As the world steps into 2026, sustainability conversations are still being discussed everywhere.  Workshops, conferences , campaigns ,projects and  new climate targets are always announced. Fresh strategies are launched. Reports are shared, reshared, agreed on and applauded. On the surface, it looks like progress. But when you slow down and really look around, a different picture begins to form.

Floods are still displacing families. Heatwaves are becoming more intense. Food systems are under pressure.Wildfire spreading and still many communities are still figuring out how to cope largely on their own.

This difference makes me pause and wonder.

Not because climate action is not happening. But because it feels like we are very busy yet not always very clear, no directions and always coming back to the drawing board without progress.

And that leads me to a simple but powerful question ringing inside my head “What if the problem is not that we lack answers  but that we are not asking better questions?

Why Questions Matter More Than We Admit

You might want to ask me why the questions we ask quietly shape the solutions we design,  determine who benefits, who is heard, and who is expected to adapt.

For years, sustainability discussions have focused on speed and scale. How fast can we cut emissions? How quickly can we roll out new technologies? How soon can we hit net zero?

These are important questions. But they often skip an even more important step: understanding people’s realities.

Before asking how fast, we should ask for whom. Before asking how much, we should ask at what cost. Before asking what works, we should ask where, and for who.

When these questions are missing, even well-designed solutions can miss the mark.

What the Data Is Quietly Telling Us

Let us look at the facts, not to overwhelm ourselves, but to ground the conversation.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) continues to warn that the world is not on track to stay within 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming. Crossing this threshold increases risks to food security, ecosystems, and human health especially for vulnerable communities.

The UN Environment Programme reports that climate-related disasters now cost the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars every year. These losses are not shared equally. Those who contributed the least to the problem are often the ones paying the highest price.

And according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) , nearly 700 million people around the world still live without access to electricity. That is not just an energy issue. It affects education, healthcare, safety, and economic opportunity.

These numbers tell a clear story that is easy to understand which is  progress exists, but it is uneven. And uneven progress is often a sign that the right questions were not asked early enough.

Learning From Organisations That Ask Different Questions

One thing I admire about organisations like the David Suzuki Foundation is how they consistently connect climate science to people’s daily lives. Their work reminds us that climate action is not just about policies or targets; it is about health, livelihoods, communities, and justice. They ask questions that sound simple, but are deeply important, “How does this affect people? How do we protect both nature and human dignity at the same time?”

On the African side, organisations such as the Africa Climate Change Action Foundation (ACCAF) are reshaping how climate conversations happen on the continent. Their work recognises that Africa’s climate challenges cannot be solved by copying solutions designed elsewhere. They ask questions rooted in local realities “What does climate resilience look like for farmers, informal workers, and growing cities? How can climate finance actually reach the people who need it most?”

The sweetest thing for me in all this was that neither organisation treats sustainability as abstract, they ground it in context, people, and fairness. And that is exactly what better questions do.

Where We Often Get Stuck

Too often, sustainability becomes something we measure more than something we feel. We celebrate long-term targets while ignoring short-term struggles. We talk about transition without always acknowledging who is being asked to carry the burden.

When policies fail on the ground, we blame “implementation challenges.” When communities push back, we call it “resistance.” When progress is slow, we say “change takes time.”

Sometimes, all of that is true  but sometimes, it simply means the people affected were not part of the conversation early enough. Better questions help prevent that.

What Asking Better Questions Looks Like in 2026

Asking better questions does not mean being negative or slowing progress. It means being honest and intentional. It may sounds like asking whether a climate solution improves life today, not just in future projections but It actually means checking if communities understand and trust the solutions being offered. It means making sure the costs and benefits of transition are shared fairly across countries, income levels, and generations.

Most importantly, it means remembering that sustainability should make life safer, healthier, and more dignified, not more complicated. If a solution cannot be explained simply, it may not be ready. If it cannot be lived with, it may not last.

There is a saying many people can relate to” when you are lost, walking faster does not help knowing where you are going does.”

In 2026, the world does not need louder climate conversations.  It needs clearer ones. It needs curiosity over comfort. Honesty over performance. And questions that centre people, not just plans.

Because the future will not be shaped only by the answers we repeat year after year. It will be shaped by the questions we finally choose to ask  and who we are willing to ask them with.

So, what questions are you asking this year as a leader in this space ?