Green #sukuk an option for #sustainability

The government of #Indonesia recently offered retail sukuk to the public to raise funds to help plug a gap in the state budget. From 2008 to 2017, the Indonesian government issued retail sukuk to tap into the country's growing middle class. In 2017, Indonesian retail sukuk became the highest sukuk issuance in the world, with a total value of Rp 31.5 billion (US $2.37 million). Despite its success, the total value of retail sukuk, corporate sukuk and conventional bonds is still considered small compared to the amount needed to finance priority infrastructure development projects. With the lack of a government budget, specified portfolios need to be explored. Green sukuk is a subset of sukuk that finances green assets. As green projects are relatively new in Indonesia, they need time to set up and engage with the nation's development plans.