HKMA Enhances Loan Guarantee Scheme to Alleviate Pressure on SMEs
HKMA announced that enhancements will be made to the Special 100% Loan Guarantee of the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme (SFGS) and the application period will be extended to December 31, 2021.
EBA Proposes Standards for Supervisory Cooperation Under IFD
EBA launched consultations on the regulatory and implementing technical standards on cooperation and information exchange between competent authorities involved in prudential supervision of investment firms.
BoE Addresses Banks in Scope of First Resolvability Assessment
BoE issued a letter to the CEOs of eight major UK banks that are in scope of the first Resolvability Assessment Framework (RAF) reporting and disclosure cycle.