Newsletter

Export Finance Australia offers A$2bn (US$1.5 B) in critical mineral loans

(Global Trade Review, London, 6 October 2021) The Australian government has created a A$2bn (US$1.5bn) loan facility to spur investment in the country’s critical minerals sector, as it attempts to position Australia at the source of supply chains for technologies such as battery storage and electric vehicles. The facility will be provided through the National Interest Account (NIA) of Export Finance Australia (EFA), the country’s export credit agency. The NIA handles transactions that the government directs EFA to support. Minerals such as lithium, cobalt, titanium and rare earth elements are categorised as critical minerals because they are relatively scarce or geographically concentrated, difficult to substitute and are used in emerging technologies including large batteries. China is currently the biggest exporter of many of the minerals, with Australia another top supplier.

SACE Could Support Novatek’s Giant Arctic LNG 2 Project

(Offshore Enginer, New York, 22 October 2021)Italy’s biggest banking group Intesa Sanpaolo could help fund Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 project even as some European governments show lukewarm support for the giant Russian gas project. Antonio Fallico, chairman of group unit Banca Intesa Russia, told Reuters the bank had been invited to look at the financing deal by SACE, the state-owned Italian export credit agency. Novatek said in September they had credit lines open for a third of the total financing from Russian banks, adding Chinese and Japanese banks could provide the rest. The pressure on institutional investors from climate lobby groups to stop funding fossil fuel companies has intensified markedly in recent years. The $21 billion project, which received final investment approval in 2019, is expected to reach full capacity of almost 20 million tonnes of LNG per year in 2026.

European Commission opens consultation on extending temporary State export credit aid

(Lexology, London, 4 October 2021) The European Commission launched a consultation process on 30 September 2021, sending a proposal to Member States on a sixth draft amendment to the Temporary Framework on State aid measures to support member economies in the current COVID-19 outbreak. The Temporary Framework sets out various categories of aid [subsidies?] that can be implemented by Member States, one of which is more flexible rules on short-term export credit (which are not covered by the OECD Arrangement), permitting state aid via export credit insurance to riskier countries, allowing generous financial terms beyond fair market competition. The Commission proposes to extend until 30 June 2022 the temporary removal of all countries from the list of “marketable risk countries” under Annex 1 of the Communication on short-term export credit insurance. Marketable risk countries are those which may have risks due to exchange rate volatility, foreign exchange control regulations, lack of foreign exchange for repayment, etc.

Export credit agencies have stepped up during the pandemic

(Financial Times Trade Secrets, Budapest, 26 October 2021) The industry has helped backstop sectors such as airlines hit hard by Covid, saving companies and jobs. An interview with the head of the Berne Union, an association of export credit agencies, to find out how it is helping exporters arm themselves against the downsides of the pandemic through export credit and insurance. The Berne Union operates all over the world allowing countries such as the US and China or Iran and Israel to discuss trade issues freely at Berne Union conferences, with political considerations mostly taking a back seat. It was that environment of co-operation that helped ensure exporters did not go out of business permanently when coronavirus effectively shut down cross-border movement during the spring of 2020. Over the course of the pandemic, members of the Berne Union provided $2.5tn in cover, its president Michal Ron told Trade Secrets. All in all, the volume of business supported by members rose 2.4 per cent between 2019 and 2020. “We have ECAs that are government agencies directly under a ministry,” she said. “Others are joint stock companies with a government-based shareholder. Some simply use direct government funding — it depends.

New OECD coal financing restrictions represent weak progress

(Oil Change International, Washington, 22 October 2021) Today the OECD Export Credit Group announced new restrictions on its support for overseas coal projects. These restrictions build on the Coal-Fired Electricity Generation Sector Understanding that was negotiated in 2015 and went into effect 1 January 2017. That agreement prevented OECD-member export credit agencies (ECAs) from supporting coal-fired power plants that were less efficient unless they were in developing countries. Unfortunately, there were loopholes that allowed for continued support even for coal plants that did not meet these restrictions. Today’s restrictions would end ECA support for coal plants that do not have carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) equipment in place. Still some export of equipment for retrofitting plants with CCUS or reducing emissions will be allowed if lifetime and capacity of coal plants is not extended. The restrictions do not address export finance for coal mines and related infrastructure, nor oil and gas financing even if the latest IEA report shows that investments in new fossil fuel production need to end this year to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Canada won’t stop Crown corporations from investing in fossil fuels any time soon

(Peterborough Examiner, 18 October 2021) The federal government has no plans to immediately stop Crown corporations from financing fossil fuel companies, but it’s not ruling out pushing them to reduce those supports more quickly, says Canada’s environment minister. The issue of public financing for oil and gas companies is expected to be on the agenda at the next major world summit on climate change this month, where countries that signed the 2016 Paris Agreement — including Canada — are under pressure to increase efforts to reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions. A major report from leading scientists this summer prompted the United Nations’ secretary general to herald the “death knell” for fossil fuels that have driven emissions for decades. In an interview Friday, federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told the Star that Crown institutions like Export Development Canada (EDC) are already committed to “net-zero” emissions — when nature or technology can remove remaining greenhouse gas pollution from the air — by 2050. Big money is in play here. EDC, the government’s export credit agency, says it provided financing and insurance that helped facilitate $62 billion in business for Canadian oil and gas companies from 2015 to 2020. And the board that invests the Canada Pension Plan’s $500-billion pool of money says it had about $17.6 billion invested with fossil fuel producers around the world as of March 2021.

ECAs provide billions to fossil fuel projects yearly – Join us at COP26

(ECA Watch, 27 October 2021) We can’t solve the climate crisis if export credit agencies (ECAs) continue to bankroll fossil fuels. Tell the governments behind these agencies to immediately end all export credit and other public financial support for oil, gas and coal.
Join our side event at COP26 November 4, 2021 in Glasglow
At COP26 on November 4, 2021, 16.45-18.00 Glasgow time representatives from NGOs and Zurich-based universities will host a digital side event on aligning export finance with the Paris Agreement. Contrary to Article 2.1c of the Paris Agreement, many countries heavily support fossil fuel investments abroad, contributing to carbon lock-in. By highlighting the impacts caused by export finance in the Global South, this side event will provide concrete recommendations for decarbonizing export finance. The speakers on the panel are Axel Michaelowa (University of Zurich); Kate DeAngelis (Friends of the Earth US); Bjarne Steffen (ETH Zurich); Laila Darouich (Perspectives Climate Research); Ayumi Fukakusa (Friends of the Earth Japan); Richard Matey (Alliance for Empowering Rural Communities, Ghana) ; Julio Bichehe (Farmers Union Cabo Delgado Mozambique); and Mariane Søndergaard-Jensen (Danish ECA, EKF, Denmark).
To attend the side event digitally, please register using the form. We’ll keep you updated on when and where the event will take place.
Important: you will need to be registered at COP26 to be able to join the event.

New website shines a light on the extent of export credit agencies’ support for fossil fuels

INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE 

Governments worsen climate crisis with USD billions in export finance

New website shines a light on the extent of export credit agencies’ support for fossil fuels

October 11, 2021

(Amsterdam, Netherlands) – Each year governments provide tens of billions of dollars in financial support to fossil fuel projects via export credit agencies (ECAs). Today, 20 civil society groups from 15 countries are launching a new website to shine a spotlight on how ECAs are undermining global climate goals. In advance of the November UN climate conference, the organisations are calling on governments around the world to end public financial support for coal, oil and gas projects, including support from ECAs. Ending this support and redirecting financial resources to sustainable alternatives is essential for a just energy transition.

ECAs are primarily public entities that provide companies with government-backed loans, loan guarantees, credits and insurance, usually to support exports overseas. Despite the International Energy Agency’s conclusion that, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, there can be no investments in new fossil fuel supply, governments continue to support fossil fuel projects on a massive scale through their ECAs. “This support often flies under the radar,” says Niels Hazekamp of the Dutch organization Both ENDS. “The aim of www.fossilfreeecas.org is to shed light on how governments are propping up fossil fuels through their export credit agencies. We are urging governments to end this support.”

The website highlights a sample of ECA-supported projects around the world. Among them are two projects in Mozambique, which together have received up to USD 18 billion in ECA support from China, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, the UK and the US. “Ten years ago, this region was seen as the new Dubai. The gas would bring steady jobs and wealth to the farmers. The opposite is true. It has fuelled existing inequalities and violence,” says Julio Bichehe of the farmers’ union União Provincial dos Camponeses (UPC) of Cabo Delgado.

The website also highlights Santos’ proposed Barossa gas project in Australia. “The Barossa project is probably the world’s dirtiest gas project,” says Dina Hopstad Rui of Jubilee Australia. “It has already received support from South Korea’s ECA, KEXIM. Several other ECAs are also considering support. If it moves forward, Barossa will not only accelerate the climate crisis but also put the unique biodiversity in the project’s area at risk.” 

Earlier this month, the UK government and the European Investment Bank urged governments and public financial intuitions to commit to phasing out all fossil fuels and proclaim their support for clean energy. “The science is crystal clear,” says Laurie van der Burg of Oil Change International. “If the world is to have any chance of limiting global heating to 1.5°C, export credit agencies need to immediately stop financing new fossil fuel projects, including gas projects. At the upcoming global climate conference, ECAs need to join the UK and the European Investment Bank in committing to end all fossil fuel finance. Only then will we have a livable future.”

For more information, contact:

Karen Hamilton, Director of Above Ground, khamilton@aboveground.ngo  

Niels Hazekamp, Policy Advisor at Both ENDS, n.hazekamp@bothends.org 

Dina Rui, Campaigns Director at Jubilee Australia, dina@jubileeaustralia.org

Laurie van der Burg, Global Public Finance Campaign Co-Manager, laurie@priceofoil.org 

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SACE and NEXI finance large carbon bomb vessel for Dutch SBM Offshore

(Offshore Technology, London, 16 September 2021) Dutch floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) operator SBM Offshore has completed the largest project financing in its history, of the vessel FPSO Sepetiba, for a total of $1.6bn. SBM Offshore was established in 1862 and its main activity is to design, supply, install, operate, and maintain FPSO vessels. It accounts for over 1,660,000 [barrels?] of total fleet oil production capacity. The project financing was secured by a consortium of 13 international banks, with insurance cover from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance and SACE. The vessel has a processing capacity of up to 180,0000 (sic) barrels of oil per day, a water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day, associated gas treatment capacity of 12mmscm, and a minimum storage capacity of 1.4mmbbl. It will be moored in approximately 2,000m water depth and will be deployed at the Mero field in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil. The Libra block, where the Mero field is located, is under a production sharing agreement with a consortium comprised of Petrobras as the operator with 40% interest; Shell with 20%; TotalEnergies with 20%; China Southern Petroleum Exploration and Development Corporation with 10%; and China National Offshore Oil Corporation with 10% interest. Petrobras, a state-owned Brazilian multinational corporation in the petroleum industry, awarded a contract to SBM Offshore for the 22.5 years lease and operation of the FPSO for the Mero field in December 2019. The Guardian notes that carbon bombs, gigantic coal, oil and gas projects from around the world, if they go ahead, will raise global emissions and cause dangerous climate change.