Credible standards inspire investor confidence and stimulate the flow of private capital. IFC has led pioneering work on global principles and industry-specific guidance that helped create climate business opportunities across sectors and geographies.
- More than 90 banks and financial institutions have voluntarily adopted the Equator Principles, which are based on IFC's Environmental and Social Performance Standards.
- Through our Green Bond Program launched in 2010, IFC was one of the earliest issuers of green bonds and plays a leading role in developing guidelines and procedures for the market. To date, we have issued more than $10 billion worth of green bonds. A decade ago, that product was virtually non-existent. Last year, green bonds brought in nearly $170 billion to fund climate investments.
- IFC has developed a new approach to greening equity investments in financial institutions. This approach is creating momentum by helping client financial institutions increase their climate-related lending while reducing their exposure to coal to zero or near zero by 2030.
- IFC’s system for certifying green buildings—called EDGE—has won global recognition. To date, EDGE has certified over 23 million square meters of floor area. The Building Resilience Index developed by IFC helps real estate investors evaluate location-specific, climate-related risks for a real estate project or portfolio, and the resilience measures that have been implemented.
- We also work with the WB and other MDBs as part of the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC), a voluntary initiative that catalyzes action towards the successful implementation of carbon pricing around the world.
