S&P Global released a research report identifying the top 10 sustainability trends. These trends are expected to shape strategy and decision-making in 2026. The report utilized surveys conducted with sustainability and energy leaders.
The report highlights growing fragmentation in global approaches to climate action as a key theme. Governments must balance immediate energy security needs with long-term climate change realities.
Another major trend focuses on increasing climate adaptation and resilience investments. This focus stems from the rising acknowledgment that the world may not meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This necessitates strategies to cope with unavoidable climate impacts. The intertwined development of energy expansion and sustainability is also identified as a critical imperative shaping the global energy transition.