S&P Global Unveils Top 10 Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2026 

NEW YORK (January 14, 2026) — Companies in 2026 will likely take a more pragmatic and risk-averse approach to sustainability efforts amid an increasingly fragmented global landscape where regional differences play a larger role, according to the Top 10 Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2026 report released today by S&P Global.

The report brings together insights from sustainability, climate and energy transition leaders and analysts across S&P Global. It looks at the megatrends companies will weigh over the coming year as they navigate a complex landscape of energy expansion and sustainability and one where multilateralism gives way to multi-regionalism.  

“The trends we see for this year highlight an inflection point in the global sustainability agenda,” says Lindsey Hall, Global Head of Sustainability Thought Leadership at S&P Global Energy, and one of the report’s co-authors.  “Companies enter 2026 in an intense tug-of-war between immediate priorities — such as energy security, affordability and availability — and the scientific reality of climate change and nature loss.”  

Decarbonizing energy systems will remain central to sustainability in 2026, but that will occur in the context of soaring demand for power across the world. In S&P Global Energy’s base case scenario, global fossil fuel demand is expected to grow less than 1% in 2026 relative to 2025 levels, while solar and wind generation will grow by more than 17%. But given the massive need for power to satisfy the AI boom — data center electricity consumption could top 2,200 TWh by 2030 (comparable to India’s power usage) — 2026 will see a push for energy expansion.  

Simultaneously, companies and investors are recognizing that climate adaptation and resilience efforts are necessary to prepare for the reality of the warming world. S&P Global Energy data shows that in 2025, 42% of companies across sectors disclosed a climate adaptation plan that describes how a company will prepare its physical assets, infrastructure and business for climate risks such as drought or extreme heat.  

Another key theme in 2026 is likely to be continued improvement in the availability of sustainability and climate data, as more countries produce reporting frameworks that ask companies to track their emissions and prepare climate management strategies — especially in parts of the world, such as Southeast Asia, that are facing pronounced climate risks.

“Amid fierce competition for investment in national defense, security, and AI infrastructure, the fragmentation of 2026 opens an impactful opportunity for the private sector to bridge critical gaps in public funding for sustainable development,” says report co-author Harald Francke Lund, Global Head of Sustainability Methodology and Research at S&P Global Ratings.

Access the full report here .

Following is a summary of the Top 10 Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2026:   

• Geopolitics & Multilateralism — Sustainability action continues to fragment into regional approaches as major economies pursue divergent climate, trade and energy priorities, reshaping expectations for cross-border collaboration and investment. Central to the US approach, fossil fuels will remain a significant portion of total global primary energy demand over coming decades. Reliance on new solar and wind and global clean energy technology and critical minerals more broadly implies reliance on China, at least for now. 
• Climate Adaptation & Resilience — Increasing physical climate impacts drive stronger focus on adaptation, resilience and infrastructure investment, alongside ongoing mitigation efforts. Sectors vulnerable to extreme weather and lacking resilience investments may face significant operational and financial challenges. 
• Energy Transition — Rising power demand, electrification and grid constraints sharpen the challenge of scaling renewables and flexibility, especially amid the sometimes competing goals of energy security and decarbonization. Global trade and climate policy increasingly focus on harmonizing emissions reporting. The January 1, 2026, EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) ushered in a new era, imposing costs on imports based on carbon intensity, complicating trade and driving international debate.  
• AI & Data Centers — Rapid expansion of datacenters to power AI elevates pressure on water resources and raises new scrutiny on emissions, local infrastructure impacts and operational sustainability. The exponential growth of the data center industry will lead to higher power grid emissions and water stress in regions where data centers are located, even if individual entities achieve their decarbonization and water stewardship goals. 
• Water & Food Systems — Water stress, extreme weather and ecosystem strain intensify water-related business risk across supply chains and food systems, accelerating demand for water stewardship and disclosure. In China and the US —global leaders in data centers by power demand — about 60% and 38% of assets, respectively, are projected to be exposed to high water stress this decade. 
• Supply Chains — Trade protectionism and policy uncertainty complicate sustainable sourcing and due diligence, while climate disruption keeps resilience and continuity planning front and center. With Cross Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), S&P Global analysis indicates at least $15 billion in added import cost of goods originating in more carbon-intense countries, which could begin reshaping supply chains by encouraging EU importers to pivot to suppliers with smaller carbon footprints. 
• Biodiversity & Nature Loss — Nature-related risks become more financially material as new rules and investor expectations increase focus on deforestation, ecosystem dependencies and nature-related disclosure. Only 8% of companies globally assessed in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment have a biodiversity protection commitment.  
• Standards, Reporting & Regulation — Companies face a patchwork of reporting expectations as some jurisdictions streamline sustainability rules while others move toward disclosure aligned with International Sustainability Standards Board standards. 
• Sustainable Finance — The gap between climate and development financing needs and available capital remains significant, but transition finance has opportunity to break to the fore in 2026, from the slower 2025 sustainable debt market.
• Aging Populations & Workforce — In 2026, expect the intersection of global aging and labor markets to be a pivotal issue as productivity enhancements from AI and other automation technologies are unlikely to adequately offset the large cohort of individuals expected to exit the labor pool. 

S&P Global’s Top 10 Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2026 is sponsored by the S&P Global Look Forward Council, which brings together leading experts from across the organization to deliver research that illuminates long-term trends and transformative market shifts. Covering areas from capital and commodity markets to energy and sustainability, the council provides the forward-looking intelligence S&P Global clients need to navigate uncertainty and make confident, informed decisions.

Access the full report here.

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Media Contacts    

Kathleen Tanzy 
S&P Global Energy
+ 1 917-331-4607
kathleen.tanzy@spglobal.com   

Orla O'Brien
S&P Global
+1 857 407 8559
orla.obrien@spglobal.com

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