New data shows sustained growth in science-based and net-zero targets through 2025, leading to 10,000 companies with validated targets globally in January 2026.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has published its Trend Tracker 2025, showing that corporate climate target-setting continued to grow strongly in 2025. By the end of 2025, 9,764 companies had validated science-based targets. Over the same period, the number of companies with validated net-zero targets grew even faster, rising by 61 per cent.

Asia was the fastest-growing region, increasing by 53 per cent, now expanding at a scale comparable to Europe. Growth was not only in economies such as China, Japan and India, but also by strong uptake across emerging markets including Indonesia, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand.

Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the next highest proportional growth after Asia, increasing by 48 per cent and 42 per cent respectively. Europe continues to lead in absolute terms, accounting for the highest number of companies with targets overall, at 49 per cent of all targets, followed closely by Asia at 36 per cent, and then North America at 11per cent.

The sectors leading the expansion globally were healthcare, information technology and materials.

David Kennedy, CEO of the Science-Based Targets initiative, said: “There is clear evidence about the business benefits of science-based target-setting, this is a key lever for companies to manage transition risk and strengthen business resilience, remaining competitive now and in the future. The data in this report shows that despite political headwinds, increasing numbers of companies in every region are setting science-based targets. In doing so they are part of a market transformation that is good for business while contributing to achieving global climate objectives.”

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