Australian insights
Hub launched for 2026 State of the Environment Report(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Australian government has launched(Opens in a new tab/window) a new engagement hub for the State of the Environment report 2026 (SoE26). Register with the hub to receive updates on progress, milestones and key release dates. SoE26 will combine cutting-edge science, robust data and the deep knowledge of First Nations experts.
Coles Nurture Fund to open next round on 19 January(Opens in a new tab/window)
Coles will open the next funding round(Opens in a new tab/window) for its Nurture Fund on Monday 19 January and close on Friday 13 February 2026. Australian producers can apply for a grant of up to $500,000 to help them develop unique products, technologies and processes. Coles launched the $50 million Nurture Fund in 2015 to help Australian producers innovate and grow. Since then, more than $40 million has been awarded in financial support to 119 small and medium sized businesses. The latest round of Coles Nurture Fund recipients were awarded grants to turn innovative ideas into real solutions including micro-bat vineyards, cyclone-proof food lockers, virtual livestock fences and local coffee bean production.
University of Sydney publishes world-first nature-related financial disclosure(Opens in a new tab/window)
The University of Sydney has become the first university in the world to publish(Opens in a new tab/window) a nature-related financial disclosure aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), setting a new global benchmark for how the higher education sector can understand and act on its relationship with the natural world. The voluntary disclosure, released as part of the University’s 2024 Sustainability Annual Report(Opens in a new tab/window), shows how the TNFD framework can be effectively applied to a large and complex organisation. It maps the University’s dependencies and impacts on nature across more than 12,000 hectares of campuses, farms and field stations, demonstrating how nature can be embedded in decision-making, investment planning and long-term strategy. The findings will guide the University’s next phase of work to strengthen data, set nature-related targets and further integrate environmental considerations across campus planning, research, operations and partnerships.
Finalist and winners of the NSW Sustainability Awards 2025(Opens in a new tab/window)
Banksia Foundation announced(Opens in a new tab/window) the 2025 NSW Sustainability Award winners across 11 categories. The NSW Biodiversity Award was awarded to Groundswell Collective's Tiny Forests, which are bringing nature back to urban and rural spaces across NSW. The NSW Circular Economy Award was awarded to two recipients - John Holland for the M7-M12 integration project to replace quarried sand in asphalt with crushed solar panel glass and the Winning Group for facilitating the recycling of appliances, mattresses, and packaging across its retail brands and logistic partners.
Mundoo Island Station acquisition expands national park(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Australian and South Australian governments have partnered with the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife to acquire Mundoo Island Station, a 1900-hectare property to be added into Coorong National Park – increasing the internationally recognised park to more than 50,000 hectares. Mundoo Island Station, which has operated as a cattle and sheep station for more than a century, will be destocked and grazing, cropping and fertiliser use ceased to enable significant wetland restoration and rehabilitation. Adding Mundoo Island Station to the park network aligns with the State and Federal Governments’ 30 by 30 commitment, which aims to protect 30 per cent of Australia’s landmass and marine areas by 2030 to halt further biodiversity loss.
International insights
Global Risk Report 2026(Opens in a new tab/window)
The World Economic Forum has published(Opens in a new tab/window) the 21st edition of its Global Risk Report. The 2026 report analyses global risks through three timeframes to support decision-makers in balancing current crises and longer-term priorities. The Global Risk Perception Survey, which brought together the views of over 1,300 global leaders and experts across academia, business, government, international organisations and civil society, suggests a heightened prioritisation of non-environmental risks in the outlook for the next two years. In the next decade, environmental risks have retained their ranking as the most severe risks, with extreme weather events identified as the top risk and half of the top 10 risks being environmental in nature.
WBA’s 2026 Benchmark Hub(Opens in a new tab/window)
The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) has released(Opens in a new tab/window) its 2026 Benchmark Hub. It marks the first time 2,000 companies have been assessed simultaneously across seven systems transformations. The benchmark include rankings, assessments, individual company scorecards and key performance data drawn from hundreds of indicators that measure how companies impact people and the planet. Results from its analysis of the 2,000 most influential companies finds that so far only 9% of companies quantify their nature-related risks. A comparatively high concentration of companies in the East Asia and Pacific region — particularly in Australia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand — disclose their nature-related risks, dependencies and opportunities with greater transparency. By quantifying these dependencies and risks, companies can better anticipate disruptions, allocate resources more effectively and identify opportunities for innovation and resilience.
CDP 2025 Scores and A Lists(Opens in a new tab/window)
CDP has published(Opens in a new tab/window) its 2025 CDP corporate scores with more than 22,100 companies disclosing through CDP in 2025. 877 companies made it into the 2025 Corporate A list, with only 23 scoring a Triple A (across Climate, Forests and Water). France, Türkiye and Japan are leading on environmental transparency, with the highest share of A List companies in their markets. Brambles, the only Australian registered company to be listed on the Corporate A List, scored A ratings across climate and forests. In 2025, 91 states and regions disclosed through CDP, with two receiving an A score – the State of California and the State of Colorado, both in the United States of America. 738 cities were scored in 2025 with 120 cities receiving an A – including two Australian cities - the City of Melbourne and the City of Sydney.
SBTN announces first cohort of companies stepping up for nature(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) has announced(Opens in a new tab/window) the first cohort of companies joining its Step Up for Nature(Opens in a new tab/window) initiative, which guides companies through the three steps to setting science-based targets – understanding impact, prioritising action, and setting science-based targets. The first 24 companies(Opens in a new tab/window) that are already stepping up span multiple regions and industries, reflecting growing market demand for clear, science-based guidance on nature. Their stated ambitions range from completing materiality screening and value chain assessments to setting land, freshwater and ocean targets. These early movers are part of a broader pipeline of more than 150 companies preparing to set targets through SBTN and build on the first companies(Opens in a new tab/window) that already have validated freshwater and land targets.
China releases Corporate Climate Reporting Standard(Opens in a new tab/window)
ESG Today has reported(Opens in a new tab/window) on China’s Ministry of Finance, alongside several other of the country’s ministries, central bank, and regulators, announcing the release of it “Corporate Sustainable Disclosure Standard No. 1 – Climate (Trial),” a new standard, aligned with the IFRS Foundation’s climate reporting standard, aimed at enabling companies to report on climate-related risks, opportunities and impacts, and to support China’s green development goals. While the new standard is being positioned by the Ministry of Finance as a trial document, and applied initially as voluntary, the ministry said that it will expand its application over time to more companies and eventually to the implementation of mandatory climate-related disclosures.
Next steps for developing Canada’s sustainable investment guidelines(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Government of Canada has announced(Opens in a new tab/window) funding to support the development of Canadian sustainable investment guidelines to be built on strong and independent governance and align with global best practices. These guidelines will become a tool for investors, lenders, and other stakeholders, to credibly identify “green” and “transition” investments. The Canadian Climate Institute will work collaboratively with Business Future Pathways, an investor-led initiative, to establish a robust and independent governance structure to oversee the development of science-based taxonomy criteria and undertake stakeholder engagement. Next steps include establishing a new independent Taxonomy Council to review and approve investment guidelines. The Canadian taxonomy will be a new, voluntary market tool that will be aligned with and broadly compatible with other major, science-based taxonomies and frameworks around the world. The governing council is expected to finalise investment guidelines for three priority sectors by the end of 2026 to establish the made-in-Canada taxonomy, and complete three additional priority sectors by fall 2027.
United States’ announced intention to withdraw from participation in IPBES(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Chair of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Dr David Obura, has released(Opens in a new tab/window) a statement that it expects the Government of the United States to withdraw as a member of IPBES.
The IPBES announced(Opens in a new tab/window) it will launch its first-ever 'fast track' assessment report on 9 February 2026 at the twelfth session of the IPBES Plenary in Manchester, UK.
Finance for Biodiversity Summit 2025: from Pledge to Progress(Opens in a new tab/window)
Finance for Biodiversity (FfB) hosted(Opens in a new tab/window) its inaugural summit, from Pledge to Progress, on 4 December 2025. 330 financial institutions, policymakers, and sustainability leaders attended the summit and celebrated five years of the FfB Pledge. The summit highlighted the growing alignment across the finance sector on the urgency of integrating biodiversity into decision-making and the clear demand from financial institutions for practical guidance, tools, and peer learning to accelerate implementation. It reinforced an appetite to work together to scale solutions and nature investments, close data gaps, and drive real-world impact for nature.
Suzano launches nature strategy(Opens in a new tab/window)
Business Wire has reported(Opens in a new tab/window) on Suzano, the world’s largest pulp producer, launching a Nature Strategy. Suzano's operations depend directly on nature, and the company recognises that its longevity and ability to innovate are intrinsically linked to the health of ecosystems. Nature occupies a significant strategic role in the business’ vision. The science-led Nature Strategy, developed in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), pioneered the use of the Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric. The learnings were fundamental to the consolidation of the RHINO methodology (Rapid High-Integrity Nature-positive Outcomes), which guides companies to take concrete and measurable actions for biodiversity conservation. Suzano’s Nature Strategy is designed to align with the company’s previously established long-term commitments, such as connecting 500,000 hectares of forest fragments through ecological corridors and increasing water availability in critical watersheds within the company’s areas of operation. Suzano’s case study (Opens in a new tab/window)is available from the IUCN RHINO site.