ESG Insider: The key sustainability trends of 2024
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As 2024 begins, many sustainability stakeholders are sitting on the sidelines as they wait to see what policies and regulations unfold. This wait-and-see approach is further influenced by the geopolitical environment, evolving attitudes toward ESG, and continued fear of potential litigation, the latest sustainability trends report ? from S&P Global finds.
This collective breath-holding stands at odds with growing understanding of the risks and opportunities that sustainability issues pose. Stakeholders at the forefront of sustainability discussions continue pushing for action to address climate change — and increasingly, the interlinked crisis of biodiversity loss — in a just and equitable manner.
This tension between urgency and inaction will continue to influence sustainability discussions throughout 2024. In the year ahead we expect to see a heightened focus on adaptation and resilience planning alongside rising understanding of the impacts of climate change — including on human health. We expect companies will take steps to measure and manage material sustainability issues, such as plastic, throughout their value chains under some countries’ mandatory disclosure standards. Assessing value chain impacts is complex, highlighting the need for high-quality data and transparent methodology. As reliance on newer technologies such as artificial intelligence grows, we expect increasing pressure to ensure more robust governance to manage the risks and opportunities AI presents.
This week we’re also watching the big trends emerging from the World Economic Forum’s annual Davos Summit in Switzerland, where AI is the buzzword. In this week’s episode of the ESG Insider podcast we also hear from sustainability leaders in the market about some of the big trends they’re watching for the year ahead.
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Key 2024 sustainability trends driving the year ahead ?
A heightened focus on adaptation and resilience plans, modest growth in the sustainable bond market and increased pressure for better governance around AI are among the key sustainability trends we expect to unfold in 2024.?
China's emissions from power sector may peak around 2024
China's carbon emissions from its power sector may peak around 2024, but that development will be subject to the pace of economic recovery and the extent to which rapid growth in renewable generation capacity can translate into reliable power supply.?
New solar, wind capacity expected to cover US power demand growth through 2025
US-installed solar generating capacity is expected to more than double from 2022 levels by 2025, according to the US Energy Information Administration's latest short-term energy outlook.
Investment in climate adaptation needs have high returns on growth
Lower- and lower-middle-income economies risk losing 12% of GDP to hazards such as storms, but investing up to 0.6% of GDP in adaptation will have high returns, according to new research from S&P Global Ratings.
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In this episode of the ESG Insider, we speak to sustainability leaders about the topics they’re watching in the year ahead. Marina Severinovsky, Head of Sustainability North America at UK-based asset management firm Schroders, tells us how investors are moving from climate transition commitments to solutions and implementation. We also speak to Aniket Shah, Managing Director and Global Head of the Sustainability and Transition Strategy Team at financial services company Jefferies Group, who explains how investment approaches to sustainability are evolving.
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