3 Climate Trends - Issue 15

The cost of climate inaction, which sectors are progressing fastest on decarbonization and the potential of climate tech – these are the stories covered in this issue of the World Economic Forum’s 3 Climate Trends newsletter, your guide to climate, nature and sustainability in an ever-changing world.

1. The cost of climate inaction and how #businesses can navigate #risk

Businesses must adapt to climate risks or risk losing up to 7% of annual earnings by 2035.

Two new World Economic Forum reports – one from the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, the other in collaboration with leading Earth system scientists – outline how organizations can decarbonize, safeguard nature and build resilience in the face of mounting climate risks.

Climate hazards could drive $560-610 billion of fixed asset losses per year across listed companies by 2035, depending on the emissions scenario, rising as high as $1.1 trillion by 2055.

Find out how board members, investors and C-suite executives can promote business longevity and resilience in the face of a deteriorating climate by reading our reports.

2. Which #sectors are progressing most on #decarbonization?

The World Economic Forum 's Net Zero Industry Tracker 2024 monitors the pace of decarbonization across eight hard-to-abate sectors accounting for ~40% of global greenhouse emissions.

The trends over the last four years suggest that none of the sectors are on track to meet 2030 targets.

Reaching net zero by 2050 across industrial sectors is dependent on advancements in five key areas: technology, infrastructure, demand, policy and capital.

The Net Zero Industry Tracker provides a standardized framework, common metrics, and consistent methodology to determine the gaps and opportunities across these sectors.

This approach offers industry-specific and cross-industry thematic insights, enabling fact-based discussions among industry stakeholders.

Read the full report here.

3. Can climate #tech save our #cities?

Cities are facing a climate crisis – urban areas are major contributors to global CO2 emissions and consume staggering amounts of the world’s energy.

Climate tech can help make the cities more sustainable however, with current innovations helping to tackle embodied carbon, make reclaimed materials more useable and use green architecture to develop nature-based building materials.

Pictured below, Zauben ’s biosolar and green roof panels help buildings stay cooler and reduce energy use for air conditioning, cutting energy costs by up to 25%.

Explore the potential of climate tech in this article from Zachary S. , CEO of Zauben .

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. For more detailed analysis, follow the World Economic Forum. See you in the next issue for more updates on #nature, #climate and #sustainability.