Australian labelled issuance reaches US$50bn in Q1–Q3 2026
Westpac IQ reports Australian labelled sustainable issuance of US$50bn in the first three quarters of 2026, within reach of the US$54bn annual record set in 2025.
Westpac IQUWA Business School · Department of Accounting & Finance
Bridging the resources economy and sustainable capital markets
The UWA Sustainable Finance and Accounting Research Cluster (SFA) asks how sustainable capital is classified, structured, priced, allocated and reported to support decarbonisation, sustainable transition and nature in the resources economy.
UWA Business School, Crawley campus. Photo: The University of Western Australia
8
connected research streams, from taxonomies to nature finance and AI
24
researchers: 17 academic staff and 7 PhD candidates and graduates
54
featured articles in ABDC A*/A journals, including 16 A*
8
featured competitive projects, supported by 9 funders
Welcome from the Co-Directors
“Research matters most when it is used — and it is trusted because it is independent.”
Welcome to the UWA Sustainable Finance and Accounting Research Cluster. SFA brings together academic researchers, industry experts, financial institutions, policy makers and other stakeholders, working across eight connected research streams on the finance, capital-market and accounting questions of the transition.
- RigourPeer-reviewed research in leading A* and A journals.
- IndependencePartners hold no approval rights over design, findings or publication.
- PartnershipWorking with policy makers, industry, financial institutions and academia.
- TalentBuilding transition capability through our degree and PhD programs.
Insights
Policy and market news
The latest developments in Australian sustainable finance policy, regulation and markets, curated by SFA researchers from primary sources.
Updated 4 November 2026
Neoen secures A$1.8bn debt for 1.2 GW renewables portfolio
Thirteen lenders, including the CEFC with up to A$100m, are financing Neoen’s five-asset, 1.2 GW portfolio, which includes the Narrogin Wind Farm in WA.
Clean Energy Finance CorporationWA releases Plan for Affordable Energy: 75% renewables by 2030–31
The plan targets 75% renewable generation on the SWIS by 2030–31 and opens a A$150m Made in WA Energy Affordability Investment Program with loans of up to A$15m.
Government of Western AustraliaISSB consults on a nature-related disclosures Practice Statement
The ISSB’s Exposure Draft proposes guidance on nature-related risks and opportunities, drawing on TNFD work; comments close 19 February 2027.
IFRS FoundationACCC issues guidance on business emissions claims to consumers
Claims should rest on science-based accounting, be transparent about carbon credits, avoid double counting and have reasonable grounds for any future emissions claims.
ACCCTreasury consults on higher large proprietary company thresholds
A draft regulation would lift thresholds to A$100m revenue and A$50m assets; the thresholds also decide which entities must prepare sustainability reports.
The TreasuryPacific Pre-COP closes in Fiji ahead of COP31 in Antalya
At the Pre-COP, co-designed by COP31 President of Negotiations Chris Bowen, Australia launched a Global Rooftop Solar Pledge and an Access to Finance Statement and Action Plan.
UNFCCCASIC: seven issuers amended sustainability claims in prospectuses
ASIC’s Reporting and Audit Update says its interventions led seven entities to amend, remove, qualify or add to sustainability-related claims in their prospectuses.
ASICASIC reviews the first mandatory sustainability reports (REP 839)
40 of 312 reports reviewed; quality improving, but forward-looking and quantitative disclosures need work; eight action items.
ASICTreasury publishes transition planning guidance and consults on disclosure reforms
Voluntary transition planning guidance (Roadmap Priority 3), plus consultation on assurance settings, proportionality and supplier information requests.
TreasuryFiducian ordered to pay A$7.3m over ESG fund
NSW Supreme Court penalty; ASIC's fourth greenwashing civil-penalty outcome after Mercer, Vanguard and Active Super.
ASICAOFM prices A$7.5bn June 2036 green Treasury bond
Second sovereign green line; 5.065% yield; A$24.4bn of bids (about 3.25x).
AOFMWA Government drops interim emissions targets
WA plans a Clean Energy Powerhouse Bill with renewables, CCS and green-export targets instead; net zero 2050 retained.
ABC NewsAPRA insurance climate stress test warns of widening protection gap
Uninsured homes could rise to 1 in 4 by 2050 and weather losses could exceed A$16bn a year.
APRAASFI releases taxonomy-aligned debt guidance
Use-of-proceeds guidance developed with Treasury, the AOFM, state borrowing authorities and NZ Treasury moves the taxonomy into market use.
Australian Sustainable Finance InstituteGuarantee of Origin scheme goes live
Clean Energy Regulator launches product GO certificates (hydrogen first; green metals planned) and the Renewable Electricity GO.
Clean Energy RegulatorAustralia sets 2035 emissions target of 62-70%
2035 NDC released with the Net Zero Plan and six sector plans; National Climate Risk Assessment published the same week.
Australian Institute of Company DirectorsAustralian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy launched
ASFI releases Version 1 (71 activities, 6 sectors), the world's first taxonomy to include minerals, mining and metals, with an implementation pilot.
Clean Energy Finance CorporationResearch
Eight streams, one question
Classify, report, price, and structure and allocate: each stream answers part of the unifying question, with AI and data science as the shared foundation. Research streams & SDGs
One unifying question
How is sustainable capital classified, structured, priced, allocated and reported to support decarbonisation, sustainable transition and nature in the resources economy?
Classify
What counts as sustainable
STREAM 1 · 5 RESEARCHERSSustainable Finance Taxonomies and International InteroperabilityReport
How it is measured, disclosed and assured
STREAM 2 · 12 RESEARCHERSSustainability Disclosure, Reporting and Climate RiskSTREAM 3 · 8 RESEARCHERSSustainability Accounting, Accountability and Business EthicsStructure & allocate
Where capital flows and to what effect
STREAM 5 · 5 RESEARCHERSEnergy and Resource Transition Finance and AccountingSTREAM 6 · 8 RESEARCHERSImpact Investing and Blended FinanceSTREAM 7 · 8 RESEARCHERSNature FinanceOutcomes: decarbonisation · a sustainable transition · nature in the resources economy
Our streams connect to 9 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, with Climate Action running through 7 of them. Streams and the SDGs
Research impacts
Research that reaches decision-makers
SFA research is built to be used. It is co-produced with policymakers, informs standard-setters and regulators, earns scholarly recognition and reaches the practitioners who finance the transition. All research impacts
#1
most-cited article in the Journal of Accounting Research over the past five years
2026
KPMG Best Paper Award in Business Sustainability Research
1.18M+
in-person and online audience for the NFACR public panels in Canberra and Beijing
30+
institutions engaged across Australia, mainland China and Hong Kong
4
policy recommendations in the Australia–China Sustainable Finance Roadmap
Impact case 1 · Policy and government
Australia–China sustainable finance taxonomy interoperability
An activity-level map of the two taxonomies, four roundtables with Treasury, the People’s Bank of China, the HKMA and the IPSF, and an Australia–China Sustainable Finance Roadmap with four recommendations.
Read the impact caseImpact case 2 · Standard-setters, regulators and scholarship
“The Effects of Mandatory ESG Disclosure Around the World”
Cited in the US SEC’s final climate disclosure rules, presented on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, winner of the 2026 KPMG Best Paper Award and the most-cited Journal of Accounting Research article of the past five years.
Read the impact caseFeatured publications at a glance
Featured publications54
peer-reviewed articles in ABDC A*/A journals
16
in A*-ranked journals
38
in A-ranked journals
30
different journals
15
SFA researchers as authors
2017–26
publication years
Featured research
Projects with policy and market reach
Toward the Interoperability of Australia–China Sustainable Finance Taxonomies
Compares the Australian and Chinese sustainable finance taxonomies, maps where classifications converge and diverge, and convenes Australia–China dialogue on cross-border alignment for issuers, lenders and regulators.
Funder: National Foundation for Australia–China Relations (Australian Government)
Value: A$580,000
Team: Associate Professor Rui Zhong (Chief Investigator)
Biodiversity Risk, Corporate Culture and Analysts’ Forecasts
Measures firm-level biodiversity risk exposure and how corporate culture and market participants respond to it.
Funder: Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ)
Value: A$4,700
Team: Dr Yihui Lan and Associate Professor Rui Zhong
Algorithmic Control in Motion: The Evolving Role of Estimated Delivery Time (ETA) as Trace Data in Shaping Behaviours on Food Delivery Platforms
Studies how estimated delivery times on food delivery platforms act as trace data for algorithmic control and shape behaviour on those platforms. A 12-month project from 2027.
Funder: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) · Early-Career Research Grant
Value: A$9,510 (approx.)
Team: Dr Fangbin Lin with Yuki Zhengqi Guo (University of Auckland)
People
Our people
24 researchers: 17 academic staff and 7 PhD candidates and graduates, across finance and accounting. Find an expert by research stream or expertise.
Associate Professor Rui ZhongDr Lyndie BayneProfessor Vincent ChongAssociate Professor Joey YangDr Prerana AgrawalDr Chloe HoDr Lai HoangDr Yihui LanDr Duc VoDr Dhammi AzariadisDr Ricky ChungDr Fangbin LinDr Simeng LiuDr Kevin NaDr Farhan ShaziaDr Alex YangDr Junru (Alex) ZhangLufi Yuwana MursitaHui Sun+5
Partners
Our research has been supported by
Government, standard-setters, philanthropy, professional bodies and the University. Partners hold no rights over research design, findings or publication. Our partners
AASB
Work with us
Bring us the financing, disclosure or risk question your organisation is working on
Taxonomy alignment, climate disclosure and assurance, transition and nature finance, risk pricing and stress testing, or AI-driven sustainability measurement.