BUS604: Innovation and Sustainability

More than half of the total value of the Global Goals business opportunities arises in developing countries, though the geographic distribution of the value varies between economic systems. In the case of cities, improving the efficiency of buildings is one opportunity where developed and developing economies each have significant potential, but the affordable housing opportunity is larger in the developing world. The value of energy and materials opportunities is distributed more evenly – while extractive opportunities are primarily in the developing world, circular economy models in durable goods are likely to develop first in developed markets. In the case of food, there are significant opportunities in Africa and India, reflecting their large share of cropland and currently low levels of productivity. Health and well-being opportunities are concentrated in developing countries, where access is currently low, and in the United States and Canada, where healthcare costs are highest (Exhibit 7).

"Renewable energy is an opportunity across regions of different incomes".

The importance of individual opportunities also varies by region, with stark differences between developed and developing countries. Affordable housing is the largest opportunity in four regions: Latin America, Russia and Eastern Europe, China and the rest of developing and emerging Asia. Applying circular economy models to durable goods provides the largest opportunities in the US and Canada, Europe and developed Asia-Pacific. Energy efficiency in buildings is a major opportunity in half of the regions, concentrated primarily in the northern parts of the world where heating costs are high. Expansion of renewables is the one opportunity that is important across regions of different income levels, a result of the gathering pace of the worldwide transition to low-carbon electricity generation.

Exhibit 7: 
More than half the value of the Global Goals business opportunities arises in developing countries