Momentum toward a low-carbon global economy is accelerating, and recent climate negotiations have demonstrated that the world is shifting from high-level ambition to practical implementation. A critical component of this shift is the launch of the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Future Fuels Action Plan, the operational backbone of the Belém 4X Pledge, which aims to quadruple the global use of sustainable fuels by 2035. What began as a small coalition only a month ago has now expanded to twenty-three endorsing countries, reflecting widespread confidence in the role of sustainable fuels across aviation, shipping, steel, cement, and other hard-to-abate sectors.
Among the new supporters, Zambia stands out as a country positioning itself to take part in the emerging global market for low-carbon fuels and associated value chains. Its endorsement signals a strategic alignment with an agenda designed to strengthen demand creation, develop transparent carbon accounting, and build cross-border infrastructure such as clean fuel trade corridors. With implementation tracked annually by the International Energy Agency, endorsing countries will be part of a system grounded in measurable progress and shared accountability.
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Why Zambia’s Endorsement Matters
Zambia’s decision to join the coalition places it within a highly coordinated global effort that is already attracting investment and prompting industrial commitments. Sustainable fuels are becoming a central pillar of decarbonisation for international transport and heavy industry, and countries aligning early gain access to emerging technical assistance platforms, financing mechanisms, and international supply-chain partnerships.
By supporting the Future Fuels Action Plan, Zambia strengthens its position in discussions on green industrialisation, infrastructure readiness, and technology transfer, issues that are becoming increasingly important as developing economies seek to integrate into global low-carbon markets. Zambia joins countries such as Brazil, Kenya, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates in a framework that encourages collaboration across continents and sectors.
The endorsement by governments coincides with major commitments from global industry leaders. Shipping heavyweight Maersk has already confirmed plans to operate 41 methanol-enabled vessels by 2027, supported by agreements to purchase 500,000 tonnes of green methanol annually starting in 2026. This is one of the clearest indications that sustainable maritime fuels are moving beyond testing stages into scaled commercial use.
In aviation, a coalition of six major regional organisations, including IATA, ALTA, and OLADE, has agreed to develop unified rules, supportive legislation, integrated supply chains, and long-term financing to boost production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel across Latin America and the Caribbean. This collaborative approach highlights how integrated regional action can unlock new production capacities and accelerate decarbonisation across continents.
Hydrogen markets are advancing as well. The Global Environment Facility has approved $15.8 million for UNIDO, matched with $213.5 million in co-financing from countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Malaysia, and Ecuador, to strengthen hydrogen production and utilisation in emerging economies. Supporting this, the 10 GW Lighthouse Initiative has already enabled 1 GW of early-stage electrolyser capacity and identified 68 hydrogen projects from a pipeline of 500 in developing regions for financial and technical development.
The transition to sustainable fuels depends heavily on the strength of global power systems. Leading utilities have sharply increased their annual investment commitments, now dedicating nearly $150 billion every year to grid and storage expansion, up from $117 billion. These plans place them on a trajectory to invest around $1 trillion by 2030, more than tripling their combined renewable energy capacity compared to 2023.
In addition, a new Global Grids and Storage Coordination Council has been launched to bring coherence to global efforts to expand power systems. Financial institutions have endorsed Climate Finance Principles for Grids, providing a unified framework to standardise investment eligibility, particularly in emerging markets. Early signs of implementation include $12.5 billion in joint financing from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to strengthen the ASEAN Power Grid, and a new transmission acceleration platform for Latin America backed by Germany.
These developments form the backbone of the future fuels ecosystem, ensuring that clean electricity, the foundation of hydrogen, e-fuels, methanol, and other sustainable alternatives, is available at the scale required.
Green Industrialisation Gains Global Structure
A major milestone has been the adoption of the Belém Declaration on Global Green Industrialisation, endorsed by nearly thirty countries and organisations, including Brazil, Germany, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Turkey, and Indonesia. The framework supports technology transfer, decarbonised manufacturing, sustainable supply chains, and strengthened South–South cooperation.
Complementing this, the Mission Possible Partnership has identified $140 billion worth of clean industrial projects that are close to receiving final investment decisions, with more than one-third located in emerging markets. This represents a $2 trillion opportunity for developing economies to build competitive green manufacturing bases.
A significant breakthrough also occurred in the global steel sector. New interoperability agreements between ResponsibleSteel, the China Iron and Steel Association, and Europe’s LESS initiative now cover 70% of global steel production, enabling a common system for measuring carbon intensity. This sets the foundation for an international market in low-emissions and near-zero steel.
Clear financial shifts are reshaping the global energy economy. Since 2021, members of the Clean Energy Transition Partnership have reduced international public finance for fossil fuels by up to 75%, preventing almost $31 billion from reinforcing carbon-intensive systems. Over the same period, their financing for clean energy abroad has increased by 77%.
Despite progress, the scale of existing fossil-fuel support remains striking. New International Monetary Fund data show global fossil-fuel subsidies reached $7.63 trillion, yet only 9% of each dollar benefits the poorest 20% of households. This imbalance has deepened calls for coordinated subsidy reform under the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives.
Efficiency, Transport, and the Human Dimension of the Transition
Energy efficiency also received stronger global backing with the launch of a new de-risking platform designed to connect investors with credible efficiency projects. Its focus spans industry, transport, buildings, appliances, and lighting, providing countries with technical support and tools to accelerate implementation.
Transport ministers from ten countries announced a joint declaration to align the sector with a 1.5°C pathway, targeting a 25% reduction in overall transport energy demand by 2035 and a transition where one-third of transport energy comes from renewable or sustainable biofuels.
In parallel, the Clean Cooking Fund has now allocated more than $86 million to support clean cooking solutions in twenty-eight countries. Through leveraged funds from IDA, IBRD, carbon finance, and private investments, these efforts have already helped over 37 million people gain access to modern cooking systems, alongside support for nearly 3,000 public institutions.
Youth delegates and community leaders have added a vital human perspective, calling for climate action that addresses environmental racism, unequal exposure to climate risks, and the lived realities of vulnerable communities. Discussions have also intensified around the growing threats of extreme heat, with global task forces examining how rising temperatures affect workers across construction, agriculture, transport, and other sectors.
A Strategic Move in a Rapidly Changing World
Zambia’s endorsement of the Future Fuels Action Plan places the country alongside a coalition that is reshaping how the world powers its economies, moves goods, manufactures essential materials, and structures climate finance. By aligning with this agenda, Zambia opens doors to new partnerships, investment opportunities, and technical collaboration, while signalling its readiness to participate in the expanding global markets for sustainable fuels and green industrialisation.
The global transition has entered a new phase, one defined by operational plans, measurable outcomes, and collective responsibility. Zambia’s decision positions it not on the margins of this transformation, but within the community of countries building the systems that will power the future.
