Green Finance UK
The Green Savings Bonds issued by National Savings and Investments (NS&I) have been newsworthy recently because the interest offered to purchasers reached its highest ever level at 4.2% fixed for three years. Collier (2023) explains that the funds raised from UK savers will be used to help the Government hit its net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050. Writing in This is Money , Magnus (2023) provides some background to current interest in the bonds. “Since the first issue of the green bonds was launched in October 2021 paying just 0.65 per cent, only £300million of a £15billion target has been achieved.” In view of the low initial interest rates the reluctance to invest was perhaps unsurprising. The latest rate rise makes the bonds competitive with a number of other options, and they are seen as a secure investment. According to NS&I (2023), “All money invested in NS&I is passed onto HM Treasury and contributes towards government spending. Money invested in Green Savi