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The Interest Costs of Green Bonds: Credit Ratings, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Certification

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  • Zhiyong Li
  • Ying Tang
  • Jingya Wu
  • Junfeng Zhang
  • Qi Lv

Abstract

In recent years, green financing has attracted global attention. Many countries and international organizations have proposed frameworks for developing green financing, and an increasing number of companies issue green bonds as financial instruments for funding green projects. Unlike conventional bonds, green bonds have unique features, and their issuance follows a special process. We use data on Chinese green bonds in a linear regression model to empirically explore the impact of credit ratings, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and green certification on yield spreads. The results show that these factors all have a significant impact on interest costs. Issuing green bonds is a signal of CSR, and green bonds with green certificates have lower interest costs than those without them. Finally, we outline some policy implications regarding the governance of green bonds based on our findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhiyong Li & Ying Tang & Jingya Wu & Junfeng Zhang & Qi Lv, 2020. "The Interest Costs of Green Bonds: Credit Ratings, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Certification," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(12), pages 2679-2692, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:mes:emfitr:v:56:y:2020:i:12:p:2679-2692
    DOI: 10.1080/1540496X.2018.1548350
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Miklesh Yadav & Nandita Mishra & Shruti Ashok, 2023. "Dynamic connectedness of green bond with financial markets of European countries under OECD economies," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 609-631, February.
    2. Giuseppe Cortellini & Ida Claudia Panetta, 2021. "Green Bond: A Systematic Literature Review for Future Research Agendas," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-29, December.
    3. Akhtaruzzaman, Md & Banerjee, Ameet Kumar & Ghardallou, Wafa & Umar, Zaghum, 2022. "Is greenness an optimal hedge for sectoral stock indices?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    4. Lin, Boqiang & Su, Tong, 2022. "Green bond vs conventional bond: Outline the rationale behind issuance choices in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    5. Skare, Marinko & Gavurova, Beata & Sinkovic, Dean, 2023. "Regional aspects of financial development and renewable energy: A cross-sectional study in 214 countries," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1142-1157.
    6. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Fuhao & Chang, Yu-Fang, 2023. "Towards net-zero emissions: Can green bond policy promote green innovation and green space?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    7. Baldi, Francesco & Pandimiglio, Alessandro, 2022. "The role of ESG scoring and greenwashing risk in explaining the yields of green bonds: A conceptual framework and an econometric analysis," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    8. Anamaria Dan & Adriana Tiron-Tudor, 2021. "The Determinants of Green Bond Issuance in the European Union," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-15, September.
    9. Hinsche, Isabelle Cathérine, 2021. "A greenium for the next generation EU green bonds: Analysis of a potential green bond premium and its drivers," CFS Working Paper Series 663, Center for Financial Studies (CFS).
    10. Zenno, Yoshihiro & Aruga, Kentaka, 2023. "Investing the factors affecting green bond investments in China: Cases for Beijing and Shenzhen," MPRA Paper 116203, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Piao Li & Chang Song & Jenny Jing Wang & Hongrui Zheng, 2022. "CFOs’ audit experience and corporate disclosure quality: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(3), pages 4013-4039, September.
    12. Yoshihiro Zenno & Kentaka Aruga, 2023. "Investigating Factors Affecting Institutional Investors’ Green Bond Investments: Cases for Beijing and Shenzhen," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    13. Karel Janda & Binyi Zhang, 2021. "Attractiveness of Chinese Bonds Financing Climate and Environmental Projects," FFA Working Papers 4.007, Prague University of Economics and Business, revised 26 Apr 2022.
    14. Jankovic, Irena & Vasic, Vladimir & Kovacevic, Vlado, 2022. "Does transparency matter? Evidence from panel analysis of the EU government green bonds," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    15. Pauline Deschryver & Frederic de Mariz, 2020. "What Future for the Green Bond Market? How Can Policymakers, Companies, and Investors Unlock the Potential of the Green Bond Market?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-26, March.
    16. Li, Baolin & Wang, Jia & Nassani, Abdelmohsen A. & Binsaeed, Rima H. & Li, Zeyun, 2023. "The future of Green energy: A panel study on the role of renewable resources in the transition to a Green economy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PB).

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