CLIMATE BONDS INITIATIVE

Their core work

Climate Bonds Initiative is an international NGO focused on mobilizing the bond market for climate change solutions. They develop standards, certification schemes, and metrics for green bonds and sustainable energy investments. In H2020 projects, they contribute financial expertise — designing investment benchmarks, on-tax financing models, and market frameworks that channel private capital toward energy efficiency and renewable energy. Their core value is bridging the gap between climate science and capital markets.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

CBI's early H2020 involvement (2015-2018) centered on establishing measurement frameworks — how to define and score sustainable energy investments (SEI Metrics) and sustainable bioenergy supply chains (SECURECHAIN). Their later project, EuroPACE (2018-2021), shifted toward implementation: designing a concrete, scalable financing mechanism for residential energy retrofits. This suggests a progression from defining standards to deploying financial products.

CBI is moving from abstract benchmarking toward deployable financial instruments for building-level energy efficiency — a direction aligned with the EU Renovation Wave and growing demand for green mortgages.

How they like to work

CBI operates exclusively as a participant, never coordinating — consistent with their role as a specialist contributor bringing financial market expertise to technically-led consortia. With 29 unique partners across just 3 projects, they work in medium-to-large consortia (averaging ~10 partners each). Their broad partner base across 14 countries suggests they are a sought-after finance expert rather than a repeat-partner organization tied to a fixed network.

CBI has collaborated with 29 distinct partners across 14 countries in just 3 projects, indicating wide reach and high connectivity per project. Their network spans a significant portion of Europe, reflecting their international standing in the green finance space.

What sets them apart

CBI is one of very few NGOs in the H2020 landscape that brings deep capital markets expertise to energy and climate projects. While most consortium partners contribute technical or scientific knowledge, CBI fills a critical gap: translating research outputs into investment-grade criteria that financial institutions actually use. For any consortium needing a credible link between their technology and private finance, CBI is a rare and valuable partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EuroPACE
  Largest funding (EUR 175,775) and most applied project — piloting a replicable on-tax financing model for residential energy retrofits across Europe.
• SEI Metrics
  Directly aligned with CBI's core mission, developing the benchmarks and assessment tools the financial sector uses to evaluate sustainable energy investments.