Environment at a Glance Dashboard

Achieving decent living standards for all and improving well-being of people worldwide depends on countries’ ability to transition to an economy that uses fewer resources and generates less pollution, remaining within planetary boundaries. A green transition is an opportunity to improve living standards and strengthen economic resilience while ensuring that the natural assets on which societies and economies depend continue to provide essential resources and ecosystem services. Cleaner air and water, more efficient resource use, healthier ecosystem and more secure energy systems can deliver tangible benefits for people, businesses and communities.

Realising these opportunities requires effective public policies and strong private sector engagement to stimulate and scale-up investment and innovation aligned with long-run sustainability objectives. It also calls for coordinated action across countries and within ministries, including economy, industry, finance, trade, agriculture and environment. A clear conceptual framework and a robust set of indicators are essential to track progress, identify policy gaps and support better decisions

The green transition can create new opportunities for people, firms and communities by driving demand for new jobs, skills and occupations. Well-prepared labour markets and education systems are essential to seize these opportunities. This section tracks shifts in employment structures, workforce preparedness and academic systems. It highlights both opportunities and challenges in equipping people with the capabilities needed for a low-carbon, resilient and resource-efficient economy.

Markets for goods and services play a central role in driving the green transition by supporting the development and diffusion of cleaner technologies, sustainable production methods and new business models. Innovation, investment and changing consumer demand can create new economic opportunities, strengthen competitiveness and accelerate the shift towards more resource-efficient and low-emission economies. Tracking these developments helps assess how markets are adapting to evolving consumer preferences, policies, technologies and environmental pressures.

Finance and investment are key enablers of the green transition, helping direct capital towards cleaner technologies, sustainable infrastructure and more resilient economies. Green finance instruments, including green bonds, can mobilise private investment, support innovation and create new markets opportunities. Tracking these flows helps assess whether  financial markets are aligned with environmental objectives and better equipped to environmental and climate risks.

Multifactor productivity reflects how efficiently economies combine labour, capital and natural resources to improve living standards. Strengthening resource efficiency, innovation and cleaner production processes can help economies become more competitive, resilient and sustainable. Tracking productivity trends alongside environmental pressures helps assess progress toward decoupling economic performance from environmental degradation.

Policies and regulations are the institutional backbone for enabling the green transition and creating the conditions for more sustainable growth and investment. Well-designed environmental policies can encourage innovation, improve resource efficiency and support cleaner technologies, while providing clear signals to businesses and households. Tracking policy design, implementation and coherence across sectors helps assess progress towards more resilient, low-emission and resource-efficient economies.