Why WEF is Urging Change in Sustainability, Finance and Tech
The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Annual Report 2024â2025 says that sustainability is no longer a parallel objective but a foundation for global resilience.
It positions sustainability as inseparable from economic security, social wellbeing and technological innovation.
The report calls for urgent action to transform systems spanning energy, food, finance and governance and says that progress will only be achieved through cross-sector collaboration and measurable outcomes.
Linking sustainability with global objectives
A key message in the report is the interconnection of sustainability with broader global goals.
The WEF stresses that addressing climate change and protecting nature cannot be separated from economic and societal priorities.
This integrated approach underpins WEF's work across energy, food systems, digital innovation and social inclusion.
âOver the course of the year, our work has centred on delivering insight into and advancing critical technology, economic, societal and sustainability objectives â areas that are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing,â says Børge Brende, President and CEO of WEF, in the report.
Responding to urgent global change
The report emphasises that the speed of global change demands urgent transformation.
In areas such as energy transition, food security, plastic waste and biodiversity, WEF has convened governments, businesses and civil society to foster action at scale.
From expanding renewable energy infrastructure to promoting regenerative agriculture, WEF'sâs initiatives are designed to tackle root causes of emissions and ecological degradation.
âThe world is changing rapidly and the need for transformation is urgent,â says Laurence D. Fink and AndrĂŠ Hoffmann, Ad Interim Co-Chairs of the WEF Board of Trustees, in the report.
âThe Forum is aiming higher: focusing on impact rather than words and demanding sharper attention to what truly matters, with a renewed commitment to rebuilding trust.â
In the report, the WEF highlights partnerships to reduce deforestation in supply chains, projects to align corporate practices with global nature goals and frameworks for just transition strategies that ensure vulnerable communities and workers are supported as industries decarbonise.
The WEF report states that plastic pollution remains a pressing global issue, with 19 million tonnes entering the environment each year and production expected to triple by 2060.
To address this, the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) was launched in 2018, bringing together governments, businesses and civil society to transform commitments into concrete action and drive a circular plastics economy worldwide.
By January 2025, GPAP reached a major milestone with the creation of 25 National Plastic Action Partnerships (NPAPs), making it the largest plastic pollution initiative in the world.
Today, it works with more than 2,000 stakeholders to co-develop inclusive, locally led solutions that are already shaping outcomes for 1.5 billion people.
Tech, AI and cybersecurity
The WEF is advancing global efforts at the intersection of technology, AI and cybersecurity through a range of initiatives that focus on innovation, resilience and inclusion.
The AI & Cyber initiative brings together senior leaders to guide the secure adoption of AI, identifying critical cyber risk scenarios and developing practical tools to help organisations mitigate threats as AI becomes central to operations.
Complementing this, the AI Governance Alliance is shaping frameworks for responsible adoption, engaging more than 600 experts worldwide to create guardrails for generative AI, strengthen global competitiveness and prepare industries and societies for the Intelligent Era.
The WEF's Global Lighthouse Network is demonstrating the transformative power of advanced digital technologies in manufacturing and supply chains, with 189 sites now recognised for their ability to deliver double-digit improvements in productivity, resilience and sustainability.
At the same time, the EDISON Alliance is tackling digital inequality, having already connected more than one billion people to essential services such as health, education and finance, while pushing to ensure that marginalised communities can benefit from AI and digital innovation.
Together, these programmes reflect a holistic approach: enabling organisations to harness AI securely, ensuring equitable access to digital technologies and driving sustainable transformation across industries and economies.
Financing climate and nature-positive growth
Sustainability cannot advance without finance and the Annual Report underscores the role of innovative funding mechanisms in delivering climate and nature-positive outcomes.
Platforms such as Giving to Amplify Earth Action (GAEA) and blended finance models are helping to channel private capital into projects that might otherwise struggle to secure investment.
The report points out that these mechanisms are especially important for the Global South, where climate impacts are most severe and funding gaps are greatest.
The report states that only 6% of the funding needed annually to limit global warming to 1.5°C by 2030 has been mobilised.
By mobilising resources into renewable energy, climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration, WEF is working to rebalance investment flows towards high-impact areas.
In addition, digital tools and AI-enabled data platforms are being promoted to improve accountability and investor confidence, ensuring that funding delivers measurable results rather than aspirational commitments.
Rebuilding trust through impact
A central theme in the Annual Report is the importance of trust.
WEF acknowledges that global cooperation is under strain and that stakeholders are demanding not only ambition but tangible results.
The report signals a sharpened focus on measurable outcomes, transparency and accountability in sustainability efforts.
