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The Green Corporate Bond Issuance Premium

Author

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  • John Caramichael
  • Andreas Rapp

Abstract

We study a global panel of green and conventional bonds to assess the borrowing cost advantage at issuance for green bond issuers. We find that, on average, green bonds have a yield spread that is 8 basis points lower relative to conventional bonds. This borrowing cost advantage, or greenium, emerges as of 2019 and coincides with the growth of the sustainable asset management industry following EU regulation. Within this context, we find that the greenium is linked to two proxies of demand pressure, bond oversubscription and bond index inclusion. Moreover, while green bond governance appears to matter for the greenium, the credibility of the underlying projects does not have a significant impact. Instead, the greenium is unevenly distributed to large, investment-grade issuers, primarily within the banking sector and developed economies. These findings have implications for the role of green bonds in incentivizing meaningful green investments throughout the global economy.

Suggested Citation

  • John Caramichael & Andreas Rapp, 2022. "The Green Corporate Bond Issuance Premium," International Finance Discussion Papers 1346, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgif:1346
    DOI: 10.17016/IFDP.2022.1346
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Vishaal Baulkaran, 2019. "Stock market reaction to green bond issuance," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(5), pages 331-340, September.
    2. Tang, Dragon Yongjun & Zhang, Yupu, 2020. "Do shareholders benefit from green bonds?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
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    5. Pereira da Silva, Luiz A. & Packer, Frank & Mojon, Benoit & Ehlers, Torsten, 2021. "Green bonds and carbon emissions: Exploring the case for a rating system at the firm level," CEPR Press Book Chapters, in: Weder di Mauro, Beatrice (ed.), Combating Climate Change: A CEPR Collection, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 21, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
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    8. Simon Gilchrist & Egon Zakrajsek, 2012. "Credit Spreads and Business Cycle Fluctuations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(4), pages 1692-1720, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alex, Fabian, 2026. "On the non-neutrality of socially responsible investing in the presence of a greenium," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Tristan Jourde & Arthur Stalla-Bourdillon, 2026. "Environmental preferences and sector valuations," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 162(1), pages 45-85, February.
    3. Muñiz, José Antonio & Larkin, Charles & Corbet, Shaen, 2025. "Understanding the use of unconventional monetary policy for portfolio decarbonisation in Europe," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    4. D’Amico, Stefania & Klausmann, Johannes & Pancost, N. Aaron, 2026. "The benchmark greenium," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    5. Tang, Yumei & Chen, Xihui Haviour & Sarker, Provash Kumer & Baroudi, Sarra, 2023. "Asymmetric effects of geopolitical risks and uncertainties on green bond markets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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