S&P Global Lists “Top 10 Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2026”

S&P Global, a worldwide leader in financial information and analytics, recently released a research report on the 10 key trends expected to have the greatest influence on sustainability strategy and decision-making in 2026. The report, our Top Story in this issue, was based on surveys of sustainability, climate and energy transition leaders from across S&P Global’s business, which includes S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), a leading corporate sustainability database covering over 3,500 companies.

Among the trends to watch in 2026:  the increasingly fragmented approaches toward climate action being taken by the world’s largest economies and governments. According to S&P Global, “Governments will engage in an increasingly intense tug-of-war as immediate needs — such as energy security, affordability and availability — are weighed against the scientific reality of climate change and nature loss.”

This geopolitical upheaval is making it difficult for global companies to navigate changing regulations and standards for sustainability reporting. In addition, companies will need to invest in climate adaptation and resilience efforts as “there is rising acknowledgment that the world will fall short of the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.”

The Top 10 sustainability trends to watch in 2026 cover a broad range of topics:

1. Increasing geopolitical fragmentation on approaches to sustainability action as the world’s largest economies take divergent approaches to energy and climate.

2. More frequent and severe extreme weather events are driving increased focus on climate adaptation and resilience investments to address unavoidable climate impacts.

3. Energy expansion and sustainability will develop as intertwined imperatives shaping an increasingly fractured global energy transition.

4. Rapid expansion of AI-driven data centers will put pressure on energy supply, emissions and water availability, attracting increasing public attention.

5. Water and food systems will be increasingly visible in sustainability conversations with rising water scarcity risks from climate change and water-intensive data centers.

6. The spotlight is shifting away from sustainability risks, leaving supply chain vulnerabilities in the dark.

7. The continued decline in biodiversity and nature’s services can become a barrier for economic growth.

8. Companies and investors will navigate a significantly altered and uncertain landscape for standards, reporting and regulation amid a push to roll back sustainability rules.

9. Sustainable financing needs for economic development will intensify alongside competition for capital.

10. Aging populations worldwide will put increased pressure on labor markets, with relief unlikely to come from AI-driven productivity enhancements and migration.

The rapid adoption of AI is clearly having a major impact in several areas, with the opportunities to drive scientific advancement and productivity in the workforce being weighed against the enormous risks to energy supply and water availability from the exponential growth of the data center industry.

S&P Global’s report highlights the many challenges companies will face in 2026 to balance near-term priorities with long-term realities. “Businesses will seek to craft durable sustainability strategies that allow them to navigate the current political environment even as many of their projects and investments extend beyond election cycles.” The G&A team continues to track key trends and we are available to help companies develop and refine effective sustainability strategies and programs. Reach out to us at info@ga-institute.com.