A sustainability professional’s Wishlist for 2026

Editor’s Note

A sustainability professional’s Wishlist for 2026

Every year, we write a new set of goals.

2026 feels different.

Not because the science changed overnight.
Not because the risks suddenly became visible.

It feels different because we are stepping into the final phase before 2030.

2030 is not a symbolic date.
It is a milestone year built into the Paris Agreement pathway and into almost every credible transition plan you see today.

The next five years will decide what the 2030 story becomes.

A story of course correction.
Or a story of regret.

So here is my wishlist for 2026.

It is written from the desk of someone who spends most days in the messy middle.
Between policy and projects.
Between ambition and budgets.
Between what must happen and what can happen.

Some of these wishes are realistic.

Some are almost too good to be true.

I am putting both on the table because we need both right now.

We need realism so we can act.
We need imagination so we do not settle for slow progress dressed up as success.

 

1) I want climate action to look less like theatre and more like decisions

In 2026, I want fewer slogans.
I want more decisions that show up in capex, procurement, and operations.

Realistic wish
More countries publish clearer 2035 targets and sector roadmaps, not just revised headlines.
Carbon markets and carbon pricing widen, with stronger rules and fewer loopholes.
Coal phase-down plans gain dates and delivery steps, not just “intent.”

Too good to be true wish
Major economies start using comparable definitions of “Paris-aligned” across sectors.
Fossil fuel subsidies fall faster than anyone expects.

 

2) I want transition finance to become something people trust

Transition finance sits in a tough spot.

If you define it too loosely, it becomes a cover story for business as usual.
If you define it too strictly, it becomes unusable for the sectors that need it most.

In 2026, I want transition finance that is clear, evidence-led, and hard to game.

Realistic wish
Banks publish eligibility rules that show what qualifies, what does not, and what proof they expect.
More transactions require credible transition plans, not just a promise to “improve.”
Hard-to-abate sectors converge on practical pathways with interim targets.

Too good to be true wish
We stop arguing about labels and start arguing about outcomes.
Every transition-linked deal includes a clear link between financing and real-world changes in technology, processes, and emissions.

 

3) I want reporting to become useful again

We have not solved the problem of disclosure.

We have scaled disclosure.
That is different.

Many sustainability teams now spend huge energy producing reports that few people can use.
Meanwhile, decision-makers still ask the same basic questions.

What will change in the business?
When will it change?
Who owns it?
How much will it cost?
What will it deliver?

In 2026, I want reporting that answers those questions.

Realistic wish
ISSB-style reporting expands, but teams focus on decision-grade data.
Assurance becomes common for key metrics, at least for large firms and issuers.
Scope 3 work becomes less of a guessing game as supplier data improves and category rules mature.

Too good to be true wish
Reports become shorter and clearer.
We stop rewarding page count and start rewarding proof.

 

4) I want data systems to replace spreadsheets for good

So much of the sustainability world still runs on brittle tools.

One spreadsheet breaks and the whole story changes.
One supplier does not respond and a Scope 3 category turns into a guess.
One asset owner changes and the data trail disappears.

In 2026, I want the “plumbing” work to finally get the respect it deserves.

Realistic wish
More companies invest in basic emissions data systems with clear controls.
Product-level data improves in steel, cement, chemicals, shipping, aviation, and heavy transport.
Satellite and remote sensing become routine for land use, methane, and deforestation checks.

Too good to be true wish
ESG data becomes interoperable across systems, and duplication drops sharply.
Teams spend less time chasing data and more time improving performance.

 

5) I want adaptation to stop being the neglected sibling of mitigation

In many organisations, adaptation shows up as a risk slide.
A line item in a report.
A paragraph in a strategy.

Then a flood hits.
A heatwave hits.
A drought hits.

And suddenly adaptation becomes urgent.

In 2026, I want adaptation to become planned work, not emergency work.

Realistic wish
More companies move from climate risk narratives to asset-level actions.
Cities and utilities secure more funding for resilience that protects lives and livelihoods.
Insurers and lenders use risk data to push for real upgrades, not just higher premiums.

Too good to be true wish
Adaptation finance scales with urgency, without needing disasters as triggers.
We treat resilience as a core part of economic planning.

 

6) I want nature and water to become non-negotiable in capital decisions

We talk about nature.
We talk about biodiversity.
We talk about water stress.

But too often, those topics remain “nice to have,” until they become expensive problems.

In 2026, I want nature and water risk to enter the same room as capex approvals and credit committees.

Realistic wish
More firms map water risk and biodiversity exposure and link it to investment decisions.
Deforestation compliance becomes real in procurement, not just a pledge.
Nature claims face more scrutiny, with better standards and stronger checks.

Too good to be true wish
Nature claims get enforced like financial claims.
Companies stop using vague “nature positive” language unless they can show the chain of evidence.

 

7) I want the “S” in ESG to feel less like a box and more like a duty

The sustainability world often speaks in carbon.

People still live in the consequences.

In 2026, I want climate action that respects jobs, safety, and livelihoods.
Not as a separate stream.
As part of the plan.

Realistic wish
More companies link workforce plans to decarbonisation plans.
Supply chain human rights work becomes more targeted and proof-based.
More finance products include social safeguards that are practical to monitor.

Too good to be true wish
“Just transition” becomes standard language in financing documents, backed by measurable commitments.
Worker safety and community impact stop getting sacrificed for speed.

 

8) I want capital markets to reward credibility, not confidence

Confidence sells.
Credibility lasts.

In 2026, I want lenders and investors to reward the hard work.

The unglamorous work.
The work of building systems, upgrading assets, changing suppliers, and cutting emissions year after year.

Realistic wish
More investors vote against weak climate governance and poor disclosure.
More lenders price transition risk with discipline and transparency.
More deals include clear KPIs, verification methods, and consequences for underperformance.

Too good to be true wish
Markets stop paying a premium for slogans and pay only for proof.
The cost of capital visibly shifts in favour of credible transition leaders.

 

A final wish for 2026

I want you to feel less alone in this work.

Sustainability can feel heavy because you see the gaps up close.

You see the delays.
You see the trade-offs.
You see the politics inside organisations.

But you also see the progress that rarely makes headlines.

A plant manager who switches a fuel source.
A procurement head who changes supplier rules.
A credit committee that asks sharper questions.
A city team that secures resilience funding.
A sustainability lead who finally gets data owners assigned.

That is the work that will decide the 2030 outcome.

So here is my closing ask to you.

Pick one wish from this list.
Make it your 2026 project.
Put it into your calendar, your budget ask, your board slide, your lending criteria, your procurement rules, your product roadmap.

Because the next five years are not a warm-up.

They are the deciding stretch.

And 2026 is where we prove whether we mean it.

What is the one change you want to see by the end of 2026, and what will you do in January to start it?

 

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