OECD countries agree to extend support for ‘climate-friendly’ projects. But vague definitions and inclusion of contested activities worry campaigners.
Rich countries have agreed in principle to make their export credit agencies lend money on better terms for a series of “climate-friendly and green” projects.
A group of 13 nations and the European Union agreed to give those developing projects like renewable energy, electricity infrastructure and low-emission transport longer to pay back loans and charge them less for insurance.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s head Matthias Cormann hailed the deal as a “great milestone to help increase the impact of trade and finance flows on securing our climate objectives”.
But campaigners claim there is no clear definition of green projects and criticised the inclusion of technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.
They claim that, as many hydrogen and CCS projects are driven by fossil fuel companies, that sector will be among the beneficiaries of the reform, potentially for polluting projects.
The agreement is part of a package of reforms secured within a group of the OECD responsible for setting rules for the export credit agencies (ECAs) of member states.
ECAs influential role
Participants are the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, the European Union, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
The reform is expected to come into effect later this year once national ECAs have implemented it.
ECAs are highly influential in directing investment towards specific sectors by offering exporters government-backed loans, guarantees or insurance. This limits the risk taken by companies selling services and goods in countries or industries considered high-risk.
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Under the new agreement, maximum repayment terms will be increased from 15 years to 22 years for investments including ‘environmentally sustainable energy production’, carbon capture storage and transportation, clean hydrogen and ammonia, low-emissions manufacturing, zero and low-emissions transport and clean energy minerals and ores.
The reforms will introduce further flexibilities on repayment schedules and adjust the minimum premium rates charged for insurance cover.
Uncertain ‘climate-friendly’ label
The statement released on Monday does not give any more detailed explanation of what specific type of projects will be given favourable treatment.
A definition for ‘clean hydrogen’, for example, could range from green hydrogen produced with renewable energy to gas-derived blue hydrogen.
An OECD spokesperson said the member states are still in the process of negotiating the final text, which will incorporate the agreement in principle and make all the details public.
OECD boss Matthias Cormann said the reforms will allow the scaling up and better targeting of public and private finance to support climate-friendly investments.
The European Commission said this is “the culmination of more than two years of negotiations”.
‘Incentives for fossil fuel sector’
The reforms have been met with disappointment by campaigners who had pressured governments for more far-reaching changes, including the end of public export finance for fossil fuel projects.
Nina Pusic of Oil Change International told Climate Home the group is worried this will enable benefits to fall into the lap of oil and gas industries that are already heavily supported by export credit agencies.
“Better incentives for truly climate-friendly projects are needed at OECD level, but we are concerned about the definition used here,” she added. “It is still subject to further refinement but the scope has now been set”.
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