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Businesses across industries are already benefiting from the strong growth of the green economy, the second-fastest growing sector over the past decade. This is according to a new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group.

The report, Already a Multi-Trillion-Dollar Market: A CEO Guide to Growth in the Green Economy, finds that the green economy has already reached $5 trillion a year and is on track to exceed $7 trillion within the decade.
 
The research indicates that despite economic uncertainty and diverging environments, investment in green technologies continues to reach record highs. The report identifies the green economy as one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors, outpaced only by tech, and highlights the advantages enjoyed by many companies embracing green solutions.
 
"Two years ago, in the World Economic Forum’s Winning in Green Markets: Scaling Products for a Net Zero World, we argued that pioneering in green markets is a bet that would pay off and that large-scale green markets would become a reality, proving the business case,” said Pim Valdre, Head of Climate and Nature Economy, WEF. “Despite the current headwinds for global climate action, this report shows that the green economy is not a distant opportunity but already a major growth engine of this decade." 
 
The research shows that companies with green revenues often outperform across multiple financial metrics. On average, green revenues grow two times faster than conventional business lines across the market, while the cost of capital for companies with green revenues is typically lower. Firms generating more than 50% of their revenues from green markets often enjoy valuation premiums of 12%-15% on capital markets, reflecting investor confidence in their long-term resilience and profitability.
 
According to the report, technological cost declines have accelerated this trend, although solutions are moving at different speeds across markets. 

Since 2010, the cost of solar photovoltaics and lithium batteries has fallen by around 90% and offshore wind by 50%, making low-carbon solutions increasingly cost-competitive. 

The report estimates that 55% of global emissions reductions needed to decarbonise can now be achieved with solutions that are already cost-competitive, with another 20% addressable at minor cost premiums and 5% requiring a behavioural change. 

However, an additional 20% of critical deep decarbonisation technologies currently face major cost disadvantages and will require dedicated policy and industry support to achieve cost competitiveness, the report notes.
 
These cost declines follow massive investment in clean energy, increasingly led by China. The report finds that in 2024, China invested $659 billion in clean energy and is responsible for over 60% of new global renewable capacity additions through 2030. It leads the world in patents for solar, electric vehicles and battery technologies, reshaping global supply chains and shifting the centre of green innovation to the East.
 
The report features 14 case studies from members of the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, showcasing how pioneering companies have turned participation in green markets into a competitive advantage. The report concludes with a CEO playbook, which shows how leading companies leverage growth accelerators – scaling technologies to cost maturity, shaping regulatory ecosystems and unlocking diversified finance – to win in the green economy.
 
“Three things are striking: the resilience of the green economy, with investments in green technologies jumping from record to record against a change in public headlines and sentiments; China's leadership in manufacturing, innovation and deployment of green technologies; and the opportunity for companies operating in green markets to outperform and earn a premium in capital markets,” said Patrick Herhold, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group. "With projections to become a $7 trillion market, there will be many more opportunities for companies that act boldly today."

The World Economic Forum’s 56th Annual Meeting, taking place 19-23 January 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, will convene leaders from business, government, international organisations, civil society and academia under the theme, A Spirit of Dialogue.