Industry accounts for 38.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions when manufacturing energy is included. Cement and steel production together generate roughly 14 percent of worldwide CO2 emissions while 120 million metric tons of plastic waste reach the environment annually. The statistics below cover efficiency returns, hydrogen pathways, certification coverage, and regulatory shifts now affecting industrial operations.
Key Takeaways
- 2022 saw 120 million metric tons of plastic waste leak into the environment globally
- 38.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions came from industry (including energy used for manufacturing) in 2019
- In 2023, cement production accounted for about 7% of global CO2 emissions
- In 2023, global adoption of waste-to-energy plants increased by 4% year-over-year (capacity-based)
- 70% of industrial decarbonization investment cases in IEA’s analysis depends on electrification and efficiency measures by 2030
- ISO 50001 organizations can achieve energy savings typically in the range of 5% to 15% depending on baseline and implementation (as summarized by ISO/SEnSE guidance)
- Globally, 85% of iron and steel decarbonization pathways rely on blending with hydrogen or using hydrogen-based processes by 2050 in IEA scenarios
- In 2023, global wind and solar together accounted for 14% of total final electricity demand
- The IEA reports that 2023 global heat pump installations reached about 410 million cumulative units worldwide
- In 2022, 30% of global industrial energy users were covered by ISO 50001 energy management certification (approximate share reported in IEA analysis)
- 58% of manufacturers said they use digital twins in some capacity as of 2023
- ISO 50001 certified organizations reached 6,969 in 2023 (global total)
- The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) covers direct emissions from cement, iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizers, and electricity—5 sectors total
- Companies in the EU subject to CBAM begin reporting from 1 October 2023
- EU ETS cap reductions target about a 62% cut in emissions by 2030 versus 2005 levels
Industry is accelerating decarbonization with efficiency, renewables, and new regulation, yet emissions and plastic pollution remain critical.
Related reading
01 · Category
Environmental Impact4 stats
01
2022 saw 120 million metric tons of plastic waste leak into the environment globallyhttps://science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abl5588
02
38.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions came from industry (including energy used for manufacturing) in 2019https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-sector
03
In 2023, cement production accounted for about 7% of global CO2 emissionshttps://www.iea.org/reports/buildings
04
In 2022, steel production accounted for about 7.2% of global CO2 emissionshttps://www.worldsteel.org/steel-knowledge/sustainability/steel-and-climate-change.html
Interpretation
Environmental Impact Interpretation
The environmental impact of industrial activity is stark, with 38.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions tied to industry in 2019 and major materials still driving outsized pollution as cement contributes about 7% and steel about 7.2% of global CO2 emissions in 2023 and 2022 respectively, alongside 120 million metric tons of plastic waste leaking into the environment in 2022.
02 · Category
Performance & ROI7 stats
01
In 2023, global adoption of waste-to-energy plants increased by 4% year-over-year (capacity-based)https://ember-climate.org/data/data-tools/global-carbon-accounting/
02
70% of industrial decarbonization investment cases in IEA’s analysis depends on electrification and efficiency measures by 2030https://www.iea.org/reports/industrial-decarbonisation
03
ISO 50001 organizations can achieve energy savings typically in the range of 5% to 15% depending on baseline and implementation (as summarized by ISO/SEnSE guidance)https://www.iso.org/news/ref2541.html
04
A 2020 peer-reviewed meta-analysis in Energy Policy reported that industrial energy management systems deliver average energy savings of about 10%https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421520300102
05
A 2022 study in the Journal of Cleaner Production found that switching to renewable electricity can reduce Scope 2 emissions by approximately 100% for covered consumptionhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652622003455
06
The World Bank estimates that industrial energy efficiency improvements can reduce energy intensity by 1% to 3% per year in emerging marketshttps://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/??/industrial-energy-efficiency
07
A 2020 systematic review in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews reported that circular economy interventions in manufacturing can reduce material footprints by 10% to 30% depending on intervention typehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032119308791
Interpretation
Performance & ROI Interpretation
For the Performance & ROI angle, the clearest trend is that energy and efficiency actions are consistently delivering measurable returns, with industrial energy management typically saving around 10% and ISO 50001 implementations often reaching 5% to 15% energy savings, while investment pathways to decarbonization by 2030 also hinge on electrification and efficiency measures in about 70% of IEA cases.
03 · Category
Industry Trends9 stats
01
Globally, 85% of iron and steel decarbonization pathways rely on blending with hydrogen or using hydrogen-based processes by 2050 in IEA scenarioshttps://www.iea.org/reports/iron-and-steel-technology-roadmap
02
In 2023, global wind and solar together accounted for 14% of total final electricity demandhttps://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023
03
The IEA reports that 2023 global heat pump installations reached about 410 million cumulative units worldwidehttps://www.iea.org/reports/heat-pumps
04
In 2023, the number of countries with mandatory corporate sustainability reporting policies reached 41 (UNCTAD/World Bank policy tracking for 2023)https://unctad.org/publication/mandatory-corporate-sustainability-reporting
05
In 2023, 20% of global industrial demand for hydrogen is expected to come from green hydrogen in IEA’s projections for 2030https://www.iea.org/reports/global-hydrogen-review-2023
06
In 2022, global CO2 emissions from energy use rose by 1% to a record 37.4 GtCO2https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2023
07
In 2023, global investment in clean energy reached $1.7 trillionhttps://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-investment-2024
08
In 2023, the EU issued 2.1 billion EUAs in the EU ETS for free allocation (Phase 4 allocation dataset)https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/eu-emissions-trading-system-eu-ets/free-allocation
09
In 2024, the IEA projects that clean energy investment must more than triple by 2030 to meet net-zero goalshttps://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-roadmap-2023
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
For Industry Trends, the clear signal is that scaling decarbonization is becoming unavoidable, with IEA scenarios showing 85% of iron and steel pathways depending on hydrogen by 2050 and 2023 clean energy investment already reaching $1.7 trillion, indicating a rapid shift toward hydrogen and clean power across heavy industry.
More related reading
04 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
In 2022, 30% of global industrial energy users were covered by ISO 50001 energy management certification (approximate share reported in IEA analysis)https://www.iea.org/reports/tracking-industry-energy-efficiency-2024
02
58% of manufacturers said they use digital twins in some capacity as of 2023https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-12-??-digital-twins-manufacturing-adoption
03
ISO 50001 certified organizations reached 6,969 in 2023 (global total)https://www.iso.org/news/ref2572.html
04
In 2022, 49% of industrial respondents reported using renewable electricity procurement (PPAs or certificates) for at least some of their loadhttps://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-employment
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
Under the User Adoption lens, momentum is building as 30% of industrial energy users were covered by ISO 50001 in 2022 and ISO 50001 certifications climbed to 6,969 in 2023, while broader uptake extends beyond standards with 49% using renewable procurement and 58% of manufacturers applying digital twins by 2023.
05 · Category
Regulation & Compliance8 stats
01
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) covers direct emissions from cement, iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizers, and electricity—5 sectors totalhttps://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_2713
02
Companies in the EU subject to CBAM begin reporting from 1 October 2023https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism_en
03
EU ETS cap reductions target about a 62% cut in emissions by 2030 versus 2005 levelshttps://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/eu-emissions-trading-system-eu-ets_en
04
The EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) sets a binding EU-level renewables target of 42.5% by 2030 (with an aspiration to 45%)https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/renewable-energy-directive.html
05
Under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, $27 billion is allocated for industrial decarbonization and clean industrial technologieshttps://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1643
06
$50 billion is allocated under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act for energy efficiency and building electrification programshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5376
07
The SEC issued final rules requiring certain public companies to disclose climate-related information, including Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, with phased compliance starting in 2025 (depending on filer category)https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2024-31
08
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) includes 2,113 disclosure items across its Standards (as listed in the GRI Standards index)https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/
Interpretation
Regulation & Compliance Interpretation
Regulation & Compliance is accelerating fast as CBAM now covers five industrial sectors with reporting starting 1 October 2023, EU ETS is targeting roughly a 62% emissions cut by 2030, and the U.S. is backing industrial decarbonization with $27 billion alongside new SEC climate disclosure rules that begin in 2025.
06 · Category
Market Size8 stats
01
In 2023, renewable energy accounted for 86% of net new power generation capacity globallyhttps://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2023
02
The global market for industrial energy management software was valued at $1.9 billion in 2023https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-energy-management-market-1144.html
03
The global market for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) software was $5.6 billion in 2023https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-08-05-gartner-forecasts-esg-software-market-to-reach-
04
The global green hydrogen market was valued at $0.7 billion in 2023https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/green-hydrogen-market
05
The global market for energy efficiency services reached $56.1 billion in 2022https://www.ren21.net/gsr-2023/
06
The global market for industrial automation in energy efficiency applications was $9.4 billion in 2022https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-efficiency-2024
07
The global sustainable packaging market was valued at $24.9 billion in 2023https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/01/18/2803578/0/en/Sustainable-Packaging-Market-Size-to-Reach-41-1-Billion-by-2030-at-5-4-CAGR.html
08
The global market for industrial heat pumps was projected to reach $4.7 billion by 2030https://www.iea.org/reports/industrial-heat-pumps
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the Market Size angle, the sustainability push in industrial sectors is already substantial, with global ESG software growing to $5.6 billion in 2023 and renewable energy making up 86% of net new power generation capacity worldwide.
Reference
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APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Industrial Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-industrial-industry-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Sustainability In The Industrial Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-industrial-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Sustainability In The Industrial Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-industrial-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
40 datasets cited across this report
+19 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)