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IBRD Funding Program

Outcome Bonds

Amazon Reforestation-Linked Bond

The largest World Bank outcome bond to date provides investors with a coupon linked to the generation of Carbon Removal Units (CRUs) from reforestation projects in the Amazon rainforest regions of Brazil.

Wildlife Conservation Bond

This principal protected bond supports a conservation project in South Africa, providing investors a return linked to the growth rate of the black rhino population.

  • In addition to supporting IBRD’s general sustainable development activities, World Bank (IBRD) outcome bonds provide investors with the opportunity to support specific development projects and outcomes. These outcome bonds harness private capital and transfer project performance risk to investors, who are rewarded if the underlying activities are successful.

    IBRD outcome bonds can provide investors with:

    • A sustainable development labeled investment that supports the World Bank’s sustainable development activities and projects globally
    • A unique level of additionality and an opportunity to support specific projects or development themes
    • Potential yield enhancement compared to ordinary IBRD bonds, with a direct link between the bond returns and outcomes of a particular project
    • Credit enhancement, through full or partial principal protection from IBRD (AAA/Aaa issuer credit rating)

    Outcome Bond Examples

     

    Name

    Size (Aggregate Nominal Amount)

    More Information

    Amazon Reforestation-Linked Bond$225,000,000Press Release

    Plastic Waste Reduction Linked Bond

    $100,000,000

    Case Study 

    Emissions Reduction Linked Bond

    $50,000,000

    Case Study  

    Wildlife Conservation Bond

    $150,000,000

    Case Study

    UNICEF Bond

    $100,000,000

    Press Release

  • The World Bank Treasury is actively seeking to replicate and scale up outcome bond transactions to support other sustainable development projects with positive social and climate goals. Often the ability to issue an outcome bond is dependent on finding an entity to fund successful project results or to cover transaction costs. 

    The role of partnerships is more important than ever. The World Bank’s new vision and mission require it to mobilize private capital for clients and welcomes interest from partners interested in supporting outcome bond transactions through:

    • Outcome payments: Provide financing to allow the outcome payer to support development projects of particular interest without taking project implementation risk.
    • Grants: Use of grants to fund transaction costs to increase the financing available to support the project.