Current
Initiatives
There is rising demand for high-quality recycled critical materials to meet corporate and regulated recycled content goals, decarbonization targets, and enable the energy transition. Transforming the fragmented secondary materials market will yield positive co-benefits for companies, including enhanced competitiveness, supply chain resilience, and emissions reductions.
Yet the recovery of critical materials remains inefficient. 71 percent of mixed aluminum scrap is downcycled rather than returned to high‑performance uses, only 40 percent of copper is recycled at end‑of‑life, and less than 1 percent of rare earths in consumer products are recovered.
The bottlenecks are systemic: insufficient precision in sorting, fragmented demand, and limited investment in advanced infrastructure are preventing the transition to value chains that circulate high-quality, low-carbon secondary materials. Without targeted interventions across industry, large volumes of secondary material will continue to leak from supply chains and industry will fail to realize the co-benefits.
The Critical Materials Collective (CMC) is a cross‑sector platform set-up by WBCSD that accelerates the circular transition by driving collaborative action along value chains to provide high‑quality, low‑carbon secondary materials.
The CMC is convened by WBCSD and engages members and select partners across value chains. The platform has formalized a strategic partnership with the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) and engaged McKinsey to lead a Technical Working Group for a flagship circular aluminum pilot in North America.
The CMC operates at the first and second stages of the CO_LAB model: aligning stakeholders around a shared mission and developing a solutions stack. WBCSD, operating as the intermediary, works with members and select partners to identify pilot initiatives grounded in a specific material, region and clearly defined problem or opportunity.
To assess new pilot initiatives, hypotheses are formed and tested with members for input and confirmed interest, performing an initial business case review. Each potential initiative is de-risked using desirability, viability, and feasibility criteria. The CMC only moves forward with initiatives that demonstrate the potential for meaningful, real-world impact – whether by advancing infrastructure, unlocking intelligence, or driving innovation.
The first pilot identified by the CMC is the North America Aluminum Initiative. This addresses the problem that current aluminum recycling systems lack precision, with most mixed scrap downcycled into low‑grade cast alloys, limiting reuse in high‑performance applications such as electric vehicles, advanced electronics, and green infrastructure. Without intervention, nearly 12.4 million tons of aluminum scrap could go unrecycled by 2050. While nearly 75 percent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use, the quality loss in mixed streams prevents scaling circularity where it matters most.
The North America Aluminum Initiative aligns offtakers, recyclers, and technology providers to trial advanced alloy‑level sorting technology for typically downcycled shredded streams, paired with aggregated offtaker demand to make infrastructure investments viable. The first pilot location in the Southeast of the US leverages a network of recycling sites, sorting and remelting sites, and diversified offtakers to create a competitive commercial model.
To date, the CMC has achieved the following results:
The Critical Materials Collective is demonstrating that industry collaboration can tackle the systemic gaps preventing the recovery of critical materials by aligning demand, advancing infrastructure, and piloting innovative solutions such as the North America Aluminum Initiative.
The global transport sector accounts for approximately a quarter of energy-related CO₂ emissions; decarbonizing the sector is critical to limiting global warming to 1.5°C in line with the Paris Agreement. In the previous decade, developed economies have worked to decarbonize the transportation sector through accelerated deployment of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and charging infrastructure, along with supportive ZEV regulations and incentives. In contrast, emerging markets have lagged behind significantly in the transition to ZEVs.
In Mexico, the transport sector accounts for nearly a quarter (23 percent) of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it the largest sector source of GHG emissions in the country. Passenger, last mile and long-haul fleet vehicles are major contributors, driven by megatrends such as high car dependency, e-commerce growth, and ageing vehicle fleets. Without systemic interventions, passenger transport emissions alone in Mexico could rise by 44 percent by 2050.
Electrifying passenger, last mile and long-haul fleet vehicles is essential to Mexico meeting its long-term net-zero goals. However, current adoption rates remain marginal, and decarbonizing these segments requires deep structural changes. Limited national charging infrastructure, high upfront costs to finance electric vehicles (EV) to replace ageing ones, and fragmented or insufficient policy frameworks and incentives are limiting the pace and scale of the transition in Mexico.
Without a coordinated effort, Mexico’s transport sector risks lagging behind, undermining the country’s goal to achieve a 35% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 and its long-term economic resilience.
The Zero-Emission Vehicles – Emerging Market Initiative (ZEV-EMI) is a platform that brings together businesses and governments in emerging markets, fostering focused dialogues aimed at forging partnerships to expedite private investments and bolster supportive public policies.
In Mexico, the ZEV-EMI is targeting the accelerated adoption of passenger, commercial freight and public-transit ZEVs by fostering increased collaboration between business, government, and financiers.
The ZEV-EMI is convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in partnership with the ZEV Transition Council.
In Mexico, the ZEV-EMI brings together leading companies along the transport value chain on both the demand and supply side. They engage with the government and international partners committed to reducing GHG emissions in Mexico’s transport sector.
The ZEV-EMI in Mexico operates at the first and second stages of the CO_LAB model: aligning stakeholders around a shared mission – accelerating the adoption of passenger, commercial freight and public-transit ZEVs – and developing a solutions stack to achieve it.
WBCSD, in partnership with the ZEV Transition Council, operates as a co-intermediary, convening member companies and other businesses along the transport value chain in Mexico. These convenings, taking place since the start of 2024 in person and online, have led to the development of a number of solutions:
To date, the ZEV-EMI in Mexico has achieved the following results:
Rich Duke, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate: “It is exciting to see this demand signal from forward leaning companies dedicated to transitioning toward zero-emission vehicles in Mexico.”
Nicolas Sanchez, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Uber: “At Uber, we are putting all our efforts into advancing net-zero mobility in Mexico. Industry partnerships, such as this one with the WBCSD, are key for promoting and advancing sustainable and multi-modal transportation that is accessible, democratic, and affordable.”
Nikolaj Pihl Kristensen, Head of Energy Transition and Partnerships, A.P Moller- Maersk: “Maersk’s commitment to signal demand for the electrification of landside transportation across Mexico and Brazil underscores both the urgent need to address climate challenges and the economic potential of decarbonizing logistics. Achieving this goal requires robust local access to renewable energy sources, investment in infrastructure, regulatory support, and active engagement from suppliers. By collaborating with industry leaders, we are furthering an ecosystem that supports and accelerates electric freight adoption. As part of our global commitment for net-zero by 2040, we are dedicated to verified emissions-reduction in transport and to advancing the infrastructure needed for low- and zero-emission transport networks worldwide.”
As in India, the ZEV-EMI is demonstrating a pathway forward to decarbonize the transport sector in Mexico. By aggregating corporate demand for ZEVs, the initiative is beginning to address the systemic issues to transport sector decarbonization and catalyse the market’s transformation.
Brazil is both a leading agricultural exporter and home to some of the richest biodiversity on Earth. In recent decades, Brazil has emerged as a global leading producer and exporter of soy, beef, coffee, and other agricultural products. Yet land‑use change and agriculture account for 61 percent of Brazil’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pose the largest threat to biodiversity loss.
Brazil can grow production of key agricultural commodities – including soy and beef – by halting deforestation and conversion of native vegetation, restoring degraded land, and scaling regenerative production. By restoring degraded land and improving sustainable management on 50 million hectares – an area nearly the total size of France – Brazil could add up to USD $28 billion annually to its GDP, while benefiting over 600,000 growers and ranchers.
However, this regenerative transition faces several systemic barriers. Access to affordable financing to overcome upfront implementation costs to adopt regenerative practices is a big challenge – especially for small and medium-sized farmers. The lack of a contextually adapted, cost-effective monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system is preventing companies, financial institutions, and public institutions from accessing the information they need to ensure financial and technical resources flow to the areas of highest need and greatest efficiency. Finally, gaps in public policy frameworks limit the amount of investment that can be attracted and slow down the long-term adoption of regenerative practices.
Without targeted action, these barriers risk slowing Brazil’s progress toward its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) – up to 67 percent net GHG emissions reduction by 2035 – and undermine the long‑term competitiveness of land-based value chains that depend on resilient, nature‑positive landscapes.
The Landscape Accelerator – Brazil (LAB) is a private‑sector–led, multi‑stakeholder initiative under the global COP28 Action Agenda for Regenerative Landscapes (AARL). Its mission is to accelerate the regenerative transformation of key Brazilian landscapes – starting in the Cerrado and the Amazon – building generational benefits for producers, net‑positive outcomes for climate and nature, and more resilient supply chains.
The LAB is a joint initiative led by WBCSD, CEBDS and BCG, with core partners including the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA), The Nature Conservancy, and TechnoServe. The companies engaged span the entirety of the agri-food value chain in Brazil, including agri-inputs, traders, manufacturers, consumer brands, and finance. The LAB also has a number of strategic partners, including the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), amongst others.
The LAB operates at the first stage of the CO_LAB model: aligning stakeholders around a shared mission. It does so across three interlinked pillars: blended finance, MRV, and public policy. WBCSD, alongside CEBDS and BCG, operates as a co-intermediary, convening its member companies along the agri-food value chain with other key stakeholders to drive coherence on the priorities and actions needed to accelerate the regenerative transformation of the Cerrado and the Amazon.
The LAB’s approach is grounded in insights. A survey of more than 1,350 farmers collected information about producers’ views regarding obstacles to a regenerative transition. In addition, biome‑level regenerative transition plans for the Cerrado and the State of Pará were co-developed with MAPA and technical partners and led by BCG, which together identify over 50 million hectares of addressable opportunities.
Building on these insights, WBCSD brings together member companies in monthly online workshops to achieve coherence on the actions needed to accelerate the regenerative transformation of the Cerrado and the Amazon. It also hosts monthly “office hours” for LAB’s stakeholders to ask questions and make suggestions on the LAB’s activities.
In April 2025, the LAB’s stakeholders gathered in person for two days at the AARL Cerrado Summit in Bahia, bringing together over 150 diverse professionals across the corporate, finance, policy and agriculture sectors in a series of dialogues to discuss how to unlock barriers across the three interlinked pillars to scale regenerative landscapes.
The LAB is also engaging stakeholders towards COP30 in Belem, Brazil. It will host a multistakeholder convening on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, pre-COP convenings in Brazil, and convenings at COP30. The LAB is part of two COP30 activation groups set-up by the COP30 Presidency, providing a valuable channel for raising the visibility of the LAB’s work and showcasing its progress.
To date, the LAB has focused on driving coherence in the following areas:
To date, the Landscape Accelerator – Brazil has achieved the following results:
Marcelo Behar, COP30 Special Envoy for Bioeconomy: “The LAB is a fundamental initiative, focused on the Cerrado and the Amazon, two regions that are not only global agricultural powerhouses but also home to the world’s richest biodiversity. Regenerative agriculture here means more than higher yields. It helps producers earn more, captures carbon, and creates value all along the supply chain. What makes the LAB so unique is how it brings producers, finance, policy, and metrics together, and mobilizes the private sector around shared priorities and real solutions. This is how Brazil can advance regenerative landscapes while supporting government initiatives under Caminho Verde and ABC+, and contributing to the country’s climate and biodiversity commitments.”
Moving into 2026, the LAB will evolve into an action platform and work at stage two of the CO_LAB model: developing a solutions stack. It will do so across the three interlinked areas, working with stakeholders to “match-make” investment supply and demand for priority regenerative landscapes, working with MAPA, EMBRAPA and Brazilian State Governments to advocate for the policy priorities, and facilitating MRV implementation clusters.
The global transport sector accounts for approximately a quarter of energy-related CO₂ emissions; decarbonizing the sector is critical to limiting global warming to 1.5°C in line with the Paris Agreement. In the previous decade, developed economies accelerated the deployment of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by deploying charging infrastructure, passing regulation, and creating incentives. In contrast, emerging markets lagged behind significantly.
In India, the transport sector is the third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to 14 percent of national energy-related CO₂ emissions. India’s road freight system is both indispensable to national economic growth and disproportionately emissions‑intensive. Road freight is the predominant mode for goods movement, yet trucks represent under 3 percent of vehicles while consuming 64 percent of national diesel and contributing to 34 percent of road transport emissions, underscoring the scale of the decarbonization challenge.
Electrifying medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) is essential to India meeting its long-term net-zero goals. Yet uptake has been slow, with several structural barriers holding back the market. The upfront cost of vehicle prices remains prohibitive, especially for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that dominate road freight. There is limited access to affordable capital and leasing solutions, which prevents fleet operators from scaling investments in electrified MHDVs. Additionally, major infrastructure gaps persist – with sparse charging facilities and uneven grid readiness across the country.
Without targeted intervention, India’s road freight sector risks falling behind, undermining the country’s net-zero progress and its future competitiveness.
The Zero-Emission Vehicles – Emerging Market Initiative (ZEV-EMI) is a platform that brings together businesses and governments in emerging markets, fostering focused dialogues aimed at forging partnerships to expedite private investments and bolster supportive public policies.
In India, the ZEV-EMI is targeting the accelerated adoption of zero-emission road freight vehicles by fostering increased collaboration between business, government, and financiers.
The ZEV-EMI is convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in partnership with the ZEV Transition Council.
In India, the ZEV-EMI brings together leading companies along the transport value chain, including industrial firms, global and domestic logistics companies, consumer goods firms, and energy and technology providers. They are joined by government partners, including NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Heavy Industries, as well as financiers, leasing companies, and technology start-ups.
The ZEV-EMI in India operates at the first and second stages of the CO_LAB model: aligning stakeholders around a shared mission – accelerating the adoption of zero-emission road freight vehicles – and developing a solutions stack to achieve it. It does so across five interlinked pillars: establishing country partnerships, demand quantification, demand aggregation and supply mobilization, designing and establishing financing mechanisms, and enabling infrastructure investments.
WBCSD, in partnership with the ZEV Transition Council, operates as a co-intermediary, convening member companies and other businesses along the transport value chain in India. These convenings, taking place since the start of 2023 in person and online, have led to the development of a number of solutions:
To date, the ZEV-EMI in India has achieved the following results:
Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha, Adviser, NITI Aayog: “We commend the remarkable collaboration demonstrated by the industry leaders in their concerted efforts to drive the electrification of India’s truck market. The initiative undertaken by these prominent companies under the ZEV-EMI platform aligns perfectly with our vision for sustainable development. By signalling demand for thousands of electric trucks, they are setting a strong foundation for the transition towards zero-emission vehicles. I am thrilled to witness such transformative collaboration and endeavours, which will undoubtedly contribute to India’s journey as a front-runner in decarbonizing the road freight ecosystem.”
Ed Webber, Deputy Director of Financing and Sectors Transition, International Net Zero, UK Government: “The ZEV Country Partnership with India – co-launched by India, the UK, the US and WBCSD – is driving forward critical work to provide stronger support to India in turbocharging its transition to ZEVs this decade. The strong progress – including on demand for e-freight and finance capacity building – shows the power of public-private collaboration to accelerate the transition to ZEVs to help meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
India’s journey to decarbonize road freight is complex, but the ZEV-EMI demonstrates a pathway forward. By combining corporate demand signals, innovative financing models, and data sharing, it has started to break down systemic barriers and create market confidence in the transition.