Session I - The Power of Buyers Alliances for Corporate Climate Action
Join us for an exciting session hosted by the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program focused on the power of the private sector to create new markets for sustainable solutions and kickstart catalytic change in hard-to-abate sectors. Two dynamic panel sessions will explore how collective corporate action can drive innovation and create strong market signals for sustainable solutions, with a spotlight on the maritime sector as well as across a broad spectrum of industries.
Both panels will observe Chatham House Rule. See panel descriptions below.
Breaking Barriers, Building Solutions for Maritime Clean Energy: How Leading Companies Use Collective Procurement and Long-Term Offtake to Create New Markets
Since its inception in 2023, the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) has made significant strides in catalyzing adoption of new, vastly scalable, low-carbon fuels in the ocean shipping industry. ZEMBA's historic pilot tender, completed last year, resulted in use of new low-carbon fuel, 17 contracts for the winning ocean carrier, and a collective avoidance of at least 82,000 metric tonnes of CO2e over two years. Its second tender will be completed later this year and is expected to result in 3-5 year commitments to the first at-scale deployment of maritime e-fuels and collective reductions of approximately 600,000 tonnes CO2e. These achievements are only possible due to the dedication and longer-than-usual vision of ZEMBA’s first-mover member companies.
Today, ZEMBA’s membership stands at almost 50 global corporations, large and small. These buyers have chosen to look beyond their short-term targets and work collaboratively to accelerate the most sustainable, scalable, and economically viable solutions for the long term. But what does it take to become a first-mover to build entirely new markets? What kind of partnerships enable sustainability and procurement teams to keep up with the innovation required to get on target with their decarbonization goals? What does this longer-term vision from corporate buyers offer to investors interested in new fuels and technologies upstream? Join the ZEMBA team in a panel discussion about this topic.
Collective Demand to Create New Markets: Unlocking the Potential of Demand Aggregation Across Industries
ZEMBA has demonstrated the transformative potential of aggregating buyer demand to kickstart new markets for low carbon solutions - which other sectors are deploying similar models, and which ones stand to benefit most from adopting them? This panel explores the landscape of existing buyers' alliances beyond maritime, including aviation, long-haul trucking, and cement/concrete. We will also explore the potential for using such an approach in entirely new arenas such as plastics, agriculture, and more. It will examine how collective procurement strategies can drive innovation and create strong market signals for sustainable solutions across a broad spectrum of industries.
We encourage you to arrive early, as seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Please arrive early to guarantee your spot.
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