Accelerating clean motor manufacturing in Pakistan
Industrial motors are engines for economic growth and prosperity that enable emerging economies to grow and become competitive in global markets. But their emissions impact is massive. Improving the efficiency of industrial motor systems globally has the potential to avoid 68 Gt of emissions by 2050. The technology has existed for decades, but a lack of industry experience with high-efficiency motors remains a key barrier to adoption at scale.
To help overcome this, CLASP, in collaboration with local partner SAMA Verte, conducted the Motor Accelerator Program in Gujranwala, Pakistan, where most of the country’s motor manufacturers are based. As Pakistan’s demand for motors is expected to rise from 17.5 million in 2022 to 25 million in 2030, the program is helping local small and medium enterprises build on their years of craftsmanship to improve motor efficiency, enhance local manufacturing capacity, and reduce reliance on imports. Through hands-on training, access to testing facilities, and design support, manufacturers are learning to produce higher-quality, energy-efficient motors and thereby protect local jobs, reduce costs for industries and consumers, and build a greener industrial future.
GBPN facilitates international knowledge exchange to inform retrofit solutions
In a recent workshop co-hosted with PLN, Indonesia’s state electricity company, GBPN brought together three experts from its Global Expert Network to share strategies for retrofitting PLN’s 1,300 offices to achieve net zero. Drawing on experiences from China and Singapore, Professor Lee Siew Eang (National University of Singapore), Professor Hao Bin (Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture), and Jackson Seng (Schneider Electric Singapore) outlined how proven best practices can be tailored for Indonesia.
Key lessons included establishing a clear baseline, combining passive and active measures, cutting energy demand before adding new clean energy, and closely monitoring performance post-retrofit. The workshop also stressed the importance of involving building users early, ensuring adoption and long-term success. This convening is an example of how GBPN connects international expertise to local practitioners to speed and scale the transformation of the buildings sector.
New analysis shows how green iron trade can bolster industrial resilience and competitiveness in clean steel
The steel sector is responsible for seven to nine percent of global emissions. But a new analysis from Agora Industry highlights why green iron trade is a crucial, longer-term lever to accelerate decarbonization worldwide. By producing hydrogen-based direct reduced iron in regions rich in renewable energy and exporting it to industrial centers, countries can lower costs, cut emissions, and strengthen industrial resilience.
The approach offers a win-win for exporters and importers by enabling the most energy-intensive step of steelmaking to take place where renewables are abundant, while downstream high-value manufacturing activities remain local. Exporters benefit from new jobs and industrial opportunities further up the value chain, while importers gain affordable, low-carbon inputs to maintain competitiveness while keeping downstream jobs and value creation at home.
The interactive analysis is based on techno-economic modeling alongside extensive stakeholder engagement in Brazil, South Africa, China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, and was conducted with several members of the International Network of Energy Transition Think Tanks. It underscores that balancing domestic green steel production with strategic trade partnerships is a critical link for a resilient, competitive, and climate-aligned global steel transition.
Think tanks at work: insights from INETTT’s annual meeting 2025 in Mexico
In September, the International Network of Energy Transition Think Tanks, hosted by Agora Think Tanks, held its annual meeting in Mexico City with the support of local INETTT member Instituto de Desarrollo, Energía y Ambiente. Nearly 60 energy experts from across the globe came together to exchange insights and chart pathways for just and effective energy transitions.
Discussions highlighted the power sector’s central role, noting that emissions are close to peaking, but urgent action is needed to scale clean electricity and expand grids. Reliable, affordable power underpins sustainable development, and bold reforms in markets, regulation, and infrastructure are essential to unlock renewable potential.
On industry, participants stressed that decarbonization is complex but achievable if solutions align with local resources, demand signals are clear, and equity is embedded in transition strategies.
Across all sessions, a clear message emerged: the evidence, policy know-how, and strategic insights of local think tanks are vital in connecting policy, technology, and socioeconomic priorities, helping turn climate ambition into real-world systems change. INETTT remains a vital platform for collaboration across borders and sectors, helping countries address shared challenges and develop solutions for a cleaner, fairer future.
CEM16 forum highlights how regulators turn policy into action
At the 16th gathering in August of the Clean Energy Ministerial—a high-level global forum set up to advance the transition to a global clean energy economy—the Regulatory Assistance Project brought together regulators from Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand to share their experiences, in partnership with Empowering Regulators for Accelerated Decarbonisation and the Regulatory Energy Transition Accelerator. The regulators described how they balance policy, industry, and consumer needs; take calculated risks; and drive resilient, equitable, long-term transitions—even when there’s no precedent to follow.
What emerged was a powerful shift in perspective: regulators, often seen as quiet implementers, are in fact central architects of the clean energy transition. The forum underscored that policy ambition alone is not enough. It must be paired with empowered, well-resourced regulators to translate those goals into reality. RAP is working to equip regulators with essential information, and recently released a briefing that outlines practical pathways to strengthen regulatory institutions and align decisions with national climate and clean energy objectives.
Forum Energii’s modeling helps shape Poland’s energy transition planning
In June, Forum Energii published its Investment Horizon report (in Polish) to help inform Poland’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) for 2030/40 by providing timely, independent insights that can shape the government’s approach. The study outlines an optimal development path for electricity, district heating, and individual heating, assuming increased green hydrogen production and electrification of transport and heating. The in-house modeling shows that by 2030, Poland will need 56 GW of new generation capacity ( 46 GW from renewable energy sources) and more than 100 GW by 2040. In addition, around 17 GW of energy storage capacity will be required by 2030.
Following the release of the report, Forum Energii was invited by the Ministry of Climate and Environment to consult on NECP actions, including phasing out coal in electricity and heating by around 2035; improving data collection on residential energy use and socioeconomic conditions; and establishing a national energy agency to support policy planning and stakeholder trust. By linking robust modeling with policy dialogues, Forum Energii, a member of INETTT, is turning analysis into impact, helping make Poland’s energy transition planning more ambitious, evidence-based, and credible.
ITDP China shares milestone roadmap to guide zero-emission freight
Globally, urban freight is estimated to be responsible for nearly six percent of transport-related GHG emissions. With the rise of e-commerce and consumer deliveries, addressing the increase in freight-related emissions is crucial to the future of sustainable transport. ITDP China recently convened an internal expert consultation of policymakers, academics, and institutions to debut comprehensive draft guidelines for Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Development. The group included representatives from the national Ministry of Transport, the China Academy of Transportation Sciences, the ICCT, and more.
The guidelines address three important issues: why zero-emission freight corridors matter, which types to prioritize, and how to implement them effectively. They also provide a decision-making framework covering corridor selection, green financing, and operational efficiency. ITDP China is working with partners to refine the guidelines for launch at the Ministry of Transport’s industry expo in late 2025. Additionally, building on these guidelines, the team is developing joint policy recommendations for zero-carbon freight to be shared with the Ministries of Transport and Ecology and Environment as they refine strategies for China’s 2026-2030 Five-Year Plan.
Major policymakers, industry leaders, and international experts join the ICCT’s India Clean Transportation Summit 2025
More than 300 attendees joined the ICCT’s third annual India Clean Transportation Summit (ICTS) at the India Habitat Centre in August in New Delhi. This year’s summit facilitated unprecedented collaboration between government and civil society, marking a milestone in India’s clean transportation discourse. For the first time, the Ministry of Heavy Industries participated in a civil society-organized event, with Norway serving as the partner country. The summit served as a hub for an expanding network of government stakeholders, including first-time attendees from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, the Commission for Air Quality Management, and multiple ministries spanning shipping, agriculture, commerce, and renewable energy. The event brought together Delhi’s Transport Minister, India’s former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, and Oslo’s head of climate department. The ICCT launched six research studies at the ICTS that provided evidence to serve as the foundation for policy discussions. The convergence of research, policy discussions, and international partnerships positioned ICTS 2025 as a catalyst for India’s clean mobility transformation.
