Uruguay launches sovereign bond linked to climate targets

Uruguay will be the first country in Latin America to borrow at an interest rate tied to the fulfillment of its climate commitments

uruguay climate bond — Wind power plants close to the Brazil-Uruguay border. Photo: Douglas Pfeiffer/Shutterstock

Dec 31, 2021 11:34 6 min read (Updated: Dec 31, 2021 11:35)

Sustainable finance continues to expand in Latin America, as governments and companies take advantage of growing interest among investors in instruments that protect biodiversity and respond to the climate crisis. In 2020, more than USD 16 billion of green, social, and sustainable bonds were issued in the region.

Though their purpose may vary, these bonds share similar characteristics. A company or government takes on debt, and these funds must be used exclusively to meet a specific environmental or social goal, such as developing clean transport infrastructure, expanding renewable energy, or meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.

However, with the growth of...

Close search

Load more results

Uruguay launches sovereign bond linked to climate targets

Uruguay will be the first country in Latin America to borrow at an interest rate tied to the fulfillment of its climate commitments

Less expensive than a coffee

Enjoy any plan of your choice for US$1 for the first month

How do Brazilian politicians pay for their election campaigns?

Unlike in the U.S., corporate campaign financing is illegal in Brazil. But that means that a huge majority of campaign resources are backed by massive public funds

How the U.S. gradually stepped up its rhetoric around Brazilian elections

Amid Jair Bolsonaro’s attempts to discredit Brazil’s electoral system, the U.S. has made it crystal clear that it will trust the results of the democratic process on October 2

Is Lula Brazil’s green candidate?

Lula’s environmental commitments are miles ahead of those of his electoral rivals — but that is largely down to Marina Silva, whose proposals have given a green boost to the former president’s manifesto

‘Sleeper bombs’ lie in Congress for Brazil’s post-electoral period

The so-called lame-duck period, between Brazil’s presidential election and the inauguration of the new head of state, can be an opportunity for Congress to pick up dormant — and often controversial — proposals

Races for governor show widespread ticket-splitting in Brazil

Though there isn’t a term for it, voting left for president and right for governor — or vice-versa — is common across many Brazilian states

Brazil adds more jobs, but figures are underwhelming

Embraer delivers first units of new-generation radar to the Brazilian Army

Lower fuel prices will continue to push Brazilian inflation down

Police operations cause a series of shootings in Rio

Brazilian stocks and currency feel the pain of global stress scenario

Off-season flu spike in São Paulo sounds alarm for the rest of the country

Health Ministry yet to publish plans to vaccinate young children

Brazil waives Covid vaccine mandates for travelers

Brazilian Covid vaccine to be tested in humans in 2023

Anvisa lifts mask mandate for planes and airports

Lula reaches final debate on the verge of a first-round win

After controversy, state capitals announce free bus services on Election Day

Electoral Court bans travel permits for guns and ammo on Election Day

Leader of Bolsonaro’s party refutes vote-counting fraud claims

Millions of Brazilians download Electoral Court’s app

Brazilians are drowning in debt, but rates will remain high

Financial data shows that families are struggling to make ends meet, which is particularly dangerous considering that borrowing costs will remain elevated

Brazil’s milk price hike should come to an end

Milk prices have become prohibitive for millions of families since the pandemic broke out. But experts believe they will start to go down in the next few months

Market roundup: 2022 has been kind to Petrobras

Despite a highly volatile market scenario, Petrobras shares remain positive this year

The costs of Brazil’s projected primary surplus

The country is set to record a primary surplus this year for the first time since 2013, but it will come with punishing budget cuts and spending chaos

Brazilian Central Bank brings a “hawkish stop” to monetary tightening

The monetary authority did not raise interest rates, but told markets that it will remain vigilant in evaluating how inflation behaves

Auto tech startups try to break through Brazil’s EV market

With big manufacturers sleeping on Brazil amid post-pandemic hangovers, domestic startups are hoping to seize the opportunity in the electric motorcycle market

Tech roundup: Brazil to test secondary markets for startups

Using its sandbox, the Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM) is testing a secondary market for securities issued or represented by tokens

Political discussions migrated from social media to messaging apps

Engagement around political candidates has fallen on major social media platforms, and it seems like these discussions are now taking place in a different venue

Tech roundup: The growing Brazilian market for used smartphones

Expensive new devices, the arrival of 5G, and Brazilians' low purchasing power explain the momentum in the second-hand smartphone market

Tech roundup: Brazil begins testing digital currency projects

After four months of experiments with various projects in its innovation laboratory, the Central Bank believes it can start testing the Brazilian CBDC

Explaining Brazil #216: What to keep an eye out for on Election Day

We've reached the home stretch of the Brazilian 2022 election. On Sunday, October 2, Brazilians will hit the polls. Here's what you should keep an eye out for

Explaining Brazil #215: What if Bolsonaro really tries to stage a coup?

President Bolsonaro has hinted that he could try to stage a coup if he loses the upcoming election. If he really pulls that trigger, then what?

Explaining Brazil #214: The broad front gets broader

Marina Silva, who until recently was highly critical of Lula and his Workers' Party, has just endorsed the former president. For her, democrats' main goal should be unseating Jair Bolsonaro

1822 Special, Ep. 4: Pomp under circumstance

In this fourth and final episode, we shed light on the multiple "Independence Days" across Brazil, each with its own significance

1822 Special, Ep. 3: The pacifist myth of Brazilian independence

In the third episode of our special series, we look at Brazil's wars of independence, showing that constituting this new country was not as bloodless as many believe.

Hunger is not just a crisis today. It will hurt Brazil for decades to come

Studies show that malnourished youngsters face a series of physical, social, and mental issues, making it hard for them to ever reach their full professional potential in adulthood

Literacy learning drops among Brazilian schoolchildren

New data from standardized tests is the latest to point out the damage caused by Covid disruptions to Brazilians' learning process — which should have long-lasting consequences

Murder of 14-year-old in Bahia highlights centuries-old indigenous land struggle

Residents of the Comexatibá and Barra Velha indigenous lands face the constant threat of violence from local farmers, and government inactivity has denied them protection

Campaign seeks to stop vote-buying in drought-ridden Northeast

In a region hampered by hunger and thirst, local politicians often seek to negotiate votes from the public by promising supplies of food and water, only furthering clientelism

Death of the world’s loneliest man spells the end of an entire people

The Man of the Hole, an isolated indigenous man who has been tracked and protected by the government for decades in the Amazon, has died — spelling the end of his people

Hundreds of environmental offenders will run for office in Brazil’s elections

Data from Ibama and electoral courts shows that 181 officials running for election this year have received fines for environmental infractions — as have a vast number of President Jair Bolsonaro's campaign donors

Massive Amazon protected area ‘hanging by a thread’ due to illegal dirt road

A new illegal road seeks to link two Brazilian deforestation hotspots and would cut the Xingu Socio-Environmental Corridor in two

Brazil’s gold trade is toxic, but it doesn’t have to be that way

Researchers have only been able to confirm the legal origin of around one-third of the gold mined in Brazil, with loose oversight (based on good faith) leaving the door open to abuse

New decree intensifies tensions in the carbon credits market

The Bolsonaro government has issued a decree pushing back carbon credit targets for fuel distributors, and causing discontent in the biofuels sector

‘Poison bill’ could progress this month, environment and human rights bodies are furious

The controversial bill would drastically change pesticide regulations, making it considerably easier for new and potentially harmful products to be licensed for use

Sex scandal paves way for political changes at the IDB