Redefining Green Competitiveness: Regional Pathways to Advancing Low-Carbon Industrialisation

Green industrial policy is increasingly central to economic statecraft, linking industrial competitiveness with the transition to low-carbon production. Yet decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors requires countries to balance emissions reduction with investment, competitiveness, and industrial growth. Developing economies face additional constraints in access to finance, clean energy, technology, and fiscal capacity, while fragmented policies and standards can increase transition costs and risk green protectionism.

Against this backdrop, the panel will explore how industrial policy can support competitive green industrialisation, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors, while addressing the constraints faced by developing economies. It will examine how regional and international cooperation can help reduce transition costs and fragmentation, including through shared standards, MRV and carbon-accounting systems, clean-energy connectivity, coordinated value chains, and cooperation under Article 6. The discussion will also consider how countries can respond to emerging climate-related trade measures, including the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while maintaining competitiveness and open markets.

Drawing on cooperation initiatives and experiences across regions, the panel will bring together policymakers, industry representatives, investors, and experts to exchange perspectives on practical pathways towards competitive, resilient, and low-carbon industrialisation.