The SDGs are a global pledge to end to poverty, reduce inequality and protect our planet for future generations, by the year 2030. This calls for unprecedented investments and cooperation across all of society – including governments, communities, civil society and the private sector. This is already changing “business as usual,” by putting the SDGs at the centre of how business is done. To support this, the SDG Finance Taxonomy (China) offers a classification system with impact assessment and reporting criteria for finance and investment activities that can make a substantial contribution to at least one SDG, while avoiding significant harm to the others.
The Taxonomy is based on Chinese and international best practices and experiences. It responds to both China’s development scenario and the global development context, making it as relevant and widely applicable as possible.
The Taxonomy was developed as a public good to accelerate capital flows that advance the SDGs. It was co-created by Chinese national and international experts from various areas, including industry, finance, social development and research. In the first phase, the goal is for voluntary adoption of the Taxonomy in China and its international adaptation, with increasing regulatory support for standardised reporting and national statistical systems.