Report

Global green finance market is projected to witness a CAGR of 12.22% during the forecast period 2024-2031, growing from USD 3755.90 billion in 2023 to USD 9446.62 billion in 2031. The green finance market is growing as the world is becoming increasingly sensitive to environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, which need sustainable solutions from governments and investors. This shift in the demand for environmentally responsible investment opportunities is supported by global agreements such as the Paris Agreement to reduce carbon emissions and invest in green technologies. Financial institutions offer green bonds, sustainable investment funds, and green loans to fund eco-friendly projects, hoping to encourage a low-carbon economy. Many investors are now starting to include ESG criteria in their decision processes, realizing that companies with good sustainability practices are more likely to survive in the long term. Governments are working by implementing policies that favor green investments through tax breaks and green labeling. As public awareness increases and demand for sustainable practice continues to rise, the market for green finance is likely to grow further to incorporate capital for renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and other environment-friendly sectors.
In October 2024, Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc., completed a USD 500 million investment in BlackRock's Climate Infrastructure business representing a 20% equity interest. This financing supports Recurrent Energy's transition from a developer to a long-term owner and operator of solar and energy storage projects, increasing revenue stability and project value. This investment will strengthen confidence in renewable energy to attract more capital to the green finance sector, accelerate the development of large-scale projects and enhance market confidence and stability, thereby contributing to the growth of the global green finance market.
Expanding Role of Sustainable Development in Professional Workloads to Drive Market Growth
Sustainable development plays a key role in driving the growth of the green finance market as it integrates economic activities with environmental and social goals. Governments and businesses are therefore becoming more responsive to the realization of sustainable practices aimed at combating climate change, poverty, and inequality, leading them to seek funding through green finance for projects on clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, and resource conservation. Global frameworks such as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals promote investments in solutions that promote long-term sustainability. The focus on sustainability has attracted investors looking to invest in environmentally responsible ventures thus, giving rise to green bonds, ESG funds, and sustainable investments. Green finance is an important financing route for the transition to a low-carbon, resilient, and equitable economy given the growing demand for sustainable solutions.
In February 2023, KPMG LLP and Workiva expanded their alliance to enhance ESG-focused solutions and services aiming to help companies effectively implement ESG data, processes, controls, and reporting capabilities. This collaboration leverages Workiva's unified platform to simplify and automate ESG disclosures, supporting auditability and focusing on value-added opportunities. By ensuring high-quality, investor-grade ESG performance reporting, this partnership enhances trust, mitigates risk, and unlocks new value for companies, thus fostering growth in the global green finance market by driving better business outcomes and attracting more capital to sustainable practices.
Technology to Drive Innovation in Financial Products
Innovation in financial products is significantly boosting the growth of the green finance market by creating more accessible and attractive investment options. New financial instruments such as green bonds, green ETFs, and impact investing funds allow investors to directly support environmentally sustainable projects. These innovations provide better transparency and track record of environmental impact, making green investments more appealing. The development of green loans and sustainability linked bonds ties financial incentives to meet environmental goals, encouraging companies to adopt sustainable practices with innovative products tailored to meet various investor preferences from institutional to retail investors. Furthermore, technology-driven solutions such as blockchain for tracking green investments ensure greater accountability boosting confidence in green finance. These innovations make sustainable investments more mainstream, accelerating the shift toward a low-carbon economy.
In May 2023, JPMorgan Chase set aside USD 142 million funds to the Appaloosa Solar 1 project in Utah, which will power over 50,000 homes and produce over 550 million kWh annually creating employment opportunities and fostering economic activity. The investment is one part of JPMorgan Chase's bigger USD 2.5 trillion sustainability goals to be achieved by 2030, including USD 1 trillion in green initiatives. By financing and advising on projects like this, JPMorgan Chase is driving progress toward a low-carbon economy while helping to attract more capital towards green solutions and support the emergence of green finance markets around the world.
Government Regulations Acting as a Market Catalyst
Government regulation is essential to drive the growth of the green finance market by providing clear frameworks and incentives for sustainable investment. Policies such as carbon pricing emissions, reduction targets, and green tax credits encourage companies to adopt environmentally friendly practices. Regulations such as mandatory disclosure of environmental risks and adherence to Environmental, Social and Governance standards help investors make informed decisions, thereby promoting transparency. Governments are increasingly supporting green bonds and sustainable finance products, offering tax incentives and lower interest rates for environmentally focused projects. The introduction of green taxonomies and standards such as the EU Green Taxonomy helps define sustainability, reducing confusion and increasing confidence in green investments. These rules guide the market towards long-term sustainability attracting private and institutional investors to green finance.
In January 2024, Asian Development Bank and British International Investment launched a new trade finance partnership to advance green trade in Asia-Pacific with a focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate smart agriculture. The initiative will provide financing to local importers of clean energy technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines supporting the region's transition to cleaner energy sources. This partnership reduces dependence on fossil fuels and increases sustainable trade, contributing to the economic development and increasing the world's green finance market due to the fact that it supports new trade funds and climate resistance in the market.
Green Bonds to Dominate Market Share
Green bonds are dominating the green finance market due to their clear structure and ability to fund environmentally sustainable projects. They provide a standardized way for investors to support initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, and promoting renewable energy. Their popularity is growing due to growing demand for sustainable investments and global climate change goals. Green bonds are valued for their transparency requiring issuers to report on the environmental impact of financed projects. In addition to advantageous regulations and incentives, green obligations are traditional investment options attracting institutional investors' sustainability.
For instance, in November 2024, Electricity supplier and distributor Electrica, in which Romanian Government controls a stake of just under 50%, held an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders. The company said it would issue green bonds worth up to USD 526.10 million (EUR 500 million) to support sustainable and green energy projects. Shareholders voted to obtain a syndicated credit facility of around USD 661 million to refinance debt and invest strategically.
Europe to Dominate Green Finance Market Share
Europe dominates the share of the green finance market to a solid regulatory framework, ambitious sustainable development objectives, and a high level of interest in investors in environmentally friendly schemes. The European Union has led its way with its green agreement and its green taxonomy, which has established clear advanced principles for sustainable investments. These policies encourage companies and financial institutions to adopt green practices while ensuring the transparency of investment. The EU promotes green obligations, provides incentives for green investment, making it more attractive to investors. In addition, Countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France are actively involved in the expansion of green finance, and many financial institutions have adopted the environment and social management for strategic investment with such a combination of political leadership and investors' interests.
In February 2024, FinDev Canada, IDB Invest, and CAF committed a total of USD 115 million to Darby IV, the first private credit climate finance fund in Latin America and the Caribbean, targeting USD 400 million for low-carbon and climate-resilient projects. This fund will support underserved mid-sized enterprises with long-term growth financing, foster economic development, job creation, and sustainable practices. By mobilizing development finance and private institutional capital, this initiative enhances market development and access to climate finance, contributing significantly to the growth of the global green finance market.
Future Market Scenario (2024 � 2031F)
� Standardized environmental impact measures for various investments will develop. This will make the market more transparent and comparable, making the judgments better for the investors.
� The new green financial products continue to be developed such as the green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, or social loans, all the ones that bring in more sustainability into the environment.
� Leverage technology to boost transparency and traceability of green investments is a high probability trend. Therefore, everything associated with blockchain, and AI will be related to tracking the environmental impact of investments.
� Increasing collaborations between financial institutions and non-governmental organizations will promote sustainable finance practices. These partnerships can drive large-scale projects and create more opportunities for green investments.
Key Players Landscape and Outlook
Companies are adopting innovative strategies to align with sustainability goals and attract environmentally conscious investors to meet the growing demand for sustainable investments. More companies are integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into their business models offering green bonds, ESG funds and sustainability linked financial products. Companies are increasing transparency by providing detailed reports on the environmental impact of their projects and investments and many are investing in technology to improve data tracking and ensure compliance with green standards such as the EU Green Taxonomy. In addition, companies cooperate with governments and NGOs to finance large-scale renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate adaptation projects. Stressing stability, innovation, and responsibility these companies seek to create long-term value and maintain relevance in the high-expanding green finance sector.
In March 2024, Tesco and NatWest unveiled a new scheme to provide 1,500 farmers with discounted finance that will enable them to install solar panels and wind turbines. Lombard has serviced the scheme on the grounds that it will have a huge impact on reducing farmers' environmental footprint in terms of giving the farmers preferential rates of financing for such practices. The scheme is on par with supporting reduction of carbon emissions, brought by renewable energy and farming methods. Through this partnership, it fosters the acceptance of green technologies, thereby leading to the growth of the global green finance market by accessing more capital for sustainable agricultural practice.
In November 2023, Stripe launched Climate Orders, allowing businesses to pre-order carbon removal tons from Frontier's portfolio through the Stripe Dashboard or API. This new product aims to make carbon removal more accessible, helping meet global climate goals. By enabling companies to invest in high-quality permanent carbon removal solutions, Stripe fosters demand and accelerates the scale-up of carbon removal technologies. This initiative supports the transition to a low-carbon economy, attracting more capital to green finance and contributing significantly to the growth of the global green finance market.