With the economic world moving towards sustainability, newer forms of financial instruments are emerging which include carbon credit based lending. Such loans hold the promise of bringing in a concept of combining environmental responsibility with monetary reward, so the question therefore is, are such loans a real game changer or are they just another fad. This blog examines the truth about loans based on carbon credits, whether they might have an effect and whether it is all it is hyped up to be.
Loans based on carbon credits These are loans when access to credit is dependent on the carbon credit supply of the loan owner or on activities which reduce emissions. Carbon credits are some kind of permit that entitles a quantum of carbon dioxide emissions. Those companies that emit less than what they are supposed to, are able to sell their excess credits to other people. In such an arrangement a company that has passed the test of carbon certification can utilize the credits as security to lure favourable loan terms by financial institutions.
Climate change mitigation has become an urgent call that has compelled governments and business corporations to develop ambitious emission-cutting goals. Consequently, the carbon credit market is growing at a fast rate. It is now becoming commercially recognized by the financial institutions that carbon credits present a monetary value in areas with an-regulated cap and trade market, or a well-developed voluntary market. Any lending decisions a bank undertakes should have consideration of carbon credits so that it can lend to environmentally friendly business and at the same time it can have a lending portfolio under diversification towards a sustainable future.
Companies which have already undertaken the task of cutting emissions can use carbon credit-based loans as a source of new capital. Clean energy, agriculture or forestry ventures which produce carbon credits might have it simple when raising capital by utilizing the carbon credits. Secondly, those business entities, which are credit holders, have the potential of experiencing interim interests and considering that the lenders take the carbon assets as long-term sustainability and reduced environmental risk, the interest rates can decline slowly.
There are still a number of obstacles despite the potential. The carbon credit market is in its developing phases and may be unstable, where a rise or fall in price may be occasioned by modification in policy or market demand. The authenticity and value of credits cannot be verified easily either since each region and industry has different standards. When it comes to the lenders there is a certain degree of uncertainty added by evaluating the actual financial value of a portfolio of carbon credits. This may restrict the entire popularity of the carbon credit lending system in the short run.
The loans on carbon credits are placed on the intermediate scale between innovation and premature excitement. They are not yet mainstream but its potential cannot be overlooked. These loans may prove to be an effective strategy in business and among the banks, as the climate rules become more stringent, and as the carbon markets come of age. At the moment, they comprise a great concept that requires time, organization, and credibility to become a full-fledged phenomenon.
Loans on carbon credits might not have been introduced into financial standards yet, but it is one of the trends of sustainable influence of lending operations. Being abreast with such innovations might pose a competitive advantage to businesses whose interests are geared towards being green. This is an area to keep an eye on whether it is hype or the real-deal as the world edges towards a low-carbon world.
DEVMUNI LEASING & FINANCE LIMITED is a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Loan112 is the brand name under which the company conducts its lending operations and specializes in providing quick and easy access to personal loans to meet customers' instant financial needs.
