1) The additions of the Netherlands and Hungary highlight the efforts of De Nederlandsche Bank and Magyar Nemzeti Bank in enhancing supervision of climate- and biodiversity-related risks.

2) India completed its first sovereign green bond issuances last month as the world’s most populous country looks to make progress in meeting its emission reduction targets. The near $2bn issuance follows legislative progress towards establishing a national carbon market.

3) 2022 concluded with the European Union winding down its pandemic-related social bond programme – Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in Europe – with support totalling just shy of its €100m ceiling. Meanwhile, at the start of 2023, Hong Kong was quick to raise over $5.8bn in its largest sovereign green bonds package to date, taking its outstanding issuance above $15.5bn.

4) The Federal Reserve laid the foundations for its maiden climate scenario analysis in January. The European Central Bank has also published plans for the latest iteration of its economy-wide stress test. Both exercises are set to be published later this year.

5) The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive entered into force across the EU on 5 January. Elsewhere, the Australian Treasury published a consultation on its proposals for a disclosures regime based on the forthcoming International Sustainability Standards Board standards, and the European Securities and Markets Authority joined regulators in the US and UK looking to counter greenwashing claims in fund labels.

6) The Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative welcomed governmental support for its sustainable taxonomy recommendations in December. The publication was preceded by the prudential regulator’s insights from its Climate Vulnerability Assessment, which featured the participation of Australia’s five largest banks.