Green Bonds – A Bridge to the SDGs

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 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 of the seventeen 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).
• Between 2007 and June 2018, the allocation of green bond proceeds was dominated by Energy at 40%, followed by Buildings at 24%, Transport at 15%, Water at 11%, Waste at 4%, Adaptation at 3%, and Land Use at 3%.
• Climate action is a crosscutting theme that impacts all SDGs; the UN states that the successful implementation of the SDGs depends on urgent action to combat climate change and minimize disruptions.
• There is a need for a 'climate risk lens' and standardized disclosure across all thematic bonds—including social, ESG, and sustainability bonds—to prevent short-term social gains from being undermined by a lack of low-carbon alignment.
• To meet the SDGs and global climate targets, green bond issuance must scale significantly, with Mission 2020 targeting USD 1 trillion of annual green bond issuance by 2020.

APA

Climate Bonds Initiative (2018). Green Bonds – A Bridge to the SDGs. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Green-Bonds-A-Bridge-to-the-SDGs.pdf

Chicago

Climate Bonds Initiative. Green Bonds – A Bridge to the SDGs. 2018. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Green-Bonds-A-Bridge-to-the-SDGs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Bonds Initiative |title=Green Bonds – A Bridge to the SDGs |date=July 2018 |url=https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Green-Bonds-A-Bridge-to-the-SDGs.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatebondsinitiative2018green, author = {{Climate Bonds Initiative}}, title = {{Green Bonds – A Bridge to the SDGs}}, institution = {Climate Bonds Initiative}, year = {2018}, month = jul, url = {https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Green-Bonds-A-Bridge-to-the-SDGs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }