This document summarizes the findings of a report that analyzed how scaling up 17 proven low-carbon solutions that have already been implemented in some countries could reduce global emissions. The key findings are: 1) Scaling up just these 17 solutions could reduce global emissions by 12 gigatons annually, which is equivalent to a quarter of current global emissions. 2) Many of the solutions can cut emissions while also saving costs, though upfront investments are often required. The costs of climate solutions have decreased significantly in recent years. 3) Barriers such as lack of information, policies that favor high-carbon options, and financing challenges prevent these solutions from being implemented more widely. However, case studies show countries have overcome

1. Green to Scale –
Low-Carbon Success Stories
to Inspire the World
1
#GreenToScale

2. Why Green to Scale?
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The big picture

4. Do we have technology to rapidly reduce emissions? How much will it
cost? Are suggested solutions feasible in my country? Can it be done?
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Understandable concerns slow down climate action

5. How far can we go if proven low-carbon solutions already applied
somewhere are adopted by comparable countries?
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Green to Scale answers a simple question

6. • Many studies before have looked at the potential of existing solutions
• No studies have focused exclusively on scaling up concrete cases to the
level achieved already in some countries
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Have I heard this before?

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Distinguished partners from 10 countries
COPPE
CEMDA
WRI
ECF
UNEP DTU Sitra
SEI
Renmin
Masdar
EDRI
IGES
IFC

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1. A gift from the Parliament to 50-year-old
Finland
2. An independent foresight agency and
systemic change agent
3. Funded by returns on endowment capital
and capital investments
4. Vision of Finland as a successful pioneer
in sustainable well-being
5. Three themes, six focus areas and dozens
of projects
+ 1 Building our future together
5 + 1 key Sitra facts
Photograph: Erkki Laitila, HS/Lehtikuva 1967

9. Global headline
results
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Massive impact by just scaling up existing solutions

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How much exactly is 12 Gt?
12 Gt
12 Gt is equal to a quarter of current global emissions
or the emissions of China and Japan combined

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Five solutions reach the gigatonne range

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Cost savings possible, range in estimates wide

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Proven solutions are affordable

15. • Cost estimates do not include two important groups of benefits
1. Avoided climate impacts: cutting emissions slows down warming and
reduces damages from climate impacts
2. Co-benefits: many low-carbon solutions have significant co-benefits, such as
improved health, more jobs and better energy security
• Factoring in full benefits would make the solutions even more attractive
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Including all benefits makes action more attractive

16. 17 proven low-
carbon solutions
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17. 17
Solar water heating
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21. v

22. • The US is a world leader in some areas of climate action
• Other countries could learn from the US in e.g.
• improving the energy efficiency of industrial motors
• reducing methane from oil and gas production
• The US in turn could benefit from the successes of other countries, such as
• solar power in Germany
• cutting food waste in Denmark
• improving appliance efficiency in Japan
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What others can learn from the US – and vice versa

23. What do the results
mean?
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24. How far can we get with proven solutions?

25. • On balance, the results are likely to be conservative for several reasons:
1. only 17 solutions are analysed out of a universe of many more
2. solutions are applied only to the extent that some countries have already
implemented them to date
3. no new technologies or policy innovations are assumed
4. some solutions could have a larger scope or scalability than studied
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And even more can be done

26. 1. Many solutions require large upfront investments, but save money over time
– such as improving energy efficiency
2. The costs of many solutions have dropped dramatically over the past years,
most notably solar power
3. Affordability was one criterion in selecting the solutions – including other
solutions could raise the total costs
4. While global average costs tend to be affordable, there is large variety –
some solutions are more expensive in some countries
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What makes climate action so affordable

27. • Proven, attractive and affordable low-carbon solutions exist are not
implemented at scale because of various barriers
• There is a lack of e.g.
1. information and awareness
2. level playing field between low- and high-carbon solutions
3. institutional capacity and good governance
4. financing
• Challenges tend to be larger in poorer countries
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Why are we not doing it already?

28. • Barriers can be removed, as shown by countries in both the North and the South
• Success factors include e.g.
1. leadership and commitment at the highest possible level
2. introducing incentives for action and removing disincentives
3. public money to leverage private investment
4. informing and engaging stakeholders and citizens
5. good governance and building capacity
• Poor countries would benefit from international support
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We can learn from successes in removing barriers

29. 1. Scaling up just 17 proven low-carbon solutions can cut global emissions
significantly
2. Simply doing what some countries have already done would take us a long
way towards closing the emissions gap
3. Significant opportunities exist to cut emissions while actually saving money
4. Climate action can provide substantial social and ecological co-benefits
5. Attractive solutions are held back by various barriers
6. Barriers can be removed – as shown by leading countries
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Summary

30. Thank you
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