An unprecedented investment cycle. More than 1,000 projects aim to reconfigure the map of sustainable industry, according to the Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA), a global and multisectoral initiative launched during COP 28 to accelerate the decarbonization of high-emission sectors.
An unprecedented investment cycle. More than 1,000 projects aim to reconfigure the map of sustainable industry, according to the Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA), a global and multisectoral initiative launched during COP 28 to accelerate the decarbonization of high-emission sectors.
Global Project Tracker is the name chosen for the tool that maps projects aligned with this objective, which has identified sustainable industrial plants, both under development and active, in 70 countries. These projects could mobilize nearly $2 trillion in investment. The data also reveal that there are 144 projects worldwide that have reached a final investment decision, of which 82 are operational and 62 have funding.
The ‘industrial sunbelt’ is gaining momentum
The analysis of the Global Project Tracker shows, furthermore, a clear geographical concentration of these initiatives. In this new scenario, the so-called 'industrial sunbelt' is emerging as a major driver for the energy transition. This corridor encompasses different regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia, areas with abundant renewable resources—especially solar energy—and favorable conditions for the development of new projects.
Among the countries that make up the 'industrial sunbelt', Brazil and India have positioned themselves as the two major poles of investment potential. In both markets, the ITA has support programs to address the regulatory, technical, and financial challenges faced by these projects, with the aim of facilitating their development beyond the conceptual phase.
For Brazil, it concentrates the largest number of sustainable industrial projects in South America and ranks among the ten countries with the most initiatives of this type in the world. The country has already secured about $6 billion in investment in this industry and totals 15 projects selected by ITA, with an investment potential that exceeds 23 billion.
For its part, India is also emerging as one of the major investment poles. A recent study by the ITA and Boston Consulting Group identifies a portfolio of 65 projects, representing an investment potential of $150 billion that could translate into more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.
In this global race, China leads the pace of investment. Of the 19 plants that have secured financing so far this year, 12 of them are based in the Asian giant, according to data collected by the Global Project Tracker. In addition, an MPP report estimates that this country has concentrated a quarter of the 250 billion dollars invested to date in sustainable industrial projects, placing it ahead of the US (22%) and the EU (14%).
The landscape drawn by the Global Project Tracker confirms that the transition towards more sustainable industries is already underway and is making decisive progress. The consolidation of projects in multiple regions and the growing mobilization of capital demonstrate that change is not only necessary but also viable.
The challenge consists, now, in supporting this drive to turn this data into strategic decisions and consolidate an industrial model aligned with the global climate objectives.