Green Bonds: A Bridge to SDGs - Focus on SDG 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 & 15

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative explores the synergies between green bonds and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), arguing that climate mitigation and adaptation are essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda. It identifies six specific SDGs that benefit most directly from green bond investment and emphasizes the need for climate risk disclosure across all thematic bond labels to ensure long-term sustainability.

• Green bonds provide direct benefits to six specific UN Sustainable Development Goals: Clean water and sanitation (SDG6), Clean energy (SDG7), Sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG9), Sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), Climate Action (SDG13), and Life on land (SDG15).
• Clean energy (SDG7) is the largest segment of the green bond market at 40%, followed by low carbon buildings at 24% and low carbon transport at 15%. Clean water and sanitation (SDG6) accounts for 11% of issuance, while sustainable forestry and agriculture (SDG15) represents 3%.
• Climate action is a crosscutting theme essential to all SDGs; the UN states that urgent action to combat climate change is integral to the successful implementation of the SDGs, and achieving them is nearly impossible if global temperatures rise above 2°C.
• There is a critical need for climate risk disclosure across all thematic bonds—including social, sustainability, ESG, and SDG bonds—to prevent short-term social gains from undermining long-term low-carbon goals.
• To meet the full set of SDGs, green bond issuance must scale from millions to trillions, with 'Mission 2020' targeting USD 1 trillion of annual green bond issuance by 2020.

APA

Climate Bonds Initiative (2018). Green Bonds: A Bridge to SDGs - Focus on SDG 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 & 15. https://www.climatebonds.net/news-events/blog/green-bonds-bridge-sdgs-focus-sdg-6-7-9-11-13-15

Chicago

Climate Bonds Initiative. Green Bonds: A Bridge to SDGs - Focus on SDG 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 & 15. 2018. https://www.climatebonds.net/news-events/blog/green-bonds-bridge-sdgs-focus-sdg-6-7-9-11-13-15.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Bonds Initiative |title=Green Bonds: A Bridge to SDGs - Focus on SDG 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 & 15 |date=20 June 2018 |url=https://www.climatebonds.net/news-events/blog/green-bonds-bridge-sdgs-focus-sdg-6-7-9-11-13-15 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatebondsinitiative2018green, author = {{Climate Bonds Initiative}}, title = {{Green Bonds: A Bridge to SDGs - Focus on SDG 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 \& 15}}, institution = {Climate Bonds Initiative}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://www.climatebonds.net/news-events/blog/green-bonds-bridge-sdgs-focus-sdg-6-7-9-11-13-15}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }