Major industrial companies and civil society groups support new global framework for decarbonizing heavy industry
The first of its kind, a global framework to call upon policymakers to decarbonize their heavy industries as part of COVID-19 economic recovery plans has been released today. The following civil society groups and major industrial businesses have endorsed the Framework Principles for Global Heavy Industrial Decarbonization:
Alliance for Energy Efficient Economy (India), Aldersgate Group (EU), Architecture 2030 (US), Carbon Leadership Forum (North America), Clean Energy Canada, Corporate Leaders Group (EU) , Envision (China), Global Efficiency Intelligence (US), Global Energy Monitor (US/Global), Godrej Industries(India) , United Nations High Level Champions, JSW Energy (India), JSW Cement, LanzaTech (US) , Mahindra Group (India), Solutions for Our Climate (South Korea) and Tata Steel (India).
By officially endorsing the framework, these influential actors are coming together across sectors to call out the urgent need to accelerate and scale-up the decarbonization of heavy industry to align with the goals of the Paris Agreement, including the need to limit warming to 1.5°C.
Established by international non-profit the Climate Group and campaign organisation Mighty Earth, The Global Framework Principles for the Decarbonization of Heavy Industry has been developed in close coordination with industry experts. It’s the first time a set of publicly available global guide rails has provided clear steps for how heavy industries like steel, cement, and chemicals across the world can stimulate economic growth while aligning with a 1.5°C climate trajectory.
The framework sets out six core principles, each of which represent an essential lever that policymakers can use to ensure the successful decarbonization of steel, cement, chemicals and other heavy industries. These include tying heavy industry public financing to emissions reduction plans, and prioritising investment in low- and zero-carbon technologies that will help phase out fossil fuel use in industrial processes.
Jenny Chu, Head of Energy Productivity Initiatives at the Climate Group said: “In the wake of COVID-19, we have a critical window to reinvent and reimagine our global industrial economy for the better. Time is of the essence to adopt this framework and to avoid locking in inefficient, high-emitting industrial capital. Global leaders need to urgently put these principles into action while collaborating and coordinating efforts to ensure industry moves as a whole, creating a race to the top for a sustainable, just, and healthy industrial future.”
Margaret Hansbrough, Mighty Earth campaign director, said: “The last few months we have seen an unexpected cascade of net zero and carbon neutral commitments from steel, cement, and other heavy industry companies. With this framework, these companies and civil society groups are sending a very loud and clear signal to policymakers around the world, they are ready to get to work immediately on serious and collaborative policy measures to keep our planet from heating beyond 1.5C and fulfil those climate commitments with unprecedented urgency and action. Let’s get to work.”
Nigel Topping, COP26 High Level Champion and Gonzalo Munoz, COP25 High Level Champion said: “We welcome this policy framework, which is a powerful tool to raise ambition and inject urgency at the exact moment when industrial economies around the world are trying to recover the livelihoods of millions, prevent more needless deaths from the pandemic, and fight the climate emergency we are all living in.”
Prashant Jain, JMD & CEO, JSW Energy said: “We are happy to support the Global Framework Principles on Heavy Industry initiative. Industrial emissions account for nearly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, which means this is a critical area to focus decarbonization efforts to help limit global warming to 1.5°C.AtJSWEnergywehave committed ourselves towards carbon neutrality by 2050 and setting science based targets as per the Science BasedTarget initiative.”
Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO, LanzaTech, Inc. said: “LanzaTech is an innovative US-headquartered company that sits at the nexus of hard-to-abate sectors from heavy industry to aviation creating carbon recycling solutions, creating and retaining good paying jobs. It is imperative that businesses like ours use our expertise and our voice to call for the most effective climate policy in countries around our interconnected world so that we can keep our planet habitable. We are thrilled to join this effort of companies and civil society around the world setting out a clear policy framework for heavy industry decarbonization and are eager to get to work with the Biden-Harris Administration and other global leaders on this critical front in the climate fight”
Heavy industry uses about a third of all energy and accounts for roughly a quarter of all global greenhouse gas emissions, which makes this a critical area to focus decarbonization efforts. However, political leaders have yet to lock in a low carbon recovery for their heavy industries or even make it a top climate policy priority. In the coming months, as Europe, China, Japan, Korea, India, and North America deliberate on recovery and climate policies, the Climate Group, Mighty Earth and their allies will be calling on political and business leaders to embrace this global framework.
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About Mighty Earth
Mighty Earth is a global environmental campaign organization that works to protect forests, conserve oceans, and address climate change. We work in Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and North America to drive large-scale action towards environmentally responsible agriculture that protects native ecosystems, wildlife, and water, and respects local community rights. Mighty Earth’s team has played a decisive role in persuading the world’s largest food and agriculture companies to dramatically improve their environmental and social policies and practices. More information on Mighty Earth can be found at www.mightyearth.org/.
About the Climate Group
The Climate Group drives climate action. Fast. Our goal is a world of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with greater prosperity for all. We focus on systems with the highest emissions and where our networks have the greatest opportunity to drive change. We do this by building large and influential networks and holding organisations accountable, turning their commitments into action. We share what we achieve together to show more organisations what they could do. We are an international non-profit organisation, founded in 2004, with offices in London, New Delhi and New York. We are proud to be part of the We Mean Business coalition. Follow us on Twitter @ClimateGroup.
