99
funds that were brought on the market in the
course of that particular year. In 2009, 54 new
sustainable investment funds arrived on the
Belgian market for an amount of more than
€2 billion.
Sustainable savings products
Currently, the number and volume of sustain-
able savings products are much smaller than
those of the same type of investment funds. At
present, there are only some institutions that
offer this kind of products. However, sustain-
able saving may become for more popular in
the future thanks to the commitment from a
number of institutions and the recent recom-
mendation as for the minimum standard.
Green loans
At the end of 2008, the government decided
to implement the system of green loans with a
view to supporting the Belgian economy and
the building sector. The government provided
an interest rebate of 1.5%, which meant that
it funded 1.5% of the interest on a green loan.
As a result, Belgian consumers could make
energy-saving investments at an advantageous
rate, such as the installation of solar energy
panels, roof insulation, double glazing, etc.
>
Sustainable products
Jan Vandenhove, Vigeo, October 2012
“
Sustainable investments have grown
strongly in the last ten years, but they
remain a marginal phenomenon: in
Europe they are estimated at 1.4% of
the invested capital. Sustainable lend-
ing is a greater challenge, but that
may be interpreted in a more daring
manner. It is not only about environ-
mentally friendly loans and definitely
not about exclusion of specific dos-
siers, but about the ambition to fund
economic and social progress.”