Global Scans · Climate Action · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• [New] Women in the Global South are disproportionately negatively impacted by environmental threats & climate change. London School of Economics and Political Science
• [New] As a global mosaic, transformational change at a grand scale will occur through an inestimable number of smaller steps to adjust the central elements of human systems proportionate to the changes in climate and land systems. Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance
• [New] Sustainability in 2026 will demand deeper capability, better data and more honest integration across climate, nature and governance. Tunley Environmental
• [New] Asia is on the frontline of climate vulnerability and a source of innovative, scalable solutions - from transition credits to the ASEAN power grid. PAA
• [New] Even absent federal sustainability disclosure standards, some states have already introduced their own disclosure rules, with California's SB 253 and SB 261 (related to GHG emissions and climate-related financial risk disclosures, respectively) being the most prominent examples. JD Supra
• [New] 2026 is set to be a pivotal year for the power sector, marked by intensified disruptions, regulatory shifts, and the need for unprecedented collaboration among utilities, tech giants, and regulators to meet surging demand and climate challenges. TD World
• [New] COP 30's Baku-Belem Roadmap targets $1.3 trillion in annual climate finance by 2035, but delivery depends on navigating China's dominance across manufacturing and materials. Financier Worldwide
• [New] The EU Green Deal is positioning wind as both a climate solution and a strategic industry, supporting around 300,000 jobs today and projected to become Europe's largest power source by 2027. Financier Worldwide
• [New] Hawaii's so-called Green Fee will raise its Transient Accommodations Tax from 10.25% to 11% and is expected to generate roughly $100 million a year for environmental stewardship, climate resilience and sustainable tourism efforts. Yahoo News
• [New] In 2026, governments will be under pressure to bolster climate resilience: improving flood defences, investing in early warning systems, and aiding affected populations. The Diplomatic Insight
• [New] Climate change and environmental pressures will demand urgent attention in Southeast Asia throughout 2026. The Diplomatic Insight
• [New] As Pakistan enters 2026 as the world's fifth most populous country, with a population exceeding 225 million, high population growth and fertility rates, persistent gender inequality, and rising climate vulnerability, the urgency of addressing population dynamics has intensified. Dawn
• [New] In 2026, increased attention is expected on climate-related health risks, infectious disease preparedness, mental health and substance use, health equity and the social determinants of health. Hospital News
• [New] 2026 will see more innovative financing solutions enabling faster scaling of climate technologies. TechCrunch
• [New] What to Watch By 2026, expect more emphasis on building climate-resilient health systems (systems capable of anticipating and adapting to environmental stressors while protecting the most vulnerable). The Health System Navigator Newsletter
• [New] Climate catastrophes, including unseasonal droughts and floods, could leave 50 million people in Southern and Eastern Africa suffering from acute food insecurity in 2026. Sunday Tribune
• [New] In 2026 climate and agtech leaders will be under growing pressure to move past talking about their footprint, partnerships and pilots and start proving what happens at the very end of their impact chain. PRNEWS
• [New] As 2025 draws to a close, climate impacts in major apparel sourcing regions are shifting from episodic disruptions to structural vulnerabilities - and 2026 may test supply chains harder still. The Business of Fashion
• [New] Extreme heat has emerged as one of fashion's most urgent climate risks, crippling garment workers' health and productivity, especially in South Asia, according to watchdog Climate Rights International. The Business of Fashion
• [New] Climate risks are emerging as one of the biggest challenges for insurers as well as customers, and 2026 and beyond will certainly not be an exception. India Today
• [New] The energy and climate landscape in the United States going into 2026 - and for a long time afterward - will be largely determined by the forces pushing and pulling on natural gas. Heatmap News
• [New] Experts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasize that 2025 is a critical year, with projections indicating that global temperatures could exceed 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels without immediate intervention. Success Knocks | The Business Magazine
• [New] The World Economic Forum estimates the global cost of climate change at $1.7 trillion to $3.1 trillion per year by 2050. Grand Pinnacle Tribune

Last updated: 04 January 2026