Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy

The Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy is a framework established by the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI), a collaborative body including financial institutions, government, and academia, to classify economic activities that contribute to environmental sustainability. The taxonomy aims to accelerate capital allocation towards Australia's net-zero ambitions by providing common standards for "green" and "transition" finance. It focuses on climate change mitigation within six priority sectors: Agriculture and Land; Minerals, Mining and Metals; Manufacturing and Industry; Electricity Generation and Supply; Construction and Buildings; and Transport. Additionally, it incorporates "Do No Significant Harm" (DNSH) criteria to prevent adverse environmental impacts and "Minimum Social Safeguards" (MSS) aligned with international human rights and responsible business conduct standards. The taxonomy, a key component of the Australian Government's Sustainable Finance Roadmap, is initially voluntary, with a review planned for mid-2025 to explore potential regulatory uses and expansion priorities like climate change adaptation.