Germany unveils plan to become a leading hub for sustainable finance
Germany's new plan aligns with the European Union sustainable development goals. Image: REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
- The German government is planning to introduce a new Sustainable Finance Strategy plan, consisting of 26 individual measures.
- This will help steer capital towards environmental projects and transform Germany into a leading hub for sustainable finance.
- The plan supports the European Union becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
- A 30-year green bond is planned for May 2021 with a 10-year issue to follow later during the year.
The German government is planning a new green financing strategy to steer capital towards environmental projects and developing Germany into a leading hub for sustainable finance, plans seen by Reuters show.
The so-called Sustainable Finance Strategy plan lists 26 individual measures and is due to be adopted by the cabinet on Wednesday with a view to mobilising investment for climate protection projects.
"The federal government wants to develop Germany into a leading location for sustainable finance," states the plan, which is aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
The plan aims to support the European Union becoming carbon neutral by 2050 - a target the European Commission estimates will require 350 billion euros to be invested annually.
The plan also responds to investors demanding more companies complying with environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria.
To assist investors, the German plan envisages a sustainability "traffic light" system that makes it easier to identify green investment opportunities.
Berlin wants to coordinate the traffic light plan with the EU if possible, but if it cannot move ahead quickly with the bloc it will start with Germany's Federal Environment Agency.
The government also plans to increase guarantees and export credit assistance for green projects, and to reallocate 9 billion euros in equities it holds in pension and welfare funds into green investments.
With the Greens now topping most opinion polls, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and their Social Democratic coalition partners are eager to tout their green credentials before September's federal election. read more
The government envisages green bond issuance this year similar to 2020, when it launched its first two green bonds with a combined volume of 11.5 billion euros.
A 30-year green bond is planned for May, with a 10-year issue to follow in the second half of the year.
Don't miss any update on this topic
Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.
License and Republishing
World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.
Stay up to date:
Germany
Forum Stories newsletter
Bringing you weekly curated insights and analysis on the global issues that matter.
More on Sustainable DevelopmentSee all
Mauricio Rodas and Sandra Villars
December 23, 2024
