Search Climate Insights Directory

The document outlines the technical requirements for agri-food entities to be certified as deforestation and conversion free (DCF). It establishes a cut-off date of 31 December 2020, mandates geolocation traceability for high-risk origins and specific commodities, and requires rigorous due diligence and annual verification. The criteria align with the EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) and the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFi), extending protections to all natural ecosystems beyond forests.

The Electrical Utilities Criteria provide a framework for certifying entities and debt instruments based on their emission intensity and transition pathways. It defines specific thresholds for existing and new capacity across various technologies, including fossil fuels and renewables, while integrating cross-cutting requirements for carbon capture, hydrogen, and bioenergy. The criteria also mandate adaptation and resilience risk assessments to ensure long-term operational viability under climate change.

The document defines the technical requirements for electrical utilities to achieve certification, focusing on a transition pathway to net-zero emissions by 2040. It sets specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity thresholds (gCO2/kWh) for existing and new capacity, mandates the phase-out of unabated fossil fuel plants, and provides guidelines for low-carbon technologies such as CCS/CCUS, hydrogen co-firing, and bioenergy. It also includes requirements for climate adaptation and resilience risk assessments.

The Buildings Criteria provide a framework for certifying Use-of-Proceeds instruments, assets, entities, and Sustainability-Linked Debt based on their emissions performance. Eligibility is determined through two primary pathways: an Absolute Performance Threshold (using city-specific trajectories or approved proxies) and a Relative Performance Improvement pathway (requiring 30-50% emissions reductions for retrofits). New buildings constructed after 2023 face stricter requirements, including a total ban on fossil fuels for heating, hot water, and cooking, and mandatory infrastructure for electric mobility. Starting January 1, 2026, new buildings must also report on Whole Life Carbon Assessments (WLCA), with specific emissions thresholds for steel and cement. The criteria also define certification levels for entities and sustainability-linked debt, categorizing them as either 'Aligned' or 'Transition' based on their adherence to low-carbon trajectories.

The document explains the eligibility and certification process for Low Carbon Buildings Bonds, detailing the pathways to achieve net-zero by 2050 and the specific requirements for new and existing buildings. It outlines the use of trajectories and proxies to measure emissions intensity and highlights new 2023 requirements for new buildings, including the prohibition of fossil fuels and mandatory Whole Life Carbon Assessments.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's Hydrogen Criteria define the technical and environmental benchmarks required for hydrogen-related financial instruments to be certified as green. The framework focuses on carbon intensity thresholds, decarbonisation measures, and adaptation and resilience requirements across the hydrogen value chain, from production to storage and delivery.

The Hydropower Criteria define the mitigation and adaptation requirements for hydropower facilities—including run-of-river, impoundment, and pumped storage—to qualify for Climate Bond certification. Mitigation eligibility is based on power density or GHG emissions intensity thresholds, which vary depending on whether the facility became operational before or after 2020. Pumped storage must additionally demonstrate a link to intermittent renewables or grid decarbonisation. Adaptation and resilience are assessed via the ESG Gap Analysis Tool, with strict limits on the number and nature of 'significant gaps' allowed. Issuers must provide evidence of these metrics and publicly disclose ESG assessments and any associated Environmental and Social Action Plans.

The Water Infrastructure Criteria under the Climate Bonds Standard provide a framework for certifying bonds that finance engineered, nature-based, or hybrid water infrastructure. To be eligible, assets must meet both mitigation and adaptation requirements. Mitigation is assessed based on net GHG emissions impact or, for desalination plants, a specific carbon intensity threshold of 100g CO2e/kWh. Adaptation and resilience are evaluated through a Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan, scored via a detailed scorecard covering allocation, governance, technical diagnostics, and specific requirements for nature-based solutions and desalination plants. The criteria exclude investments in fossil fuels, nuclear energy, mining, and water-driven energy like hydropower.

The document details the three-phase development of the Water Infrastructure Criteria, which aim to prevent 'greenwashing' in the green bond market by providing scientific standards for water-related investments. It covers built, nature-based, and hybrid infrastructure, with a specific focus on the newly added desalination criteria. The framework emphasizes a process-based approach to climate vulnerability assessments and sets a carbon intensity threshold of 100gCO2/kWh for desalination plants to align with the Paris Agreement.

The Land Transport Criteria Version 2 establishes a framework for certifying green bonds in the transport sector, focusing on quantitative emissions thresholds and the exclusion of fossil-fuel-intensive assets. It prioritizes zero-direct-emissions vehicles and infrastructure, while setting specific benchmarks for passenger and freight transport to align with the Paris Agreement and the EU Taxonomy. The document details eligibility for various assets, including rail, road transport, and supporting infrastructure, while explicitly excluding biofuel vehicles and dedicated fossil fuel transport.

The CBI Shipping Criteria provide a framework for certifying shipping assets as compatible with a low-carbon economy. Eligibility is primarily based on a vessel's carbon-equivalent intensity remaining below a specific decarbonisation trajectory for its class, reaching zero emissions by 2050. The criteria exclude dedicated fossil fuel carriers and require non-zero-emission ships to provide a Managed Reduction Plan (MRP) detailing future retrofits or fuel switches. While the document outlines adaptation principles, the shipping sector is currently derogated from mandatory resilience requirements due to existing international maritime safety standards.

The criteria for low carbon buildings in Peru prohibit the use of fossil fuels for HVAC, hot water, and cooking, with exceptions for emergency backup generators. Social housing certified under the Mivivienda Verde Certificate is eligible if it proves equivalence to EDGE Certification and aligns with Climate Bonds requirements for buildings constructed after January 1, 2024. Residential property upgrades are eligible if they achieve operating energy emission reductions of 30% for 5-year bonds or 50% for 30-year bonds.

The Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) has established the Hydropower Criteria to help investors identify hydropower projects that support the Paris Agreement. To be certified, projects must pass a two-part assessment: Mitigation Criteria, which set specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emission thresholds based on the operational date, and Adaptation & Resilience (A&R) Criteria, which use the ESG Gap Analysis Tool to ensure adherence to international best practices across 12 environmental and social dimensions. Certification requires independent verification by accredited assessors licensed by the International Hydropower Association (IHA). The criteria exclude indirect emissions from construction and the economic viability of projects, focusing instead on climate integrity and social responsibility.