New Zealand green bonds and infrastructure

The report highlights New Zealand's climate leadership through policies like the Zero Carbon Bill 2019 and the ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling. It notes that while the green bond market is small, it is growing, with total green and sustainability debt from New Zealand entities reaching NZD3.7bn. The document identifies significant investment needs in infrastructure, particularly in Auckland, and explores five key sectors for green investment: renewable energy, low-carbon transport, sustainable water management, sustainable waste management, and green buildings.

• New Zealand has implemented several high-ambition climate policies, including the Zero Carbon Bill 2019, which aims to cut net emissions to zero by 2050, and a 2018 decision to rule out new offshore oil and gas drilling exploration.
• The New Zealand green and sustainability debt market has reached a total value of NZD3.7bn, featuring issuers such as Contact Energy, Westpac New Zealand, Auckland Council, Argosy Property, and Housing New Zealand.
• The New Zealand Treasury estimates a capital expenditure requirement of NZD129bn between 2019 and 2029 for capital projects to address aging infrastructure and population growth.
• Renewable energy currently accounts for over 80% of New Zealand's electricity generation, primarily driven by hydropower (60% in 2018), geothermal power (17%), and wind power (4.7%).
• The transport sector is a major source of emissions, with road transport emissions increasing 93.4% from 1990 to 2017; however, the Global Infrastructure Hub estimates a USD8-10bn investment gap for rail infrastructure by 2040.
• New Zealand's water infrastructure is aging, with over half of the systems using outdated technologies, and the Global Infrastructure Hub estimates a need for USD17bn in water investment up to 2040.
• The waste sector is characterized by high per capita waste generation but low overall volumes, making large-scale infrastructure projects economically unviable; consequently, no projects in the report's pipeline met the NZD50m minimum threshold.
• Construction emissions have risen by 60% over the last decade, but there is growing demand for green buildings driven by government tenants, favorable bank loan terms, and interest from District Health Boards.

APA

Boulle, B., & Nolan, S. (2019). New Zealand green bonds and infrastructure. Climate Bonds Initiative. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/New-Zealand-green-bonds-and-infrastructure-2019.pdf

Chicago

Boulle, Bridget, and Sharna Nolan. New Zealand green bonds and infrastructure. Climate Bonds Initiative, 2019. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/New-Zealand-green-bonds-and-infrastructure-2019.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boulle |first1=Bridget |last2=Nolan |first2=Sharna |title=New Zealand green bonds and infrastructure |publisher=Climate Bonds Initiative |date=August 2019 |url=https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/New-Zealand-green-bonds-and-infrastructure-2019.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boulle2019new, author = {Boulle, Bridget and Nolan, Sharna}, title = {{New Zealand green bonds and infrastructure}}, institution = {Climate Bonds Initiative}, year = {2019}, month = aug, url = {https://www.climatebonds.net/files/documents/publications/New-Zealand-green-bonds-and-infrastructure-2019.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }