ICN at COP30: Challenging the Climate Debate’s Blind Spot
Fossil fuels remain one of the most sensitive topics in global climate negotiations. At COP30 in Belém, ICN helped broaden the discussion by hosting a panel on industrial symbiosis and the potential for circular resource flows to support the transition in hard-to-abate industries.
With daily temperatures in Belém surpassing 30°C, the urgency of climate action is impossible to ignore. Yet achieving agreements that balance environmental ambition with economic reality remains complex. Industrial sectors with long-established processes, supply chains, and resource dependencies represent both a challenge and an opportunity.
Broadening the Debate: Circularity in Hard-to-Abate Industries
Against this backdrop, ICN led a panel debate at COP30 exploring how waste streams, process water, and by-products from one industry can become valuable inputs for another, reducing emissions while supporting competitiveness. Throughout the summit, ICN has contributed perspectives from its international network, participating both as a delegate and as an official COP Observer.
“Decarbonising hard-to-abate industries is a significant challenge. But industrial symbiosis shows real potential - whether through smarter use of wastewater in the steel industry or by turning waste products into resources. These solutions exist, and our members are demonstrating how practical they can be,” says Ben Jorgensen, Head of the ICN Secretariat.
Ben is joined in Brazil by ICN Board members Henrik Bjørnager Jensen (from Clean) and Maria Dominguez (from Greennova Hub), representing ICN’s global community of innovation networks.
Industrial Symbiosis: A Practical Pathway Forward
The difficulties in moving away from fossil-dependent systems stem not only from technology gaps, but also from long-standing industrial habits shaped by decades of resource abundance.
“Some industries have historically been difficult to transition, not because of a lack of will, but because we haven’t aligned technology, infrastructure, (waste)water systems, and circular business models. Industrial symbiosis helps change that by showing where shared resources and shared solutions already exist,” explains Henrik Bjørnager Jensen.
Momentum is building. ICN and its members are currently driving industrial symbiosis projects in both Denmark and Brazil, demonstrating how cross-sector cooperation can reduce emissions, optimise resource use, and unlock entirely new forms of value.
ICN is also involved in the HI2 Valley project (an EU Hydrogen Valley), which explores pathways for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as cement through innovative hydrogen-based solutions.
A Global Role: Insights From COP30 Negotiations
Through its role as an official COP Observer, ICN also gains direct insight into negotiations, highlighting its position at the intersection of innovation, networks, and policy.
“Partnerships are key. No single organisation can solve this alone. But by connecting innovation networks globally, we can accelerate solutions that make real impact,” adds Ben.
As negotiations continue under the Brazilian sun, one thing is clear: the path to a low-carbon future will rely on cooperation, circularity, and the courage to address the toughest questions head-on.