Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative
ASFI plots Australia’s path to zero emissions
The Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative roadmap, published on 24 November, puts forward a plan to align the Australian economy and financial system with outcomes that encourage sustainability, resilience and future prosperity. It sets ambitious targets, including some that stretch beyond federal government goals, and lays out a timeline for achieving them.
Actions speak louder than words
Australia’s requirement for robust sustainable finance measures is now supported by the federal government’s commitment to cut emissions and the global target renewed at COP27. The rules covering deployment of capital, however, are still being written.
Sustainable finance a pace setter for gender diversity
An increasing number of studies link gender diversity with sustainability ambition. In October 2022, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute and KangaNews hosted senior industry leaders to examine this relationship.
ASFI calls for immediate adoption after taxonomy release
The Australian Sustainable Finance Institute says there should be no delay in the deployment of its taxonomy in the development and labelling of green financial products once the final document is published. The recommendation forms part of the institute’s latest taxonomy working paper and follows the federal government’s recent push to accelerate the adoption of sustainable finance.
Australian government commits budget to mandatory reporting
The Australian federal government seems likely to start sounding industry on mandatory climate reporting in the wake of November’s UN Climate Change Conference, having renewed its commitment to such a regime and directed budget funds to support its development.
ASFI levels up in leadership on sustainability
The Australian Sustainable Finance Institute has a new board, a more permanent role and a freshly minted executive officer, Kristy Graham. The institute’s goals have not changed: to drive realignment of the Australian financial services system so more money flows to support sustainability. Graham updates KangaNews Sustainable Finance on developments including taxonomy progress and work with international peers.
