Greenwashing and credit spread: Evidence from the Chinese green bond market

This study analyzes how greenwashing affects green bond (GB) pricing. With a unique dataset, we empirically find that greenwashing does exist in the Chinese GB market, leading to higher credit spread compared to that of traditional bonds. However, green bonds with third-party certification have lower credit spread. Furthermore, the heterogeneity of trading venues and issuer ESG performance results in differential effects of third-party certification on GB credit spread. These findings enrich the understanding of green bond pricing and shed light on the development of the GB market.