Hong Kong green bond market briefing

The Hong Kong green bond market experienced significant growth in 2018, driven by government incentives and private sector activity. While local entities issued USD 2.3bn in 2018, Hong Kong also serves as a major platform for non-local issuers, particularly from mainland China, with total issuance reaching USD 11bn according to HKMA data. The market is characterized by a high prevalence of external reviews and a concentration of proceeds in low-carbon buildings, water, and renewable energy.

• The Hong Kong government introduced several measures in late 2017 and 2018 to stimulate the green bond market, including a HKD 100bn (USD 12.8bn) sovereign green bond programme, the Green Finance Certification Scheme by the HKQAA, and the Green Bond Grant Scheme which provides subsidies up to HKD 800,000 per issuance for eligible bonds of HKD 500m or more.
• Private sector issuance in Hong Kong grew rapidly in 2018, with nine issuers bringing USD 2.3bn in green bonds and loans to market, representing a 4.6-fold increase over the USD 501m volume in 2017. Non-financial corporates dominated this segment, with MTR being the most frequent issuer since 2016, totaling USD 1.1bn across eight deals.

APA

Climate Bonds Initiative (2019). Hong Kong green bond market briefing. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Hong-Kong-Green-Bond-Market-Briefing-2018.pdf

Chicago

Climate Bonds Initiative. Hong Kong green bond market briefing. 2019. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Hong-Kong-Green-Bond-Market-Briefing-2018.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Bonds Initiative |title=Hong Kong green bond market briefing |date=February 2019 |url=https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Hong-Kong-Green-Bond-Market-Briefing-2018.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatebondsinitiative2019hong, author = {{Climate Bonds Initiative}}, title = {{Hong Kong green bond market briefing}}, institution = {Climate Bonds Initiative}, year = {2019}, month = feb, url = {https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/Hong-Kong-Green-Bond-Market-Briefing-2018.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }