Green bonds: a portfolio perspective

12 minute read

Download full paper (0.3mb)

The green bond market has experienced meaningful growth in recent years, offering fixed income investors a valuable means to support the climate transition.

However, as the market represents a relatively small share of global investment-grade debt, it can be challenging for investors to allocate to this asset class at scale – and in a way that doesn’t veer from benchmark performance and risk.

In this note, we provide a detailed examination of the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index and the related Green Bond Index. We explain how they differ in currency composition, duration, and sector weighting, and what this means for investors. This analysis reveals a “tracking error dilemma” for investors considering an allocation beyond the Global Aggregate’s current ~2.7% green bond weight.

We then outline several practical approaches for addressing this challenge. These include green tilting, core-satellite portfolios, and adjustments that rebalance government bond exposure. Each option offers investors a way to increase their green bond allocation according to their risk tolerance and portfolio objectives.