The Climate Group is convening today some of the most highly industrialized states and regions around the world in a two-days, high-level meeting in London. Together, these governments are developing an organic strategy to accelerate the transition to the net-zero economy of the future.

As part of the Climate Group's Energy Transition Platform, a global initiative designed to facilitate the dialogue between carbon-intensive territories, the seminar will focus on governments' strategies and policy models to incentivize emissions reductions from energy-intensive industries - as well as challenges and barriers connected to it.

Knowledge and Policy Sharing

Governments at the meeting will be joined also by a new knowledge partner, the Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment, that will help assess and explore governments' initiatives - bringing in technical knowledge, as well as policy and economic expertise.

A Transforming Cleaner World

The Climate Group alongside the initiative's lead government of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Energy Transition Platform comprises 11 partner regions having a combined GDP of US$4.5 trillion, about the same as Japan. Together, they represent about 12.9% of the GHG emissions of their three world regions - North America, Europe and Australia. Industrial sector accounts for about 37% of the global energy demand, and in 2013 the use of fossil fuels by the industry was responsible for 28% of global emissions. Steel and iron, aluminum, cement, chemicals and petrochemicals, pulp and paper are the most energy-intensive industries.

Inspiring Case Studies

These issues has also a strong socio-economic significance, with huge implications on the regions' economy, employment and identity. To better understand and solve these important themes, North Rhine-Westphalia's government has also involved citizens and local stakeholders through a dedicated dialogue platform. Similarly, Minnesota is supporting the expansion of renewables through so-called 'Community Solar Gardens', which provide clean electricity to participating subscribers.

Next year, the Energy Transition Platform will move into the Innovation Lab phase - where smaller groups of governments will accelerate the scale-up of impactful policy models worldwide - with the expert supervision of the Grantham Institute.