APAC’s sustainable bond volume falls 33% in H1 of 2022

The volume of green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked (GSSS) bonds in Asia-Pacific totalled USD86bn in H1 of this year, down 33% from a year ago. Rating agency Moody’s said the broader fixed-income market conditions have adversely impacted sustainable bond volumes so far in 2022, as the Russia-Ukraine military conflict has impaired global economic growth prospects, stoked existing inflationary pressures, and heightened the prospects for accelerated monetary policy tightening. GSSS volume fell 48% in Q2, which marks the lowest quarterly volume for issuance since Q4 of 2020, and a sharp slowdown from the record-high volume in Q2 2021. Green bonds, social bonds, and sustainability bonds saw declines of 33%, 64%, and 69% respectively.