Australian insights
EOI open for Restoration Contributions Advisory Committee(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Department of Climate Chance, Energy, the Environment and Water is seeking expressions of interest(Opens in a new tab/window) for the Restoration Contributions Advisory Committee (RCAC) by 1 October 2026. The RCAC, which has been established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), will support the new restoration contributions system, also established under the EPBC Act. The RCAC will provide advice to the Restoration Contributions Holder (RCH) and the Minister on how the system will work.
The RCAC will advise on:
- functions or powers of the RCH
- matters relating to restoration contributions
- matters relating to bioregional plan registration charges or bioregional plan restoration contributions
- matters relating to exemption charges
- other functions prescribed by the regulations.
Australia unveils Sustainable Ocean Plan(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Australian Government has released its national Sustainable Ocean Plan(Opens in a new tab/window), setting a shared direction for our ocean and ocean economy and solidifying Australia’s position as a global leader in marine management. The Plan represents the first time that governments and interest groups have agreed on a written, shared direction, and has been developed with input from First Nations peoples, ocean communities, researchers, conservationists, all levels of government, and marine industries ranging from fishing, energy and tourism to ports, defence and even the space sector.
Australia’s new Sustainable Ocean Plan will help improve stewardship of the ocean, address key challenges, and support the growth of Australia’s $229 billion ocean economy. The plan sets out a national vision for a sustainable ocean future and highlights the outcomes Australia will achieve across 8 priority areas, including growing ocean industries, working with First Nations peoples and mobilising finance.
Unlocking industrial decarbonisation through integrated land-use planning(Opens in a new tab/window)
Climateworks has published a policy brief(Opens in a new tab/window) showing that renewable energy development that protect biodiversity and supports agricultural production can be delivered. Integrated regional planning across agencies and sectors that considers energy, nature, agriculture and community objectives, is needed to address land-use conflict, lengthy approval processes, project delays and investor uncertainty. The policy brief uses Climateworks’ spatial land-use modelling and Gladstone, Queensland, as a representative industrial case study.
Public inquiry on non-financial business reporting requirements(Opens in a new tab/window)
Australia’s Productivity Commission is calling for submissions(Opens in a new tab/window) on Australia’s business reporting requirements as part of its inquiry into the opportunities to improve the efficiency and value of non-financial business reporting. The key reporting requirements of this inquiry are payment times, sustainability and environmental, and workplace gender equality reporting. Submissions and comments are requested by 30 September 2026. The final report to government is due on 24 February 2027.
International insights
2026 Guide for Supervisors on climate and nature-related financial risks(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Network for Greening the Financial System has published guidance(Opens in a new tab/window) that provides a practical and adaptable reference for integrating climate and nature-related financial risks into prudential supervision. The Guide adopts a progressive and proportionate approach drawing on a survey of supervisory authorities, representing 70% of NGFS member jurisdictions, as well as numerous case studies and technical boxes illustrating practices across jurisdictions. It reflects the increasing use of scenarios and stress tests to assess vulnerabilities and resilience under different physical and transition risk pathways, including emerging applications to nature-related risks. It also considers the potential financial and reputational risks associated with the growing number of climate and nature-related legal cases, as well as developments in climate-related disclosure frameworks and their relevance to supervisory assessment and monitoring.
Market momentum on nature accelerates as TNFD-aligned reporting doubles worldwide(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) has released its 2026 Status Report(Opens in a new tab/window), revealing significant growth in nature-related assessment and reporting across global markets. Three years after the publication of the TNFD recommendations, the report shows that nature-related considerations are becoming embedded in business and financial decision-making. More than 1,000 organisations across 56 countries or areas have published some level of disclosure aligned with the TNFD recommendations.
This year’s report draws on the views of more than 500 market participants surveyed over July and August 2026, as well as AI-enabled analysis of corporate reporting triangulated with data and analysis from leading market data service providers. The report findings show investors now recognise nature loss as a source of potentially material financial risk, with concerns about physical risk and systemic risks ahead of concern regarding transition risks. Nature is now considered a top-three sustainability issue for the majority of investors surveyed, while three-quarters report they already include nature-related considerations into investment policies.
Natural capital accounting in practice(Opens in a new tab/window)
Deloitte NZ and the Bank of New Zealand have developed insights(Opens in a new tab/window) on how organisations can apply natural capital approaches to preserve and create value and avoid future costs and losses. New Zealand’s food and fibre sector makes up 82% of New Zealand’s goods exports, amounting to NZ$64 billion in export value in June 2026. In view of this reliance, the report finds that there is a clear incentive for New Zealand to actively pursue sustainable economic development through careful environmental management.
The report presents three case studies to provide practical examples of how organisations have approached nature valuation and Natural Capital Accounting. This report highlights that natural capital accounting requires a multidisciplinary approach. Effective assessments bring together ecological science, geospatial analysis, operational data, financial expertise, stakeholder engagement and management judgement.
Cultivating Investment: resilient agriculture can pay off for food companies(Opens in a new tab/window)
Ceres has released analysis(Opens in a new tab/window) showing how climate-driven weather events are already translating into measurable financial impacts. Ceres’ modelling shows that if we reach 3’C of warming by 2060, the intensity of climate events could lead to prices spiking two to six times higher than today for companies purchasing beef, cocoa, coffee, corn, dairy or soy. Ceres’ analysis also highlights how investing in regenerative agricultural solutions can help companies manage escalating risks, build global supply chain resilience and protect corporate profitability.
Guidance for banks on circular solutions to achieve nature targets(Opens in a new tab/window)
The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative has published guidance(Opens in a new tab/window) that provides commercial banks with a practical framework for understanding how circular economy solutions can address nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities across three ecosystem categories: ocean and marine, freshwater, and terrestrial and land-based ecosystems.
For each of three ecosystems, it highlights key pressures and threats, identifies priority circular interventions refined through an interactive process with a working group of 26 banks, and maps how these can mitigate risks and unlock value. The guidance then translates these opportunities into concrete actions across policies, client engagement, financing, and partnerships, focusing on the sectors and business models most relevant to banks. Case studies provide practical examples of emerging practice.
Inaugural Chief Sustainability Officers Outlook(Opens in a new tab/window)
The World Economic Forum has published(Opens in a new tab/window) its first Chief Sustainability Officers Outlook report. Drawing on a survey of 103 chief sustainability officers, consultations and external advice, the report examines how businesses are responding to sustainability challenges amid policy uncertainty, short-term pressures and geopolitical tensions. Survey respondents identified adaptation as an operational priority, with 85% expecting it to become a greater global focus over the next three years. However, they also identified uncertain cost-benefit assessments as a major constraint on adaptation investment, indicating a need for more investable opportunities and clearer revenue streams to scale finance.
How To Live On Earth(Opens in a new tab/window)
The ‘how to live on earth’ documentary(Opens in a new tab/window) by Open Planet Studios and presented by Benedict Cumberbatch, explores our vital connection to nature and its role in our future. It shares stories of how humans are learning to team up with nature to solve our biggest challenges.
Seven breached Planetary Boundaries continue to worsen(Opens in a new tab/window)
The Stockholm Resilience Centre’s latest planetary health check(Opens in a new tab/window) report shows that the seven transgressed planetary boundaries continue to worsen. The third annual report affirms the deep interconnectedness of the Earth’s systems and that the risk of large-scale, persistent and potentially irreversible change is increasing.