To support policymakers in a complex taxonomy landscape, a consortium of global academic institutions and implementation partners is introducing the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper (SFTM) at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
As sustainable finance regulation expands globally, policymakers need to understand where methodological approaches in taxonomies converge or diverge. The Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper (SFTM) addresses this by providing a consolidated, structured overview of finalised taxonomies with publicly available English documentation.
It responds especially to the needs of emerging markets and developing economies, where resources to benchmark and revise frameworks are constrained, by reducing time and cost to compare with international frameworks.
The SFTM provides:
- Deep mapping & comparison: side-by-side views of taxonomy objectives, structure, sector/activity coverage, and technical criteria for climate objectives, including DNSH and minimum safeguards where available.
- Transparent provenance: links to official documents, versioning notes, and jurisdiction context.
- Practical navigation: searchable, filterable comparisons to support policy design, supervisory use, and market implementation.
Together, these capabilities make SFTM a practical reference for policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and researchers seeking clarity across a fragmented taxonomy landscape .
Grounded in global cooperation under the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative
SFTM is a technical output of the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative, a collaboration that includes the Ministry of Finance of Brazil, Central Bank of Azerbaijan, IFC, SBFN, UNDP, IPSF, UNEP FI, GIZ, PRI, CBI, the EU Sustainable Finance Advisory Hub.
BMZ and the EU Sustainable Finance Advisory Hub provide funding for development of SFTM. The project is implemented by GIZ on behalf of BMZ in the form of technical execution, coordination, and accurate representation of national taxonomies within the tool.
The academic network ensures scientific independence, while implementation partners ensure usability for policymakers and market participants.
Launch at COP30
Following data collection, partner consultations, and beta testing through 2024–2025, the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper was formally launched at COP30. The release reflects nearly two years of coordinated work across institutions and jurisdictions and serves as a key contribution to taxonomy interoperability and sustainable-finance alignment.
The Mapper is positioned as a key contribution to the global conversation on taxonomy interoperability and sustainable finance alignment under the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative. Presented alongside the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative’s Progress Report, it offers governments, supervisors, and market participants a new reference point for understanding and navigating the global taxonomy landscape.
A new reference for international taxonomy alignment
By offering consistent, transparent comparisons of taxonomy content and design features, Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper strengthens the foundation for coherent and interoperable sustainable finance taxonomies. As more jurisdictions refine or introduce their frameworks, the Mapper provides a shared reference for constructive dialogue, improved transparency, and more informed policy design.
A Phase II of the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper will begin soon (January 2026), expanding jurisdictional coverage and introducing API access and other integration features to better support policymakers, supervisors, and financial institutions. If your organisation would like to participate as a beta tester or contribute expertise (e.g., data validation, use-case testing), please reach out to venugopal.rajamani@giz.de or makaio.witte@giz.de and the SFTM team will follow up with next steps.
Background
As part of the international Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative, a consortium of global academic institutions and implementation partners is introducing the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper (SFTM) at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. SFTM is a digital public-good tool that enables users to compare, navigate, and analyze sustainable finance taxonomies across jurisdictions. It aims to support interoperability, transparency, and informed decision-making by mapping taxonomy criteria, structures, and objectives in a consistent format. SFTM provides an accessible platform to compare scope, structure, activities, and technical screening criteria (including substantial contribution, DNSH, reporting requirements) across multiple taxonomies.
The Taxonomy Mapper is a multi-party collaboration, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union under the EU Sustainable Finance Advisory Hub. The project is implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the University of Edinburgh, Dublin City University, University College Dublin and Singapore Management University.
The Mapper is one of the outputs under the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative launched at COP29, which promotes greater international alignment in sustainable finance. The Mapper is presented alongside the Initiative’s other core outputs, including the Progress Report and the Principles for Taxonomy Interoperability.
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