ESG and Of Interest News
China's carbon emissions may have reached a critical turning point sooner than expected
February 12, 2026--The carbon emissions of the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter have plateaued for nearly two years.
Carbon dioxide emissions from China have flatlined or fallen for 21 months, meaning the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter may have reached a global turning point sooner than expected.
China's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions dropped by 1% in the last quarter of 2025 and likely by 0.3% over the whole year, keeping them just beneath the record highs reached in May 2024, according to a new analysis by the Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) for Carbon Brief. The nearly two-year flatline or fall is the longest on record not driven by an economic slowdown in the country, which emits over a third of global CO2.
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Source: livescience.com
The Role Of Finance In Addressing Sustainable Development
February 12, 2026--The Z/Yen Group today released a publication titled "The Role of Finance in Addressing Sustainable Development" as commissioned by the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC).
The global financial system is evolving from a passive allocator of capital to an active force shaping growth pathways that foster resilience and inclusion. Global financing for sustainable development rose by 22% to USD 5.2 trillion between 2015 and 2024.1
Despite this progress, a persistent funding gap remains in critical sectors such as clean energy, infrastructure, and social resilience, with developing countries alone requiring an additional USD 4 trillion annually to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and other climate targets.2
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Source: zyen.com
Corruption Perceptions Index 2025: Decline in leadership undermining global fight against corruption
January 10, 2026-At a time of massive Gen Z-led protests against corruption and a dangerous disregard for international norms by some governments, the 31st edition of Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index reveals a concerning picture of long-term decline in leadership to tackle corruption, alongside limited signs of progress
Corruption is worsening globally, with even established democracies experiencing rising corruption amid a decline in leadership, according to Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published today. This annual index shows that the number of countries scoring above 80 has shrunk from 12 a decade ago to just five this year.
Our data show that democracies, typically stronger on anti-corruption than autocracies or flawed democracies, are experiencing a worrying decline in performance. This trend spans countries such as the United States (64), Canada (75) and New Zealand (81), to various parts of Europe, like the United Kingdom (70), France (66) and Sweden (80). Another concerning pattern is increasing restrictions by many states on freedoms of expression, association and assembly. Since 2012, 36 of the 50 countries with significant declines in CPI scores have also experienced a reduction in civic space.
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Source: transparency.org
5 Things to Know About GEMs
February 9, 2026--The Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs) Consortium is a joint initiative of 29 multilateral development banks and development finance institutions that pools 40 years of credit risk data on their lending operations in emerging markets.
It provides the related statistics at no cost to members and to the public at gemsriskdatabase.org and on other platforms like Bloomberg and Data360.
The European Investment Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) created the Consortium in 2009. It has since evolved into a community of practice that develops common approaches and data methodologies to record default and recovery statistics. It offers insights into the true potential of emerging markets.
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Source: African Development Bank
Mapped: Which Countries Rely Most on Imports
February 4, 2026-Key Takeaways
Globally, imported goods and services are equal to 28% of GDP.
Despite importing $3.4 trillion of goods, the U.S. has one of the lowest import-to-GDP ratios because of its massive and diverse economy.
Several small island economies have extremely high import-to-GDP ratios, including Cuba (82%) and Taiwan (49%), given limited domestic production.
Global imports are valued at approximately 28% of GDP, with trillions of dollars in goods and services moving across borders each year.
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Source: visualcapitalist.com
FSB warns of financial stability challenges in repo markets
February 4, 2026-Repo markets are critical to the functioning of the global financial system and have been involved in several recent episodes of stress, including the March 2020 dash for cash and September 2022 gilt market episode.
Report warns that leverage, demand and supply imbalances, and high levels of concentration within repo markets have the potential to create strains.
Report calls on authorities to consider actions to close data gaps, strengthen surveillance, and address vulnerabilities around the build-up of liquidity imbalances and leverage.
The Financial Stability Board (FSB) today published a report on Vulnerabilities in Government Bond-backed Repo Markets.
Repo markets play an important role in facilitating the flow of cash and securities throughout the financial system.
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Source: Financial Stability Board (FSB)
The WFE creates Listing Stringency Index that enables comparison of markets
February 4, 2026-The World Federation of Exchanges, the global industry association for exchanges and CCPs, has published a paper introducing its Listing Stringency Index (LSI), a standardised framework that can be used to analyse the relative stringency of listing regimes and make informed decisions.
This unique, survey-based composite measure, developed using data from WFE members, quantifies and compares IPO listing requirements across nine regulatory dimensions. It captures cross-jurisdictional differences and directional regulatory changes, documenting where listing requirements have been tightened or relaxed - particularly in response to ESG-related developments and SME access priorities.
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Source: World Federation of Exchanges (WFE)
Mapped: Which Countries Are Expected to Grow the Most in 2026?
January 27, 2026--Key Takeaways
Guyana is forecast to see 23% real GDP growth in 2026, the highest rate globally, supported by a massive oil boom.
Global real GDP growth is projected to be 3.1% in 2026, slightly lower than the 3.2% forecast for 2025.
After several years of economic volatility, growth in 2026 is expected to remain uneven across the world.
While global growth is projected to hold steady overall, momentum varies sharply by country, shaped by factors such as energy production, trade exposure, fiscal conditions, and demographic trends. As a result, some economies are positioned for rapid expansion, while others face more modest outlooks.
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Source: visualcapitalist.com
Clear Orbit, Secure Future: A Call to Action on Space Debris
January 26, 2026-Space is the foundational infrastructure of the 21st-century global economy. From navigation and finance to climate monitoring, daily life on Earth depends on satellites. Yet this critical orbital infrastructure is under threat. Congestion from space debris is rising, creating a strategic vulnerability for the entire planet.
This inaugural report, a collaboration between the World Economic Forum and the Centre for Space Futures, provides the first data-driven forecast of the economic impact of inaction. Using a novel orbital population model, it projects that space debris could impose a direct cost of up to $42.3 billion over the next decade, a"“hidden tax" on the space economy.
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Source: World Economic Forum (WTO)
Mapped: AI Adoption Rates by Country
January 22, 2026--Key Takeaways
The UAE has an AI adoption rate of 64.0%, the highest globally in 2025.
Even though the U.S. is a global leader in AI infrastructure and frontier model development, it ranks 24th in AI adoption based on analysis from Microsoft.
In the second half of 2025, 16.1% of the global working-age population used AI, indicating substantial room for further adoption.
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Source: visualcapitalist.com
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