About
The Global Matchmaking Platform is designed to fast-track the decarbonisation of heavy-emitting industries in emerging and developing economies.
The Global Matchmaking Platform is a key support mechanism of the Climate Club. Accessible to all emerging and developing economies, the Platform leverages international cooperation, finance and technology to support countries to transition smoothly to zero and low-carbon industrial products and practices aimed at achieving the goals of Paris Agreement.
Why is it so critical
Climate change is humanity’s greatest challenge. Decarbonising heavy-emitting industries is a major solution.
Industrial activities alone are responsible for a quarter of the global energy systems CO2 emissions. Energy and emissions intensive sectors such as steel, cement and chemicals represent over two-thirds of those emissions. To contribute to the global net-zero pathways and achieve the temperature goals set under the Paris Agreement, reducing the emissions from these sectors becomes critical.
This also requires bold investments in new technologies and infrastructure. Estimates by the International Energy Agency suggest that annual investments in new production plants compatible with net-zero pathways for steel, cement, chemicals, and aluminium production currently only amount to USD 15 billion. This needs to increase to USD 70 billion by 2030 and USD 125 billion by 2050.
Emerging markets and developing economies are growing rapidly and will need to sustain their growth in the coming decades to meet their development needs. As drivers of both demand and production of products from these heavy industries, these economies could play a vital role in reducing the emissions resulting from these industries. But emerging and developing economies are faced with the multiple challenges of development coupled with the lack of resources, capacity and technology to switch to cleaner industrial methods. International support is crucial to address this challenge. Working together with developed economies, and partner institutions from around the world providing technical and financial assistance, the Global Matchmaking Platform aims to address this challenge.
Decarbonising heavy-emitting industries will never be a one-size-fits-all solution. The answer lies in matching specific needs with tailored, proven solutions and financing that builds over time. This is what the Global Matchmaking Platform provides.
Vision and Mission
A world where high-emitting industries are decarbonised and sustainable, and zero and low-carbon industrial production is the standard business model.
With the mission to mobilise international cooperation for decarbonising high-emitting industries in developing and emerging economies, the Global Matchmaking Platform exists to match them with financiers, technology developers and experts from across the world to find the solutions they need to develop zero and low-carbon, sustainable and energy-secure industrial sectors.
Inception of the idea
The idea of the Global Matchmaking Platform was born on 1 December 2023 at the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP28), with the launch of the Climate Club.
The Climate Club is an inclusive high-ambition intergovernmental forum for exchange on accelerating climate action and industry decarbonisation. The objective of its members is to support the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and facilitate the transition to near-zero emissions industrial production.
The Global Matchmaking Platform sits under Pillar 3 of the Climate Club’s objectives as a key deliverable to boost international climate cooperation and partnerships to enable developing and emerging economies to leap-frog into climate-friendly industrial development.
Supporting organisations
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): As a specialized United Nations agency with a mandate for industrial development, UNIDO acts as a lead implementing partner of the Global Matchmaking Platform, a key deliverable of the Climate Club. With support provided by the co-chair members of the Climate Club, UNIDO also hosts the Secretariat of the Global Matchmaking Platform.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): Secretariat of the Climate Club. The OECD is an international organisation that works to build better policies for better lives.
The International Energy Agency (IEA): The IEA works with countries around the world to shape energy policies for a secure and sustainable future. The IEA currently hosts the interim secretariat of the Climate Club jointly with the OECD.
The Global Matchmaking Platform has been designed in alignment with other leading international efforts for industry decarbonisation such as the NDC Partnership, UNFCCC, and the LeadIT Platform to ensure seamless coordination across different activities.
Meet the team
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