Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFirst Australian certified Climate Bond issued by NABLondon 4th December 2014 - Australia’s first certified Climate Bond was launched today by
one of Australia’s four big banks; National Australia Bank (NAB). The bond has been certified
under the Climate Bonds Standard; a FairTrade-like labeling scheme for bonds that allows
investors to easily prioritise ‘climate-smart’ investments. The bond is expected to raise aminimum of A$150 million and will fund a portfolio of seventeen wind and solar energy farms.
It is the first time an Australian issuer has brought a green bond to the local market. Bond'scompliance with the Standard was confirmed by Climate Bonds’ approved verifier DNV.
Demand for investments that address climate change has soared in the past year and fuelled
the rapid growth of the green bonds market. It has trebled in size in 2014 (to $34bn) and isexpected to reach $100bn in 2015.
“Green and climate bonds are where the proceeds go to projects or assets important toaddressing climate change’ said Sean Kidney, CEO of Climate Bonds Initiative ‘Independentcertification gives confidence to investors that money is being used in the promised way.”
He added: “NAB climate bond meets the criteria of the scheme. Funds are dedicated to windand solar energy project finance loans. From the investors’ point of view, these are highquality investment grade bonds, fully backed by NAB. The only difference is that the proceeds
are earmarked for green investment. What’s not to like? This is an important development forinvestors acutely aware of the threat of climate change.”
NAB Group Executive for Product & Markets, Antony Cahill, said the climate bonds placed
the bank at the forefront of product innovation and environmental financing.
“This provides investors the opportunity to invest in a bond with the same features of anysenior, unsecured NAB bond – but with the additional benefit of being dedicated to financing
climate change solutions,” Mr Cahill said. “This deal reinforces NAB’s position as the largest
debt financier of renewable energy in Australia, provides the sector with a new funding
source, and highlights our market-leading environmental solutions credentials.”“The launch also demonstrates the key role debt markets play in supporting the growth ofnew markets and financing a low carbon economy, and raises the profile of the green bondasset class in Australia.”
Nathan Fabian, CEO of the Australian Investor Group on Climate Change, said: ‘We areconcerned that the climate related investments we make are the right ones. Our engagementwith the Climate Bond Standards Board helps to ensure that the investment community has asound system to identify appropriate investments.’---------------------------------------------ENDS--------------------------------------------For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Rozalia Walencik, Communication, rozalia@climatebonds.net +44 772 382 8954
Sean Kidney, CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative, sean@climatebonds.net, +44-75-2506-8331
Bill Kyriakopoulos, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications,Bill.Kyriakopoulos@nab.com.au, +61 (0) 429 270 523
About Climate Bonds Initiative: The Climate Bonds Initiative is an investor-focused not-for-profit. It is the only organization in the world focusing on mobilizing the USD 100 trillion bondmarket for climate change solutions. www.climatebonds.net @ClimateBonds
Climate Bonds Standards and Certification Scheme – Climate Bonds Standard is ascreening tool for investors and governments which allows them to easily prioritize climate
and green bonds with confidence that the funds are being used to deliver climate changesolutions. It is co-ordinated through the work of dedicated working groups, overseen by a
Climate Bond Standards Board representing $32 trillion of assets under management.
www.climatebonds.net/standards

Members of the Climate Bonds Standards Board are:
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California State Teachers Retirement Service (CalSTRS)
Investor Group on Climate Change
Investor Network on Climate Risk
Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change
California State Treasurer
CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)
The Natural Resources Defense Council
The International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF)