Carbon neutrality goal: China is leading global surge in green bond financing this year

China has led a surge in green bond financing this year, with global issuances growing threefold to about US$194 billion in the first five months of 2021, and was on target to easily pass record issuance levels seen in 2020, according to a new report.

Through May 27, China accounted for 13.4 per cent of all green bonds issued globally, raising US$26.1 billion, according to data provider Refinitiv. That is more than double the US$10.1 billion raised in the first five months of 2020 and nearly as much as the US$27 billion raised in all of last year.