The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Industry

The document outlines five specific actions to decarbonize regional industry: methane containment, transitioning to clean industrial processes, implementing shared industrial flows (such as eco-industrial parks), decarbonizing ports and airports, and transitioning to clean industrial vehicles. It provides a framework for regional authorities to eliminate waste, electrify processes, and implement regulatory penalties for emissions, supported by references to policies from jurisdictions such as California, Brazil, and Hong Kong.

• The industrial sector is a significant driver of climate change, accounting for 28% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with an impact that is increasing faster than in other sectors.
• To address methane leaks from natural gas, crude oil production, and waste management, the guide recommends measuring leaks and applying financial and regulatory penalties.
• Decarbonizing industrial processes involves converting to fuels that minimize emissions and prioritizing the electrification of processes using renewable electricity sources.
• Regional industrial efficiency can be improved through 'Shared Industrial Flows,' which include the use of microgrids, district-level heating and cooling, and the development of eco-industrial parks (EIPs) or circular economy districts to reduce waste.
• Decarbonization of transport hubs and industrial machinery requires providing low-carbon fuels for vessels and aircraft, electrifying loads at ports and airports, and requiring cleaner fuels for field vehicles, particularly in transport-heavy industries like open-pit mining.

APA

RMI (2018). The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Industry. https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-industry/

Chicago

RMI. The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Industry. 2018. https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-industry/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Industry |date=22 August 2018 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-industry/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2018carbonfree, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Industry}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-industry/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }