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When Green Meets Green

Author

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  • Degryse, Hans
  • Goncharenko, Roman
  • Theunisz, Carola
  • Vadasz, Tamas

Abstract

We investigate whether and how the environmental consciousness (greenness for short) of firms and banks is reflected in the pricing of bank credit. Using a large international sample of syndicated loans over the period 2011-2019, we find that firms are indeed rewarded for being green in the form of cheaper loans -- however, only when borrowing from a green consortium of lenders, and only after the ratification of the Paris Agreement in 2015. Thus, we find that environmental attitudes matter "when green meets green." We further construct a simple stylized theoretical model to show that the green-meets-green pattern emerges in equilibrium as the result of third-degree price discrimination with regard to firms' greenness.

Suggested Citation

  • Degryse, Hans & Goncharenko, Roman & Theunisz, Carola & Vadasz, Tamas, 2021. "When Green Meets Green," CEPR Discussion Papers 16536, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:16536
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Paris agreement; Green firms; Green banks; Bank lending;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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