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For all their espoused commitment to capitalism — a system in which outdated ideas are supposed to be allowed to perish when superseded by newer, better ways of doing things — there is a club of leaders at the top of investment banking that seems obstinately, sentimentally, and possibly even damagingly attached to the way things have always been done.

Arguably the most important sustainable finance innovation since the development of green bonds, sustainability-linked bonds have picked up notable traction in the year since the launch of the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles. But while the instrument provides the holistic issuer-level engagement that many investors are seeking, in contrast to use of proceeds bonds, questions remain over both the credibility of KPIs and applicability to financial and sovereign credits.

In this round-up, China’s central bank will cut the reserve requirement ratio for banks by 50bp, Beijing further tightens its grip on overseas IPOs of technology companies, and the top antitrust watchdog blocks Tencent Holdings’ plan to merge two of the country’s largest videogame streamers.

Activity in the recruitment market for sustainable capital markets experts has ticked up this year, as banks looking to staff up in this area see a small but growing talent pool to tap. A recent hire by Santander in London is a good example.

Originally a self-regulated sphere in which voluntary principles underpinned activity, ESG debt is attracting increasing regulatory focus — especially in Europe, where the EU’s ambitious Action Plan on Sustainable Finance is creating a demanding new framework around the market. What does this imply for issuers and investors? And are other regions in step with European developments? Clifford Chance and Latham & Watkins clarify the state of play.

Pivotal players in capital markets through their credit ratings, rating agencies are responding to investors’ increasing focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors by providing ESG ratings too. But how do the two products differ and is there room for both, given ESG’s growing influence on credit risk? Experts from Moody’s ESG Solutions explain their approach.

In the past two years, environmental, social and governance matters, especially climate change, have gone from a fringe issue in capital markets to — almost — the main issue. Banks, investors, companies and governments have shouldered the responsibility of helping move the economy to net zero emissions in 30 years. That duty has joined the fiduciary obligation to make money for customers and shareholders that have been the markets’ main motivation in the past.

With a host of landmark transactions that include the world’s first sustainability-linked loan and the world’s first green digital Schuldschein, Verbund stands out as a pioneering issuer of ESG debt. Most recently, it broke significant new ground by combining normally separate green use of bond proceeds with a sustainability-linked coupon.

Although the biggest issuers of all — the US, Japan and China — remain outside the market for now, sovereign ESG debt has gained real momentum in the past 18 months, as a growing number of developed and emerging market issuers have endorsed green, social and sustainable bonds as part of their financing options. As a result, investors are seizing new opportunities to engage on national pandemic recovery and net zero strategies and targets.

Central banks have become integral to the fight against climate change in financial markets. Participants now expect them to wield their immense influence through many avenues of their work — economic analysis, metrics, supervision, investment and even monetary policy.

While the initial focus of sustainable finance efforts was largely on environmental action, social factors have grown increasingly prominent in recent years — underscored by the establishment of the Social Bond Principles in 2017. Subsequently, Covid and racial tensions in the US have each highlighted social disparities that are leading issuers and investors to treat diversity and inclusion as key parameters too.

With sovereign ESG bonds passing a clear inflection point, sustainability-linked bonds seeing notable growth and acceptance, and social bonds catapulted forward by a key borrower — the European Union (EU) — that is also poised to boost the green bonds market with an unprecedented €250bn programme, sustainable debt capital markets are reaching a new peak of activity across the capital structure from every issuer and credit type. So what’s driving the current boom and what will follow it?