On September 5, Hong Kong (China) announced its plan to issue its second retail green bond with a value of HKD 15 billion (USD 1.91 billion). The bond has a three-year term and semi-annual interest payment regime based on the average consumer price index for the corresponding period. The minimum payment is guaranteed at 4.75%.

The new retail green bond, along with other financial instruments introduced under Hong Kong's green bond program, demonstrates a commitment to climate change mitigation and promoting green finance, as well as developing Hong Kong into a more sustainable and worthwhile city.

The registration period for the bond will begin on September 28 at 2 p.m. The bond will be issued on October 10 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on October 11.
In late July, Masdar Group (United Arab Emirates) completed its first green bond issuance, raising USD 750 million (EUR 685 million) on the London Stock Exchange.

This agreement is the first step in a program to raise approximately USD 3 billion in bonds, which will fulfill Masdar's capital commitments for new renewable energy projects worldwide, with a target of achieving 100 GW of capacity by 2030. The program aims to support solar energy and wind projects, renewable energy transmission and distribution infrastructure, as well as energy storage assets.

According to S&P Global Ratings, sustainable bond issuance in the Middle East has more than tripled, reaching USD 15.4 billion in the first half of 2023. Most issuances involve government participation as the main related party and issuer of green bonds.

In late May 2023, the Ministry of Environment of South Korea and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on South Korea's Green Bonds with 23 participating companies to subsidize the interest rate differential for green bond issuances. The participating companies plan to issue green bonds worth around KRW 3.9 trillion by the end of this year. The successful implementation of projects supported by these bonds is expected to result in significant environmental improvements, including a reduction of approximately 3.73 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

Earlier in April 2023, South Korean battery component manufacturer POSCO Future M Co. announced its plan to issue KRW 300 billion (USD 226 million) of green bonds to finance investments in clean battery materials. Following this announcement, Posco Future M Co. received orders to purchase green bonds worth KRW 1.1 trillion from institutional investors in a session, exceeding the fundraising target of KRW 300 billion by more than 3.5 times.

In June 2023, the Western Australian Treasury Corporation (WATC) issued its first green bond, raising USD 1.9 billion for Government projects that eligibly deliver environmental outcomes.

In India, over the past 10 years from January 2014 to March 2023, issuers in India have raised USD 42.9 billion in registered and unregisted green bonds in the energy sector. According to the "Green Bonds India" report, green bond issuances reached a record high of USD 9.5 billion in 2021.

The potential sectors for green bond development include renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, and sustainable waste management.

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, sustainable bond issuance has surpassed half a trillion dollars in the first six months of 2023, thanks to record-breaking green bond issuances. Corporate and government sustainable bond issuances increased by 18.6% compared to the same period in 2022.

The sales volume of green bonds in the first half of 2023 increased by 22.2% to USD 351.9 billion compared to the same period in 2022, the largest half-year issuance to date, surpassing the previous record set in the second half of 2021 when USD 296.6 billion was issued. So far, the Italian government issued the largest green bond of the year in April, amounting to EUR 10 billion.

According to a report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), green bond issuance has rebounded after a decline in 2022. The IFC predicts a 1% decrease in the green bond issuance rate for emerging market portfolios, including China, in 2023, followed by a recovery with a growth rate of around 11% in 2024.

Another report by S&P Global Ratings estimates that global sustainable bond issuance is expected to reach between USD 900 billion and USD 1 trillion in 2023 due to increasing demand, energy transition efforts, and climate support policies.

Among them, green, social, sustainable, and sustainability-linked bonds (GSSSB) are expected to account for 14% to 16% of the total bond issuances./.