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Climate Change in the Capital Markets: A Study of Actively Managed Green Bond Funds

Author

Listed:
  • Emilia Nemeth-Durko

    (Corvinus University of Budapest)

  • Anita Hegedus

    (Corvinus University of Budapest)

Abstract

In this study, we carried out a performance analysis of green bond portfolios available from public databases for the period between 2017 and 2020. The aim of our research was to obtain empirical proof for the existence of the green premium, which was confirmed by risk-adjusted indicators, i.e. the Sharpe ratio, the M2 ratio and the Sortino ratio. The green premium is the return differential that can be measured between green and conventional financial instruments. According to the literature, investors are willing to forego 1 to 9 basis points of their returns in the interests of financing climate targets, to cover the issuer's extra costs incurred from green bond ratings and reporting obligations. Our results confirmed that the green bond portfolio underperforms benchmark indices by an average green premium of 2 basis points. We only found a single green bond fund that did not involve a green premium and was capable of achieving a risk-adjusted excess return. Nevertheless, it is noted that all of the indicators used showed that the average performance of green bonds improved steadily each year in the period under review.

Suggested Citation

  • Emilia Nemeth-Durko & Anita Hegedus, 2021. "Climate Change in the Capital Markets: A Study of Actively Managed Green Bond Funds," Financial and Economic Review, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Central Bank of Hungary), vol. 20(4), pages 38-64..
    • Handle: RePEc:mnb:finrev:v:20:y:2021:i:4:p:38-64.
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Malcolm Baker & Daniel Bergstresser & George Serafeim & Jeffrey Wurgler, 2018. "Financing the Response to Climate Change: The Pricing and Ownership of U.S. Green Bonds," NBER Working Papers 25194, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Balazs Stempler, 2021. "ESG Investing: The Use of ESG Ratings in a Smart Beta Strategy," Financial and Economic Review, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Central Bank of Hungary), vol. 20(2), pages 91-116.
    3. Eftichios S. Sartzetakis, 2021. "Green bonds as an instrument to finance low carbon transition," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 755-779, August.
    4. Madurika Nanayakkara & Sisira Colombage, 2019. "Do investors in Green Bond market pay a premium? Global evidence," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(40), pages 4425-4437, August.
    5. Bauer, Rob & Koedijk, Kees & Otten, Roger, 2005. "International evidence on ethical mutual fund performance and investment style," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1751-1767, July.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sustainable investments; climate finance; green bonds; portfolio analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C5 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling
    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General

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