NIB to buy green bonds to support environmental projects

NIB has allocated EUR 500 million to be invested in green bonds issued by companies or municipalities in its member countries. The investments will be used to finance projects aimed at improving the environment and mitigating climate change, in conformity with NIB’s mandate criteria.

NIB intends to buy green bonds issued to finance projects that meet the Bank’s criteria for environmental investments. The selection criteria for investing in green bonds will be based on an issue’s market merits as well as its value for improving the environment, including the mitigation of climate change.

“We believe the green bond market can create a solid foundation for financing environmental and climate investments. This is fully in line with the policies NIB’s member countries have developed in order to build sustainable economies. NIB aims to contribute to the development of the green bond market because green bonds are a very good tool for allocating funds towards joint targets”, says Lars Eibeholm, Head of Treasury at NIB.

“This is an important complement to NIB’s ordinary environmentally based lending activities. Investing in green bonds will broaden NIB’s outreach and give us additional means to provide financing for important projects”, says Thomas Wrangdahl, Head of Lending at NIB.

NIB will carry the new programme into effect in cooperation with banks acting as arrangers for green bond issues.

Read more in an interview with Thomas Wrangdahl and Lars Eibeholm

NIB is an international financial institution owned by eight member countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. The Bank finances private and public projects in and outside the member countries. NIB has the highest possible credit rating, AAA/Aaa, with the leading rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.

For further information, please contact

Mr Thomas Wrangdahl, First Vice-President and Head of Lending at NIB, at +359 10 618 0226, thomas.wrangdahl@nib.int

Mr Lars Eibeholm, Vice-President and Head of Treasury at NIB, at +358 10 618 0400, lars.eibeholm@nib.int

Mr Dimitrijs Alehins, Senior Communications Specialist, at +358 10 618 0296, dimitrijs.alehins@nib.int