Some $17 trillion has been invested in sustainable technologies over the past decade, by both private companies and governments, new analysis from Bain & Company has found.
However, according to Bain’s latest Visionary CEO’s Guide to Sustainability, progress on sustainability investment has been ‘uneven’, with transitions now entering an ‘age of divergence’ that could accelerate over the coming decade.
‘Place the right bets’
“Ten years into the Paris Agreement, the world has made commendable sustainability achievements, but this summer’s record-breaking heat is a reminder that we need to do more,” commented Jean-Charles van den Branden, Bain’s global head of sustainability. “Today’s CEO must recognise this age of divergence for what it is: not a sign of failure, but an opportunity to place the right bets for the future.
“CEOs will need to understand how to leverage divergence as a source of competitive advantage, converge priorities across the firm to harness AI for its full sustainability benefits and ask the right questions about climate resilience.”
Sustainability investment totalled $2.4 trillion in 2025, a record high, with 90% of this directed towards green energy, buildings and mobility. According to Bain, continued investment in these areas has helped technologies scale and costs fall, in turn prompting further investment.
At the same time, however, sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and materials, and natural capital – which together account for roughly 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions – received less than 10% of investment.
Progress on sustainable technologies has also been uneven, with only three technologies – solar, batteries and electric vehicles – exceeding forecasts made ten years ago. Some 29 technologies fell short of expectations, due to gaps in technology, consumer behaviour or policy, Bain noted.
Consumer mindset
Bain’s study also noted rising levels of environmental concern among consumers, with 85% of consumers across the US, UK, Italy, Brazil and Indonesia saying they were ‘concerned’ about environmental sustainability, up from 79% last year.
Elsewhere, more than four fifths (83%) of respondents said that they had adopted at least three sustainable lifestyle habits, compared with 73% in 2023. Consumers also said they were willing to pay an average of 18% more for sustainable products, rising to 24% when products also offered a health benefit.
As Bain noted, its findings ‘ challenge two narratives: that the sustainability transition is broadly retreating, and that it is advancing uniformly. Instead, investment, technology, corporate action, and consumer behavior are moving at very different speeds.
‘The companies best positioned to create value will be those that understand those differences – scaling proven opportunities, anticipating where technology, policy, or behavior could trigger the next acceleration, and building resilience against disruptions that are already materialising.’ Read more here.
