This month’s sustainability roundup covers Australia’s new 2035 emissions target, ASIC’s final climate disclosure guidance, and Fortescue’s revised transition plan. It also examines global developments, from ISSB reporting updates and TNFD nature disclosures to Woodside’s gas extension, rising physical climate risks, and evolving ESG policy debates shaping corporate and investor responses.

This report summarises guidance from the AASB and AUASB on applying AASB Practice Statement 2 to climate-related and other emerging risks. It explains how such risks may be material to financial statements, outlines related accounting and auditing considerations, and emphasises the need for transparent disclosure and investor-relevant information.

Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) is a government agency that develops, issues and maintains accounting and external reporting standards across Australia. It aligns Australian standards with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and contributes to global standard-setting.

Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) is an independent statutory agency of the Australian Government, responsible for developing, issuing and maintaining high-quality auditing, assurance and sustainability assurance standards. Its standards are legally enforceable under Corporations Act 2001 for audits and reviews of financial reports in Australia.

This report summarises recommendations from Canada’s Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance to mobilise private capital for low-carbon, resilient growth: improve market clarity and standards (incl. TCFD), build national climate data (C3IA), and develop financing solutions such as green and transition instruments, infrastructure investment, and building retrofits, supported by enabling policy.

This report summarises legal opinions by Noel Hutley SC and Sebastian Hartford Davis for the Centre for Policy Development, concluding that Australian company directors must assess, disclose and manage foreseeable climate risks. It highlights growing regulatory and investor expectations, making climate oversight a key element of directors’ duties and liability exposure.

This report summarises principles for developing a wellbeing-focused federal budget in Australia. It recommends integrating wellbeing goals into policy and budgeting, strengthening data and accountability, investing in long-term and preventative analysis, enhancing public service capability, and ensuring ongoing community engagement to guide decision-making and measure progress.

MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) is a Swiss-based publisher of open access, peer-reviewed journals, established in 1996. MDPI publishes over 470 academic journals across science, technology and medicine, with authors covering article processing charges to enable unrestricted global access.

This report summarises research on US firms’ exposure to temperature variability and its financial effects. It shows that volatile temperatures reduce profitability, affect consumer demand and labour productivity, and influence investor attention. Portfolios exposed to higher variability underperform, indicating temperature volatility is a material climate risk for firms and investors.

This report summarises empirical evidence on the economic effects of disclosure and financial reporting regulation. It reviews challenges in identifying causal relationships, assessing costs and benefits, and evaluating market-wide outcomes. The authors highlight limited conclusive evidence and propose priorities for future research to better inform policy and regulatory design.

This report summarises international investment trends in the digital economy, focusing on data, digital infrastructure, and technology services. It highlights uneven global distribution, the role of multinational enterprises, and policy implications for sustainable development, emphasising the need for balanced regulatory frameworks and equitable access to digital opportunities worldwide.

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is a UN intergovernmental body that supports developing countries in trade, investment, finance and technology. It delivers data-driven policy analysis, technical cooperation and global consensus building to help countries integrate into the world economy and advance sustainable development.

This report summarises global financing trends for sustainable development, noting investment gaps in developing economies, heightened debt vulnerabilities, and the need for coordinated reforms. It highlights the importance of blended finance, resilience-building, and aligning the international financial architecture to better support inclusive and sustainable growth.

This report summarises how Australia’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy could be expanded to agriculture, forestry and land management, proposing draft criteria for biodiversity protection, sustainable water use, and pollution control. It aligns with global biodiversity goals to guide investment and lending that support nature-positive outcome.

This report summarises draft guidance from New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority on ethical investment disclosure. It sets expectations under the FMC Act, warns against greenwashing, and outlines principles of clarity, substantiation, consistency, and management of third-party involvement to improve transparency and accuracy for investors.

Financial Markets Authority (FMA) is New Zealand’s independent regulator overseeing financial markets. It promotes fair, efficient and transparent markets, ensures quality financial advice and protects investors. FMA develops regulation, supervises licenced entities, enforces compliance, supports innovation and aims to enhance trust in NZ’s financial sector.