This blog often discusses the “rollback” in sustainability that has occurred since 2024. This is largely because I am a US-based editor working for a US-based publication writing for a mostly US-based member base. However, while this context helps me pull relevant, actionable information for our members, it also risks omitting valuable global perspectives. The doom and gloom faced by US sustainability departments doesn’t appear to be a global phenomenon. In fact, policy shifts in the US and heavy-handed attempts by US trade officials to suppress sustainability efforts worldwide appear to have the opposite effect. A recent report from MIT’s Sustainable Supply Chain Lab surveyed 1,810 respondents across 91 countries, and found that companies are more committed than ever to sustainability:
“Recent shifts in U.S. climate policy have not weakened corporate commitment to sustainability. Instead, a majority of respondents report becoming more committed following President Trump’s re-election and the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement… approximately 59% of respondents indicate that their organizations are somewhat or significantly more committed, compared with only around 13% reporting reduced commitment… The share of respondents reporting greater commitment from 2025 to 2026 increased from 16% to 64% in Asia, from 13% to 64% in Europe, and from 11% to 55% in North America.”
We certainly can’t ignore the Omnibus reforms in the EU, Canada’s indefinite postponement of climate disclosures, or the UK stalling on long-awaited ISSB-aligned standards. However, these are implementation delays and uncertainties, not a rebuke of sustainability’s core principles. More companies are seeing the reality of climate risk, and the US’s position appears to be galvanizing sentiment in favor of sustainability. With companies more committed than ever to sustainability, the question is: will governments take advantage of this attitude to introduce meaningful, lasting change?
Our members can learn more about global GHG regulation here.
