How can you invest in green finance? (2024)

Key takeaways from this article

• Explore green crowdfunding:

  A fresh way to dive into green finance is through crowdfunding platforms. By backing eco-friendly projects, you can contribute to groundbreaking work and potentially see a return on your investment as ideas take flight.

• Look into green bonds:

  Green bonds are a solid choice for supporting environmental projects while receiving returns similar to traditional bonds. They're an excellent entry point into green finance for those who prefer a more familiar investment structure.

This summary is powered by AI and these experts

• Gaurav Shrivastav Advisor to CIO @ Shell | Blockchain…

• Dr. Yousef M. Alshammari FEI Fellow of Energy Institute | OPEC Best Young Energy Professional 2023 | LinkedIn Top Economics Voice

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  Green bonds have been proposed as one major instrument to finance climate investments and accelerate global energy transition. Many state-backed investment funds have issued green bonds over the past five years which attracted a significant level of investments. For instance, the Public Investment Fund in Saudi Arabia (PIF) issued it two green bonds in 2022 and in 2023. The second bond had a face value of $5.5 billion yet it was more than six times oversubscribed, with books exceeding $33 billion and it was sold to a wide range of global institutional investors. The bond will be used to finance projects in renewable energy and sustainability. Many Banks are also raising their ESG profile via investing in green bonds.

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  In my experience, green bonds provide investors with opportunities for ethical and socially responsible investments, attracting a growing segment of environmentally conscious investors. A few things to note though. Number one is lower liquidity. Being a small market, entering and exiting positions is not as easy as more popular investments. Investors should also be aware that there is not a standardized criteria for what constitutes a "green" project which can lead to greenwashing and investor confusion. Striking a balance between environmental benefits and financial returns remains a key challenge in the green bond market.

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• Nick Hedley Sustainable development researcher and editor

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  Aside from backing projects that are helping to improve the world, 'green' investments can also help investors outperform the market (if you pick the right stocks, bonds or ETFs). That's because the world is still in the early days of the energy transition, and this theme will drive markets for decades to come.

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• Tigran Tananyan Commercial Assistant at U.S. Embassy in Armenia

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  Green finances is the next big thing for investment and subsidized by governments and IFIs. So it is best to invest via PPPs.

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• SVET Svitlo Angel Investor , (20+ years), Serial Entrepreneur (14+ companies with > $100M cap), Author (> 1M views), Lived in 40+ countries, the Founder of Evernomics, Crypto Influencer (since 2014),

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  You can invest in green finance by:- Green bonds: debt securities for green projects- Green funds: mutual funds or ETFs that invest in green securities- Green stocks: shares of companies involved in green products and services- Green real estate: properties designed, built, and operated sustainablyDo your research, diversify your portfolio, and have a long-term investment horizon.

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  Green stocks are great when it aligns with an investor's ethical and environmental values, those who want their dollars to support companies contributing to sustainability and a cleaner planet. These stocks often benefit from growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products and services, potentially leading to strong financial returns. Additionally, governments worldwide are offering incentives and subsidies to green industries, creating opportunities for profit. However, green stocks come with risks. They can be volatile, influenced by policy changes and market sentiment. Some green companies may also face higher operational costs or slower growth due to stringent environmental regulations. As with all investments, do your research.

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  Green stocks should only be bought if the company is well funded with an actual product to sell. Think - TSLA - a company that would’ve exponentially grown your capital over the past decade. Going forwards - investors need to look at things like vanadium and lithium mining stocks, the whole battery supply chain through to storage, solar energy stocks in the Middle East, and electric vehicles in China.The key is to match the stock and product they make, to the local political and geographic scene.

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• Shadrack Mwatu Senior Policy Analyst at KIPPRA Kenya

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  The planet is increasingly facing climate change related risks and embracing green stocks could contribute towards mitigating climate change risks.

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• Harsh*ta Mira Venkatesh Investor @ Avesta Fund

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  When evaluating both green stocks and green bonds, it is crucial to maintain a clear understanding of the definitions involved. Specifically, we must ask ourselves: "What criteria are we using to classify something as 'green'?" Are we taking into account the comprehensive life cycle impact of the product or business? Should we also consider scope 3 emissions in our assessment? Additionally, what about factors related to environmental degradation? These questions are pivotal in ensuring a meaningful evaluation of green investments.

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  There are several important considerations when evaluating green mutual funds or ETFs. Examine the fund's underlying assets and holdings to ensure they align with your sustainability goals. Assess the fund manager's expertise in sustainability and their track record in managing similar funds. Look at the fund's expense ratio, as high fees can erode returns. Consider the fund's historical performance and how it compares to relevant benchmarks. Additionally, check for transparency and reporting on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. Finally, think about your investment horizon, as Green funds can be subject to short-term volatility. Hope these criteria will help you make a more informed decision.

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• Gregorio Punzano CEO @ Koryntia

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  Green funds, like mutual funds or ETFs, pool green assets diversely—bonds, stocks, commodities—providing access to sustainable opportunities while hedging against specific risks. Yet, scrutinize fees, performance, and criteria; green finance lacks universal definition. Diligence is key.

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• Nevlyne Dhlamini Economist at SIRDC

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  Green finance is the future,monitor and evaluate Green finance investment opportunities. Search for players and other investors doing sustainable and feasible projects,looking at the economic, environmental and social impacts of their projects.Examples of Green investments are Mutual funds or exchange -traded funds ETF

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  Green funds are a great way to get exposure to all sorts of ESG projects and companies, whilst passively profiting from the massive macro wave that will undoubtedly happen over the next decade or more. However, fees may be higher than normal funds due to the new nature of green funds and timescales to investment maturity may be longer than other funds. It all depends on your risk tolerance and ROI expectations.

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  Unfortunately though ESG investment did start out and develop well some of the largest funds (large funds and private capital / investment bankers, etc...) are now leaving ESG. This is not because ESG is not the right way to go or even because of stricter criteria on investments in such funds (which would be a fine thing) but simply because profits matter more to these funds especially in the fossil fuel energy sector.This is receiving very public criticism with activism on Wall Street itself which is highly visible especially when media and police are involved. Rescinding support for ESG investment can cause serious reputation damage.

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• Valentin Lautier Designing climate-grade assets at Homaio

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  When considering "green certificate"s, you have to make sure you distinguish between different schemes. For example: Energy Saving Certificates are issued when you demonstrate energy savings, in kwh. They don't deal with emissions reduction, simply with energy reduction. As such, they have no relation to carbon credits, which are issued when you demonstrate the absorption or removal of carbon dioxyde, and which are sold as a way to offset emissions. Ignoring the distinction can lead to serious confusion. While they're all bundled under the umbrella term "green certificates", schemes are often entirely unrelated one from another. They're not always assets to hold on a balance sheet, and shouldn't be considered as investments.

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• Gaurav Shrivastav Advisor to CIO @ Shell | Blockchain, Regenerative Finance, ESG

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  Blockchain technology can be used to create and manage green certificates in a more transparent and efficient way. For example, the company LO3 Energy has developed a blockchain-based platform that allows renewable energy generators to sell green certificates to consumers directly.Green certificates can also be used to collateralize loans for renewable energy projects. This can help to reduce the cost of financing for renewable energy developers.Green certificates can also be used to create carbon offset schemes. For example, companies can purchase green certificates to offset their carbon emissions. This can help to support the development of renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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  Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) may be another option to efficiently finance RE projects and to provide incentives to developers. These certificates may be used as a tool to effectively promote indigenization of production process of RE equipments particularly in developing countries.

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  Gaining a Green certificate will definitely be a good call for companies looking to the future. Blockchain will play a great role in this - in the UK there is talk of food labels having a green label to show their ESG credentials on there as it will influence consumer habits in the future. Eventually, all stocks and ETF’s and funds will play to the same tune and the Green Certificate will be a matter of necessity more than a want.

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  As the number of projects within this space increases and the appetite for such projects increases from the everyday consumer, crowdfunding will increase exponentially. Also, given the time these companies will take to become profitable, crowdfunding will be a great way to raise revenue at the pre-seed or seed round in order to achieve a minimum viable product.

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• Gaurav Shrivastav Advisor to CIO @ Shell | Blockchain, Regenerative Finance, ESG

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  Fully concur. Here a few examples where Green funding is making impact. Solar panel installation: A community in Kenya raised over $1 million on Kickstarter to install solar panels on over 100 schools, providing clean electricity to over 50,000 students.Electric vehicle charging stations: A company in the United States raised over $2 million on Indiegogo to build a network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country.Sustainable agriculture: A farmer in Brazil raised over $100,000 on GoFundMe to start a sustainable agriculture project, using innovative methods to reduce water and pesticide use

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• Gaurav Shrivastav Advisor to CIO @ Shell | Blockchain, Regenerative Finance, ESG

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  ESG investing is on the rise, with the market expected to reach $53 trillion by 2025. ESG funds have outperformed conventional funds by 1.1% per year over the past five years.Renewable energy is a compelling investment opportunity, growing rapidly, becoming more affordable, and creating jobs. Global renewable energy capacity increased by 9.5% in 2022, and the cost of solar energy has fallen by over 80% in the past decade.The global energy transition is a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity, with investors able to protect the environment and generate attractive financial returns by investing in renewable energy and other clean energy technologies. ESG & renewable energy investing are 2 of most exciting invest. trends of our time.

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• Sławomir Konopa Economist ★ PhD student ★ Data analytics ★ Statistics ★Finance ★ Financial markets ★ Investments ★ Qualitative Finance

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  It is worth mentioning that investors should check whether a company is actually operating in compliance with ESG principles. There is such a phenomenon as greenwashing, which is when a company uses ESG to promote itself, but does nothing toward ESG. The second lesser-known phenomenon (greenwishing) is that a company tries to act in accordance with ESG, but it has no practical effect. These factors are worth keeping in mind.

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• Valentin Lautier Designing climate-grade assets at Homaio

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  You have to understand that "green investing" is a market in itself. There are over 600 competing ESG standards. There are a good dozen carbon offsetting "standards", methodologies, and labels. The fragmentation and lack of regulatory oversight creates opacity and opportunities for greenwashing. It's a wild west, and as an investor, it's challenging to know where your money is really going. Some good questions to ask are: - What are you really financing ? What is the underlying asset or the ultimate beneficiary of your investment ? - How is the impact measured ? Is it a physical quantity or is it a model ? - Where are the counterfactuals / what is the additionality ? In other words, what would have happened if you hadn't invested ?

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• Gaurav Shrivastav Advisor to CIO @ Shell | Blockchain, Regenerative Finance, ESG

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  Green finance is gaining momentum in developing countries, with India's green bond market expected to reach $50 billion by 2025 and China having the world's largest green bank.Innovative examples include the Green Climate Fund, which has invested over $10 billion in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture projects, and the African Development Bank's New Deal on Energy for Africa, which aims to provide universal access to electricity and sustainable energy for all Africans by 2030.It is also being used to support social development, such as the International Finance Corporation's Banking on Women program, which has helped over 100 Mil. women entrepreneurs access financing, creating jobs & boosting economic growth.

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• Tsolmon Finch Economist | Investor | Advisor

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  Gender and green finance is on the rise! There have been numerous studies and reports showing that women can significantly help lower carbon emissions and contribute to a low carbon economy if given the financing and opportunities to do so.

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• Valentin Lautier Designing climate-grade assets at Homaio

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  Compliance carbon markets are a trillion dollar asset class that are gradually opening up to retail investors, either through derivative products backed by carbon allowances or through physical replication. These markets, which are totally unrelated to offsetting credits, are emissions trading schemes (or "cap-and-trade") run by jurisdictions. They are liquid, mature markets which appreciate by design and which are widely considered to be the fairest, most effective way of reducing emissions. It's probably one of the more direct and convincing way of allocating capital to assets that have a real impact on emissions.

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• Sarfraz Bhatti Development Specialist at self-employed

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  One helpful thing is doing whatever one could do or manage. It can be as little as turning off unnecessary lights or adjusting thermostat to conserve energy. It can be as bìg as investing or completely moving towards renewable energy.

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