Media Release

Climate Bonds Launches Fast-Track Certification
Expediting the Certification for Debt Issuers and Approved Verifiers
London 05/10/22: 10:00 GMT+1: Climate Bonds launches Fast-Track Certification, a development that
expedites the Certification process for debt issuers and approved verifiers. The platform is now online
and can be accessed here.
Sean Kidney, CEO of Climate Bonds Initiative said, “Ensuring capital is committed to climate causes atscale is crucial to our planet’s survival. The finance sector needs guidance, not greenwash. Certification
under the Climate Bonds Standard represents a mark of best practice in sustainable financing,signalling to investors that green-labelled assets are aligned with international targets on climatechange.”“Fast-tracking our Certification process breaks down another barrier between companies with climate
ambition and the access to capital. Ensuring that sustainable financing is done with ease and integrity
is core to the Climate Bonds mission.”
The Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme currently underpin over USD250bn in debt
issuance in both developed and emerging economies, and across a diverse range of industry sectors
and issuer types.

Fast-Track Certification
Our new tool serves Approved Verifiers and Debt Issuers:i.

Approved verifiers:
An easy process that provides you with a customised list of templates to complete theverification work.
Our network of Approved Verifiers now stands at 78 organisations and growing. This new toolstreamlines the process for verifiers.

ii.

Debt Issuers:
Easy-to-use tools that give you the exact documents you need to certify your debt, as well as
options to help you find and choose an Approved Verifier for your specific needs.

The sustainable debt market has seen continuous growth, and various new themes are emerging as
the green transition goes mainstream.
Fast-Track Certification is one part of the major expansion programme underway at the Climate Bonds
Initiative in order to facilitate market growth anticipations. Our best-practice standards and definitions
now extend to to several hard-to-abate sectors. These sectors will be available for Certified Debt
Issuances in Q4 2022:••••

CementSteel
Basic Chemicals
Hydrogen1

The Climate Bonds Standard Version 4.0 is also seeing a structural expansion to certify assets, nonfinancial corporates and Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs) issued by non-financial corporates, asignificant development currently open for public consultation.
In addition to developing the Standard, the Climate Bonds Initiative works to expand green definitions
for investments across the global economy that are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
<Ends>For more information, please contact:
Leena Fatin
Senior Communications & Digital Manager,
Climate Bonds Initiative+44 (0) 7593 320 198
Leena.Fatin@climatebonds.net

Liam Jones
Communications & Media Officer,
Climate Bonds Initiative+44 (0) 7463 733900
Liam.jones@climatebonds.net

Notes for journalists:
About the Climate Bonds Initiative: The Climate Bonds Initiative is an investor-focused not-for-profit,
promoting large-scale investment in the low-carbon economy. More information on our website here.
The Climate Bonds Initiative carries out market analysis, policy research, market development; advises
governments and regulators; and administers a global Climate Bonds Standard & Certification Scheme.
For more information, please visit www.climatebonds.net.
About Climate Bonds Standard: It is an overarching science-based, multi-sector standard overseen by
the independent Climate Bonds Standards Board that allows investors and intermediaries to easily
assess the climate credentials and environmental integrity of bonds and other green debt products.
Launched in 2011, with periodic updates, the Climate Bonds Standard is the most detailed, climatealigned investment criteria available in the market and provides guidance to issuers, investors,governments and regulators.
Current Standard V3.0 and supporting documentation is available here.
New Climate Bonds Standard Version 4.0 is open now for public consultation and will be available byend of Q4 2022.
About Climate Bonds Certification: Climate Bonds Certification framework has been designed to workin parallel with the normal process for issuing bonds, loans or other debt products. It has 2 phases,
Pre-Issuance and Post-Issuance. Certification of a Climate Bond at the pre-issuance phase enables theissuer and underwriters to market the bond or debt product as Certified.
Further assurance activities at the post-issuance stage and annual reporting are required to maintaincertification.
The full Climate Bonds Database of Certified issuance can be found here
The full Climate Bonds Directory of Approved Verifiers can be found here.

2About Verification: Verification is an analysis-based process carried out by the independent ClimateBonds Standards Board approved independent organisation to assure the issuance of a climate bond,the nature of the associated low carbon projects or activities, and the associated financial accounting
systems are in conformance with the Climate Bonds Standard and can gain Certification. Full list ofApproved Verifiers can be found here.
ENDS

Disclaimer: The information contained in this communication does not constitute investment advice inany form and the Climate Bonds Initiative is not an investment adviser. Any reference to a financialorganisation or debt instrument or investment product is for information purposes only. Links toexternal websites are for information purposes only. The Climate Bonds Initiative accepts noresponsibility for content on external websites.
The Climate Bonds Initiative is not endorsing, recommending or advising on the financial merits orotherwise of any debt instrument or investment product and no information within thiscommunication should be taken as such, nor should any information in this communication be relied
upon in making any investment decision.
Certification under the Climate Bond Standard only reflects the climate attributes of the use ofproceeds of a designated debt instrument. It does not reflect the credit worthiness of the designateddebt instrument, nor its compliance with national or international laws.
A decision to invest in anything is solely yours. The Climate Bonds Initiative accepts no liability of any
kind, for any investment an individual or organisation makes, nor for any investment made by thirdparties on behalf of an individual or organisation, based in whole or in part on any information
contained within this, or any other Climate Bonds Initiative public communication.
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