Sustainability remains front of mind for businesses, governments, communities, and the public as the impact of climate change continues to be felt.
Whereas some countries and industries have made marginal progress on the road to net-zero targets, others have fared far better in recent years.
In this article, we highlight the most important sustainability statistics, both positive and negative, to show where more focus is needed to better the planet and drive meaningful change.
The UN sustainable development goals are essential objectives world leaders are working towards to hit net-zero. However, just 17 per cent of the 2030 targets are on track.
Research shows that nearly half (48 per cent) of goals exhibit moderate to severe deviations in progress. 30 per cent show marginal progress, while 18 per cent show moderate progress.
Finland was ranked no.1 for sustainability in 2024 with a score of 86.35, with Sweden 2nd (85.70), and Denmark 3rd (85.00).
China was the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in 2023, accounting for over 31 percent of total global emissions.
4 in 5 consumers say a sustainable lifestyle is important to them.
85% of consumers believe they are thinking and acting greener.
55% of consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly brands.
Consumers are willing to pay exactly 9.7% more for eco-friendly products.
70% of business leaders in 2024 said climate change would have a high or very high impact on their business’s strategy and operations over the next three years, up from 61% in 2023.
Because of the growing emphasis on sustainability, over 80% of companies surveyed in 2024 now have a Chief Sustainability Officer in place.
More than half of leaders acknowledged that their organisation's increased investments in sustainability were encouraged by employee activism.
55% of CEOs expect to see significant returns from sustainability investments by 2030.
2024 became the first calendar year to have broken through the symbolic 1.5°C figure that countries agreed to limit climate change to.
As a direct result of climate change, the oldest and thickest arctic ice has declined by 95% over the last 30 years.
From 2014–2023, sea levels also rose at a rate of 4.77 mm per year.
The world loses around 10 million hectares of forest every year due to deforestation.
80% of global deforestation is a result of agricultural production, which is also the leading cause of habitat destruction.
Tripling renewables by 2030 would slash emissions in line with the 1.5°C warming limit.
Industries worldwide could also save $437 billion per year by 2030 through improved energy efficiency.
Hydropower remains the leading renewable energy source, accounting for 20% of the world’s energy and 90% of the world’s renewable energy.
Wind power, meanwhile, contributes more than 10% of the world's power.
On the other hand, solar power will cover 8% of electricity consumption by the end of 2025.
In 2025, the global geothermal energy market will also hit $6.66 billion in value.
Domestic transportation accounts for 50% of greenhouse gas emissions.
If transportation networks grow and continue to rely on fossil fuels, transport emissions will increase by almost 60 percent by 2050.
To counteract the impact of domestic transportation, EVs are expected to account for 46% of light-vehicle sales by 2025, growing to 68% by 2030.
Aviation, meanwhile, accounts for just 2.5% of global emissions.
Shifting to the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) will contribute to a 65 percent emissions reduction in the aviation industry.
Global waste is expected to grow to 3.40 billion tonnes by 2050, more than double population growth over the same period.
Of the 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste produced annually, at least 33 percent is not managed in an environmentally safe manner.
Reports show a circular economy could reduce global CO2 emissions by 39% by 2030.
Germany is currently the world’s best recycling nation, achieving a 90.3% recycling rate for packaging waste in 2022.
A Deloitte study found that only 13% of companies can map their entire supply chain. Nearly three-quarters can’t see beyond their primary suppliers.
Of the companies that have invested in supply chain sustainability, 40% of businesses have seen revenue growth and 34% have seen cost savings.
The world’s cities occupy just 3% of land, but account for 60-80% of energy consumption and 75% of carbon emissions.
Cities also account for 50% of global waste.
By 2030, 6 in 10 people will live in urban areas, making sustainable urban planning increasingly essential.
Food production accounts for over a quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas emissions.
To reduce the industries carbon footprint, in 2024, the two leading sustainable farming practices adopted by farmers worldwide were crop rotation (adopted by 68 percent of respondents) and reduced or no tillage (adopted by 56 percent of respondents).
In the US, which remains the top exporter of produce, 90 percent of farmers are aware of sustainable-farming practices. Yet, holistic adoption remains low.
The agritech market is currently valued at $26 billion.
Indoor farming is the largest segment of the market, valued at $40.51 billion.
That said, in past year, the industry showed an annual growth decline of -1.14%. Of 129,000 startups, more than 4000 are in early stages, highlighting the struggles they face when scaling up.
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