Sustainability at a Crossroads: A survey developed by ERM, GlobeScan and Volans
Summary of the report: Sustainability at a Crossroads was jointly developed and fielded by GlobeScan, ERM, and Volans. This survey of 844 sustainability experts across 72 countries reveals a pivotal inflection point in the evolution of the global sustainability agenda. While the field has matured and expanded over decades, a striking consensus has emerged: the current approach is no longer fit for purpose.
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More than nine in ten experts agree that a shift is needed with over half calling for a radical overhaul. But rather than viewing this as a crisis, this moment should be embraced as a glass-half-full opportunity. It marks a necessary course correction - one that opens the door to bold, future-fit strategies capable of meeting the challenges of our time.
Key report insights include:
Stalled progress and rising backlash: Experts
express frustration with the slow pace of change and note the growth of
organized resistance to the sustainability agenda, particularly in North
America. However, this backlash is not universal - Asia-Pacific stakeholders
report far less resistance.
Eroding confidence in global frameworks: Belief
in the effectiveness of the SDGs, Paris Agreement, and other multilateral
frameworks is low, with many experts questioning the ability of these
frameworks to deliver the necessary impact.
Underperformance by key actors: National
governments and institutional investors receive the lowest performance ratings,
with only 5 percent of experts rating government efforts as excellent. The
private sector also fares poorly, and its performance scores have declined to
the lowest point since tracking began in 2012.
Declining faith in civil society: Since 2012,
positive ratings have dropped precipitously for social movements (-21%), NGOs
(-16%), multi-sector partnerships (-15%), and the UN (-12%). In contrast,
research and academic institutions have gained credibility over the past few
years.
Diverging regional perspectives: Experts in
Europe and Africa/Middle East are the most critical of progress, while those in
Latin America/Caribbean and Asia-Pacific are more optimistic and more likely to
see current political and economic shocks as opportunities rather than threats.
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