UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s Sustainable Finance Policy Monitor 2026: Expansion and Divergence highlights the rapid expansion of sustainable finance policies alongside increasingly diverse regulatory approaches.
Key findings from the report:
- 143 new policies: In 2025, 143 measures were adopted across 35 economies representing 93% of global GDP, bringing the total to 804 policies.
- 44% focused on disclosure: Sustainability disclosure accounted for 63 new measures, emphasizing the importance of transparent and comparable sustainability data.
- 18 new carbon pricing measures: Carbon markets continued to expand, with China extending its emissions trading system to cement, steel and aluminium.
Regional divergence: Europe introduced 52 new measures, Asia-Pacific adopted 40, and the four African economies monitored introduced 20.
The key takeaway: The future of sustainable finance depends not only on new regulations but also on their effective implementation.
High compliance costs, data gaps and limited access to finance remain major challenges, particularly for developing economies.
The real impact of sustainable finance will depend on translating policies into investment and long-term sustainable development.
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