Australian insights
Consultation on implementing Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024-2030(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Australian Government, through the Department for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, has opened consultation(Opens in a new tab/window) on the implementation plan for Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024-2030. The consultation is seeking feedback on how to achieve Australia’s biodiversity targets, what actions organisations are taking and where further effort is needed. The plan will guide how governments, communities, businesses and individuals can work together to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The consultation is open until 15 October 2025.
Brambles launches 2030 Sustainability Programme(Opens in a new tab/window)
Brambles has released(Opens in a new tab/window) its 2025 Sustainability Review reporting on material sustainability issues and achievements for the year ended 30 June 2025. Brambles’ review reports on its achievements, including a significant increase in the proportion of upcycled and recycled content comprising 41.4 per cent of all plastics (up from 15 per cent in FY 21). Brambles has launched its 2030 Sustainability Programme to build on the success of the past five years. The new programme emphasises nature-positive outcomes as a core principle of a regenerative business, while leveraging Brambles’ position at the centre of global supply networks to expand its scope and impact beyond its operational boundaries. Brambles continues to be an early adopter of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework, outlining nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities in its FY25 reporting.
Integrating Nature into Finance: Shaping capital flows for agriculture and land(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) is hosting a launch event(Opens in a new tab/window) on 16 September for the release of its report Integrating Nature into Finance: Draft criteria to expand the Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy. The report introduces draft criteria for agriculture, forestry and land management activities that contribute to biodiversity protection, sustainable water use, and pollution prevention. It marks an important step toward integrating nature-related objectives into financial decision-making and supporting Australia's commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
From Insight to Action: Natural Capital in Financial Decision-Making(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) and Farming for the Future’s (FftF) ‘Valuing Natural Capital’ partnership has published a research report(Opens in a new tab/window) confirming financial institutions are increasingly recognising the importance of natural capital in managing both financial and environmental risks, particularly those related to climate change, productivity, and resilience. However, significant barriers continue to complicate progress. In response, the report identifies strategic priorities and actions, including practical taxonomy application and finance solutions, increasing visibility of the value of natural capital by integrating into land and asset valuations, and strengthening data infrastructure and capability.
Natural capital: a path to farming profitability(Opens in a new tab/window)
CommBank as part of its brighter perspectives has published(Opens in a new tab/window) an article on how investing in natural capital, like tree planting, may enhance profitability and resilience on farms. CommBank contributed funding to Farming for the Future’s research into the economic benefits of trees on farms. This included in-depth analysis that will allow farmers to estimate the impact that planting trees on their livestock property in southern Australia could have on their profits.
CEFC, La Caisse launch $250m Australian ag and carbon platform(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Australian Government’s Clean Energy Finance Corporate and global investment group La Caisse (formerly CDPQ) have launched(Opens in a new tab/window) a $250 million large-scale, diversified agricultural platform, Meldora, to generate high-quality Australian Carbon Credit Units, with Rio Tinto as a foundation offtaker. Meldora, managed by Australian agriculture and natural capital asset manager, Gunn Agri Partners, has purchased its first asset, a broadacre and irrigation farm of more than 15,000 hectares in Central Queensland. The investment will promote the integration of sustainable Australian agricultural production with restoration of local species vegetation that generates carbon credits, harnessing carbon sequestration and supporting the efforts of the sector to remain competitive in the global net zero economy.
First project registered under the Nature Repair Market(Opens in a new tab/window)
The first project under the Australian Government’s Nature Repair Market has been announced(Opens in a new tab/window) by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER). Located on a cattle grazing property in the north-east of New South Wales the project is expected to restore 438-hectares of previously cleared land through the replanting native forest and woodland ecosystems method(Opens in a new tab/window). The replanting of this land intends to improve biodiversity and ecological connectivity. The proponent, Silva Capital, has also registered a project on the same site under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme. The Nature Repair Market project details can be found on the Biodiversity Market Register(Opens in a new tab/window).
Consultation on draft Climate-related Transition Planning Guidance(Opens in a new tab/window)
Australia's Treasury is seeking views(Opens in a new tab/window) on its proposed Climate-related Transition Planning Guidance(Opens in a new tab/window). Consultation responses, open until 24 September, will inform the development of the guidance and sustainable finance policy in Australia.
The guidance takes a climate first but not only approach. It recognises that climate ambition intersects with other sustainability goals - including biodiversity and ecosystems, water and marine resources, resource use and circular economy, social and community, and business conduct - and that integrating these early can help organisations take a more holistic approach to their climate transition planning.
The Australian Government committed to publishing the guidance by the end of 2025. This is one of the priorities under the Sustainable Finance Roadmap(Opens in a new tab/window).
International insights
What nature means for your business role: A primer on location-focused decision making(Opens in a new tab/window)
A-Track, an EU Commission co-funded initiative, has published a primer(Opens in a new tab/window) for business teams as an insight into how local nature risks and dependencies impact the business agenda. The primers showcase how improved management of business impacts and risks can improve business resilience and performance. Fostering cross-functional collaboration, i.e. procurement, operations, and finance; is key to addressing nature-related issues to enhancing corporate resilience, reducing risks and creating long term value. Business teams across departments have a key role in shaping business decisions, such as sourcing, site planning and risk assessment, to address nature-related issues.
CETEx report on nature-linked finance in Southeast Asia(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Centre for Economic Transformation Expertise (CETEx), at the London School of Economics and Political Science, has published a paper(Opens in a new tab/window) that highlights the significant potential for scaling up Sustainability-linked finance (SLF) products, but also reveals a persistent gap between corporate disclosures, loan covenants and global standards, which may increase greenwashing and pricing inaccuracy risks, potentially undermining investor confidence and limiting capital flows to nature-positive projects. The paper makes several recommendations, including reducing lending risk through central bank incentives, agreed nature-related metrics, and increased assurance and monitoring.
Announcement ahead of IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025(Opens in a new tab/window)
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released a preview(Opens in a new tab/window) of the key announcements that will be made during the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, taking place in Abu Dhabi from 9 to 15 October.
The full list of 40 motions, to be debated and voted upon in-person at Congress are here(Opens in a new tab/window). Key announcements to be made during the Congress include an update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and the European Red List.
Business Investment in Nature: Supporting UK Economic Resilience and Growth(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Green Finance Institute (GFI) and WWF-UK has published a paper(Opens in a new tab/window) to demonstrate why it is essential to integrate nature into the UK’s economic growth strategy as it warns that climate and nature degradation alone could reduce the UK’s GDP by 4.7% within the decade. Nature-related risks, including water scarcity, pollution, flooding, soil degradation, and resource scarcity, are already disrupting key sectors such as housing, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. These risks are driving up operational costs, threatening asset viability, and undermining regional economic resilience. The paper urges the UK Government to participate in the development of Nature-Positive Transition Pathways (NPPs), which it says could mirror the success of net zero transition pathways, which have catalysed billions in investment and job creation in the UK’s net zero economy.
Net-Zero Banking Alliance considering new framework initiative(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), which is committed to supporting banks address the impacts of climate change and associated economic impacts, has provided an update(Opens in a new tab/window) that it has initiated a member vote to consider its structure. Responding to member input, the NZBA Steering Group has, on 27 August 2025, initiated a member vote to decide on a proposed transition from a membership-based alliance to establishing its guidance as a new framework initiative. The outcome of the vote will be shared at the end of September 2025.