In 2022, the focus shifts from making new climate promises to actually implementing the ones already made. Based on recent global conferences and reports, five priority areas stand out: 1. **Net-Zero and Energy** - Countries are expected to strengthen their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) so they better align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal. - Businesses are under growing pressure to commit to net‑zero emissions by 2050 and to show credible transition plans rather than high-level pledges. 2. **Resilience and Adaptation** - Adaptation is moving higher on the agenda, especially for climate‑vulnerable countries. - The UNEP Adaptation Gap Report highlights that more ambition is needed in national adaptation planning, finance, and implementation. - The Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), created under the Paris Agreement, is expected to gain traction as countries work toward a clearer global framework for resilience. - COP27 host Egypt has signaled a strong focus on resilience and adaptation. 3. **Circular Economies** - 2022 is expected to bring faster progress toward circular models in sectors like cement, chemicals, and steel as low‑carbon solutions move closer to mass‑market adoption. - The EU is accelerating its circular economy action plan. - Single‑use plastics remain a priority, with bans scheduled in countries such as Canada, France, India, and Scotland, and the US advancing the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. - New technologies, such as advanced chemical recycling and products made from recycled ocean plastics, are starting to scale. 4. **Ecosystems and Resources** - The second part of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in China is expected to drive progress on land, forests, and oceans. - Food sustainability and food security remain high on the agenda following the first UN Food Systems Summit. - Forests gained attention at COP26 through a major global deforestation pledge. - Ocean-related climate action (including sustainable aquaculture and blue carbon) will be in focus at the World Ocean Summit and the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon. - Biodiversity finance is gaining visibility, with the joint Study Group on Biodiversity and Financial Stability due to publish its full report. - Demand for minerals for batteries, electronics, and clean energy infrastructure is reinforcing the need for sustainable mining and resilient supply chains. 5. **Social Sustainability and Trust** - Trust is emerging as a cross‑cutting theme. The Edelman Trust Barometer shows low public trust in governments, business, and media on climate action. - The World Economic Forum’s 2022 theme, “Working Together, Restoring Trust,” reflects this concern. - Elections in major economies (such as France and the US) will test public confidence in institutions’ willingness to act on climate and sustainability. - Within companies, trust is becoming more central to stakeholder relationships, and roles like chief trust officer are gaining prominence. Across all these areas, the expectation for 2022 is clear: move from high‑level commitments to measurable, transparent action that can be tracked and compared over time.

In 2022, sustainability reporting is expected to become more structured, comparable, and investor‑focused, which will put pressure on companies to improve the quality of their disclosures. Key developments include: 1. **Launch of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)** - A major milestone is the creation of the **International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)**, which will sit under the IFRS Foundation. - As of January 1, Emmanuel Faber, former CEO of Danone, serves as ISSB chair. - The ISSB will develop **IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards** that aim to provide a **global baseline** of sustainability disclosure requirements. 2. **More Comparable, Investor-Grade Data** - The goal of the ISSB standards is to give investors **high‑quality, globally comparable sustainability information**. - This should make it easier to compare companies’ climate and sustainability performance across markets and sectors. 3. **Pressure to Address Greenwashing** - With more structured standards, companies will find it harder to rely on vague or marketing‑driven claims. - Better reporting frameworks are intended to **combat corporate greenwashing** by requiring more specific, decision‑useful data on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. 4. **From Reporting to Real-World Impact** - The expectation is that stronger disclosure will not just improve transparency but also drive **real‑world improvements** in economic, social, and environmental outcomes. - Investors, regulators, and other stakeholders will be better equipped to hold companies accountable for their net‑zero and broader sustainability commitments. For companies, this means 2022 is a good time to: - Review existing ESG and climate reporting practices against emerging ISSB guidance. - Strengthen internal data collection and governance around emissions, climate risks, and social impacts. - Prepare for more detailed questions from investors and other stakeholders about how climate and sustainability are integrated into strategy, risk management, and capital allocation.

In 2022, climate adaptation, circularity, and biodiversity are moving from side topics to core strategic considerations for many organizations. They influence risk management, innovation, and long‑term value creation. 1. **Adaptation as a Risk and Investment Lens** - The UNEP Adaptation Gap Report shows that current efforts on adaptation planning, finance, and implementation are not yet sufficient. - For businesses, this translates into a need to assess **physical climate risks** (such as floods, wildfires, and extreme weather) across operations and supply chains. - With the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) gaining attention and COP27 emphasizing resilience, companies can expect more scrutiny on how they are preparing for climate impacts, not just reducing emissions. 2. **Circular Economies as a Driver of Innovation and Compliance** - Circularity is becoming a practical business issue, especially in materials‑intensive sectors like cement, chemicals, and steel, where low‑carbon solutions are approaching tipping points for wider adoption this decade. - The EU’s circular economy action plan is accelerating, which will influence product design, waste management, and resource efficiency requirements for companies operating in or trading with the EU. - Single‑use plastic regulations are tightening, with bans planned in Canada, France, India, and Scotland, and US legislation (the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act) moving forward. - Technological advances—such as advanced chemical recycling for plastics and consumer products made from recycled ocean plastics—are opening new business models and partnership opportunities. 3. **Biodiversity and Ecosystems as Financial and Operational Priorities** - The second part of the COP15 biodiversity conference is expected to push biodiversity higher on policy and corporate agendas. - Food systems, land use, and forests are under closer examination, especially after the UN Food Systems Summit and a major global deforestation pledge at COP26. - Oceans are increasingly recognized as part of climate strategy, with sustainable aquaculture and blue carbon (such as mangroves and seagrasses) gaining attention at events like the World Ocean Summit and the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon. - Biodiversity finance is emerging as a distinct field, with the joint Study Group on Biodiversity and Financial Stability preparing its full report, which may influence how financial institutions assess nature‑related risks. 4. **Resource Security and Sustainable Supply Chains** - Growing demand for minerals used in batteries, electronics, and clean‑energy infrastructure is highlighting the importance of **sustainable mining** and secure, transparent supply chains. - Companies in technology, automotive, and energy sectors, in particular, will need to show how they source critical materials responsibly. For business leaders, these trends suggest that 2022 is a good time to: - Integrate adaptation and resilience into enterprise risk management and capital planning. - Reevaluate product and packaging design through a circular economy lens. - Map dependencies and impacts on nature and biodiversity, especially in land‑intensive and resource‑intensive value chains. - Engage with emerging standards and initiatives that link biodiversity and financial stability. Taken together, adaptation, circularity, and biodiversity are reshaping how companies think about long‑term resilience, regulatory exposure, and opportunities for innovation in a lower‑carbon, resource‑constrained world.