US Launches Net-Zero World Initiative to Accelerate Global Energy System Decarbonization
Through Net-Zero World, led by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the Build Back Better World initiative, countries committed to raising their climate ambitions will work across U.S. government and DOE’s national laboratories to create and implement highly tailored, actionable technology road maps and investment strategies that put net zero within reach. Image courtesy of Abby Anaday/Unsplash
The United States of America announced the Net Zero World Initiative — a new partnership between countries working to implement their climate ambition pledges and accelerate transitions to net-zero, resilient, and inclusive energy systems. Through Net Zero World, led by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the Build Back Better World initiative, countries committed to raising their climate ambitions will work across U.S. government and DOE’s national laboratories to create and implement highly tailored, actionable technology road maps and investment strategies that put net zero within reach. The U.S. government will also partner with a growing list of philanthropies think tanks, businesses, and universities, including Breakthrough Energy, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Lynne and Marc Benioff, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, to help a range of countries implement climate ambition pledges and attract the billions of dollars in private capital needed for global clean energy transformation.
Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Ukraine are founding country partners, and additional countries are on track to join soon.
“The U.S. is committed to working with countries all over the globe to accelerate clean climate goals from ambition to action, and the Net Zero World Initiative is the latest example of our dedication,” said Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. Secretary of Energy. “With Net-Zero World, our partnering nations will harness the power and expertise of the National Laboratories, federal agencies, think tanks, businesses, and universities to develop tangible clean energy projects that meet their energy needs.”
The Net Zero World initiative signals America’s proactive stance in working with countries to lead a global transition to net-zero emissions by 2050 and a commitment to working collaboratively with partners to replicate successes and inspire a race to the top across countries.
As DOE’s flagship program in support of the Build Back Better World partnership, announced by President Biden and the G7 countries to help meet the tremendous infrastructure needs in low- and middle-income countries, Net-Zero World presents a progressive pathway for nations to advance clean energy use in buildings, industry, electric power, transportation, and agriculture sectors by deploying regulatory best practices, standards, and financing solutions to achieve transformative emissions reductions.
Through this initiative, DOE will mobilize state-of-art technology and world-class expertise from its national laboratories to help partnering countries:
- Develop and support ambitious technical, market, and investment roadmaps for clean energy transformation — The initiative will work with partners to develop country-specific roadmaps detailing the cross-cutting planning and deployment strategies needed at national, regional, and local levels.
- Deliver holistic support for immediate and sustained transformative projects that maximize overall impact for the region – The initiative will support, for example, the development of cross-sector project pipelines and infrastructure modernization plans for partnering with the private sector, developing robust research, development, demonstration, and deployment partnerships to quickly advance technologies from lab to implementation. The initiative will also provide implementation support for workforce development programs, with particular emphasis on gender equity and the inclusion of under-represented groups.
- Foster exchanges between U.S. leaders and across countries to support peer-to-peer learning and confidence-building – The initiative will support exchanges between U.S. states and cities, business leaders, and across countries to inform roadmaps, key design, and implementation measures to enable peer-to-peer learning, tailored replication of successes, and confidence-building.
Specific benchmarks for partnering countries include:
- By 2022: Prepare or strengthen net-zero energy technical, market, and investment plans and execute on near-term opportunities.
- By 2023: Implement key policies and programs for countries to achieve net-zero transitions.
- By 2024: Mobilize at least $10 billion in clean energy infrastructure and project investment.
- By 2025: Create new clean energy jobs, of which at least 50% are held by women and 40% benefit disadvantaged communities.
Additional U.S. agencies participating in Net Zero World include the U.S. Department of State, which will provide energy and climate diplomacy expertise and funding; the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), set to provide integration with development assistance; the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, which will fund climate-related project preparation and partnership-building activities; and the Development Finance Corp., which will provide investment and business partnership assistance. For more information, visit www.nrel.gov/netzeroworld.
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