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This guide by the Climate Bonds Initiative proposes a standardized classification system for financial institutions to assess and categorize the transition maturity, ambition, and credibility of their corporate exposures. The tool aims to help banks and investors manage transition risks and align their portfolios with net-zero goals by providing a consistent methodology to track corporate progress from initial commitment to full net-zero alignment.

The 'Agri-Food Deforestation and Conversion Free (DCF) Sourcing Criteria', published by the Climate Bonds Initiative on April 12, 2024, provides a framework for certifying agri-food entities that can prove their commodity sourcing is free from deforestation and natural ecosystem conversion. The criteria are designed to align with and expand upon the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), extending requirements to all natural ecosystems and applying them at the entity level globally.

The Green Bond Dataset (GBD) Methodology by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines the criteria for including self-labelled green debt instruments in its dataset. Inclusion requires the instrument to be a debt product with a green label and sufficient public disclosure. The methodology mandates that 100% of net proceeds go to green assets, with at least 90% meeting specific eligibility criteria. It explicitly excludes fossil fuel-related activities and provides guidelines for including capex, opex, R&D, and enabling activities. The GBD process is a post-issuance screening based on public data, distinguishing it from the more rigorous, application-based Climate Bonds Standard Certification.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the role of sustainable debt and climate transition finance in the agri-food sector, specifically focusing on crop and livestock production. It analyzes the current state of the sustainable debt market, the necessity of reaching smallholder farmers, and the development of science-based Sector Criteria to guide investments toward net-zero goals and deforestation-free sourcing.

The Agri-Food Deforestation and Conversion Free (DCF) Sourcing FAQs provide a rule set for certifying agri-food entities that source commodities from land not subject to deforestation or natural ecosystem conversion after 31 December 2020. The guide details eligibility for supply chain actors, traceability requirements based on country risk, and the annual verification process required to maintain certification.

This guide outlines the capacity building and technical assistance services provided by the Climate Bonds Initiative to help governments, municipalities, national development banks, and corporate entities issue climate-related labelled bonds and other sustainable debt instruments.

The Electrical Utilities Criteria, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative in March 2024, provide a framework for certifying electrical utilities and related debt instruments. The criteria are aligned with a 1.5-degree science-based decarbonisation pathway to net zero by 2050, focusing on reducing emission intensity and phasing out fossil fuel generation.

The Electrical Utilities Criteria (March 2024) by the Climate Bonds Initiative establish a technical framework for certifying electrical utilities and their debt instruments. To achieve certification, entities must align their emission intensity with a transition pathway targeting net-zero by 2040, commit to no fossil fuel expansion after January 1, 2023, and phase out fossil fuel trading by 2030-2040. The criteria set strict thresholds for hydrogen carbon intensity, biomass emissions, and CCS capture rates (90%), while requiring methane leakage controls for gas plants and comprehensive climate adaptation and resilience risk assessments.

The 'Electrical Utility Criteria' (March 2024) by the Climate Bonds Initiative provides a framework for certifying electrical utilities, sustainability-linked debt (SLD), and use-of-proceeds (UoP) bonds. It establishes a transition pathway for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity, aiming for net-zero by 2040 to align with a 1.5C goal. The criteria set specific thresholds for existing and new power generation capacities, including strict limits on non-combustion emissions for low-carbon sources and a phase-out schedule for unabated fossil fuel plants.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the sustainability-linked bond (SLB) market up to November 2023, identifying a high prevalence of low-quality deals characterized by a lack of ambition, poor disclosure, and weak underlying transition plans. The report provides a quantitative profile of the market, assesses KPI performance and transition plan quality among top issuers, and offers a best-practice checklist to improve market credibility and scale.

The Climate Bonds Standard Version 4.1 is a voluntary labelling scheme developed by the Climate Bonds Initiative to certify debt instruments, assets, and non-financial legal entities that align with the Paris Climate Agreement. It provides a science-based framework for certifying Use of Proceeds (UoP) instruments, specific physical assets, non-financial entities, and Sustainability-Linked Debt (SLD), ensuring they meet rigorous climate mitigation and transition criteria.

This research paper by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the European Union Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR), evaluating its potential to combat commodity-driven deforestation and providing recommendations to strengthen its implementation and scope.

The report identifies three opportunities for Japan by 2025: enhancing energy security through rapid renewable energy expansion (targeting 60-70% by 2035), leading ASEAN in transition finance and resilience, and establishing Tokyo as a global transition finance hub. It strongly warns that LNG methane leakage makes it a riskier alternative than previously thought, noting that US LNG can have a higher GHG footprint than coal.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines three strategic opportunities for Japan in 2025 to enhance energy security, establish global leadership in transition solutions, and position Tokyo as a hub for transition finance. It emphasizes the need for grid upgrades to unlock renewable energy, the adoption of science-based transition pathways for ASEAN partners, and the mitigation of methane leakage from LNG imports.

This guide outlines the Deforestation and Conversion-Free (DCF) Sourcing Criteria developed by the Climate Bonds Initiative to certify agri-food entities that source commodities from areas free of deforestation and natural ecosystem conversion. The criteria aim to align global financial markets with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement by providing a science-based certification process for traders, processors, and manufacturers.

The Climate Bonds Resilience Taxonomy (CBRT) Methodology provides a science-based classification system and interim screening criteria to identify and scale investments that contribute to climate adaptation and resilience. It establishes a framework to distinguish between different types of resilience investments and ensures they provide a measurable reduction in vulnerability without causing maladaptation or significant harm to other sustainability goals.

This report presents design recommendations from an Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) for the development of a Sustainable Finance Taxonomy for Aotearoa New Zealand. The proposed framework aims to mobilise capital toward a low-emissions, Paris-aligned future while restoring nature and upholding indigenous rights, with a strong emphasis on interoperability with the Australian taxonomy and the integration of iwi/Māori knowledge.

The Buildings Criteria, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative on December 7, 2023, establishes the eligibility requirements for buildings and built environment projects to achieve Climate Bonds Certification. The criteria focus on climate change mitigation, providing pathways for Use-of-Proceeds instruments, Assets, Sustainability-Linked Debt (SLD), and Entities to demonstrate climate integrity through absolute or relative emissions performance improvements.

The 'Whitelist for Low-carbon Buildings technologies' is a fact sheet published by the Climate Bonds Initiative on December 7, 2023. It provides a curated list of approved energy-efficient, low-carbon, and sustainable technologies for building construction, renovation, and operation, aligned with the Climate Bonds buildings criteria to support the decarbonisation of building stock.

This FAQ document provides guidance on the Low Carbon Building Criteria under the Climate Bonds Standard v4.0. It details the eligibility of residential, commercial, and built environment assets for green bond certification, outlining the pathways to achieve net-zero by 2050 and the specific requirements for new buildings, including the prohibition of fossil fuels and mandatory Whole Life Carbon Assessments.