Top 10 Growth Opportunities in the Global ESG, Sustainability, and Climate Tech Markets, 2025

The climate emergency and the global economy's pivotal shift to net zero have prompted a need for transparent and accountable environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks that can shape the transition of sustainability and the circular economy. The future of ESG, sustainability, and the circular economy will rely on delivering more with less, shaped by the pathway of the 6P's: Policies, Products, Processes, People/Personas, Partnerships, and Platforms.

Policies, such as Green Taxonomy, are influencing product design and development and increasing the focus on workflows to identify synergies and opportunities around carbon reduction and resource optimization.

The needs of people and personas, both on the supply and demand sides, must be recognized and supported; for example, workforce productivity and meeting customer needs, respectively.

This provides a strong opportunity for B2B partnerships; stakeholders can come together to solve important sustainability challenges and develop and drive new business models and revenue streams.

Platforms are also seeing significant growth opportunities in terms of measuring, monitoring, reporting, and verification, as well as supporting trading in circular economies and guiding the future course of policy.

This study analyzes the following top 10 growth opportunities:

•     Water Credits Driving Quality Improvements and Business Sustainability?
•     Carbon Credits Unlocking Opportunities for Emissions Reductions and Market Expansion
•     Credits to Address the Global Impact of Plastic and Drive Circularity
•     Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Biodiversity Credits Advancing Global Targets and Building Resiliency
•     ESG Advisory and Consulting Services Bridging Skill Gaps and Navigating Evolving Policies
•     Digital Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains Streamlining Reporting and Collaboration
•     AI for Sustainability Offsetting Emissions through Sustainable Data Applications
•     Sustainable Finance Enforcing Transparency and Clear Investment Criteria
•     Nature Risk Reporting Countering Human Impact and Fostering Resiliency
•     Climate Tech Portfolios Harnessing Global Reach and Scale to Accelerate Adoption