Why climate projects struggle to move from plans to action

Businesses are setting climate targets, but many lack the capacity to deliver them, a global study finds, as projects in three industries expose the gap.

A study by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and Green Project Management found that 59 per cent of organisations have not fully integrated sustainability into their projects and functions.

Published in June 2026, the study surveyed nearly 1,600 professionals across 35 countries, exposing a gap between corporate environmental commitments and the ability of teams to deliver them.

While 85 per cent of sustainability executives expressed confidence that their organisations could achieve their targets, only 43 per cent of project management office leaders shared that confidence.

Among project professionals responsible for implementing the commitments, just 20 per cent were extremely confident in their organisations' ability to deliver.

The report identifies unclear objectives, competing priorities, difficulties measuring sustainability benefits and weak integration of environmental considerations into business decisions as some of the barriers.

The findings point to a challenge facing organisations seeking to reduce their environmental footprint: setting targets is not the same as having the resources and expertise to achieve them.

Three projects featured in a documentary series, The Solutionaries, illustrate how organisations are approaching sustainability challenges in different industries, from live entertainment and shipping to artificial intelligence infrastructure.

One is REVERB, a US-based non-profit founded in 2004 by environmentalist Lauren Sullivan and musician Adam Gardner of the band Guster.

The organisation works with musicians, touring teams, festivals and venues to reduce the environmental impact of live entertainment.

Its programmes include introducing reusable water systems, reducing waste at concerts and encouraging audiences to participate in environmental and social initiatives.

REVERB reports that its programmes have supported more than 350 tours, eliminated more than 4.5 million single-use plastic bottles and engaged fans in more than eight million environmental and social actions.

The organisation also reports having addressed more than 460,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

In the shipping industry, Seabound is developing technology to capture carbon dioxide from vessels' exhaust systems, targeting emissions from one of the world's major transport industries.

Its modular system uses calcium looping technology to convert carbon dioxide in exhaust gases into solid calcium carbonate, which can be removed when a vessel reaches port.

During a 2024 pilot aboard the cargo ship Sounion Trader, the system captured about one tonne of carbon dioxide daily, achieving a capture efficiency of 78 per cent.

Seabound says the technology has the potential to reach 95 per cent efficiency, offering ship operators another option for reducing emissions from existing vessels as the maritime industry faces pressure to decarbonise.

The third project, developed by technology company Amini, focuses on artificial intelligence infrastructure and countries' ability to control their own data.

Founded in 2022 by technology executive Kate Kallot, Amini develops sovereign AI systems that allow countries and institutions to store, process and govern data within their own jurisdictions.

Its work includes a national AI infrastructure deployment in Barbados, where it has established computing and data systems for government use.

A World Trade Organization case study on the company notes that the system includes an AI workspace trained on more than 22,000 Cabinet papers covering 2018 to 2025.

The platform has also digitised and structured more than 320,000 police station diaries, with sensitive government information kept within the country's jurisdiction.

While the three projects address different challenges, they demonstrate how sustainability initiatives extend beyond developing new technology. They also involve building systems that can operate, deliver measurable results and serve communities and businesses.

This requires financing, coordination between partners, access to equipment and skilled personnel, as well as the ability to measure whether projects achieve their intended objectives.

The documentary series examines the role of project management in bridging this gap between developing solutions and putting them into operation.

PMI Chief Marketing Officer Menaka Gopinath noted that project professionals help turn ideas into practical outcomes.

“We need bold ideas to solve the world's biggest challenges, but ideas alone don't drive change. Progress happens when people turn vision into action,” Gopinath said.

“Projects are how great ideas become real, and the professionals who lead them make that possible.”