Investors with $36 trillion: we are not backing away from net zero
Robeco released the sixth edition of the Global Climate Investing Survey 2026. 300 investors (pension funds, insurers, sovereign funds, private banks, family offices) from Europe, North America, Asia and the Pacific, and South Africa participated. Together they manage roughly $35.8 trillion USD.
Key findings:
- 94% of investors with a net-zero target will keep it regardless of government policy
- 60% plan to increase climate investments within three years
- 59% expect demand for emission‑reduction solutions to endure regardless of political moods
- 75% anticipate that the conflict in the Middle East will accelerate the shift to renewable energy
- 66% expect a mild to significant impact of climate and environmental risks on asset prices within five years
At the same time, investors are realistic:
▪️ only 19% expect an orderly transformation
▪️ 47% anticipate the scenario “too little, too late”
▪️ 44% consider the goal of keeping warming well below 2 °C unattainable
▪️ the main obstacle for 45% is political uncertainty
The shift in concerns is also interesting. Investment performance is cited as the main challenge by 50% (last year 67%), data quality by 34% (last year 48%).
Robeco summarizes it as a “new climate reality”: the transformation is no longer driven mainly by ideals, but by the economy and geopolitics.
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