On November 8 in São Paulo, as the world turns its focus toward Belém for COP30, a high-level roundtable delivered an urgent message. The event, “From Plans to Progress”, convened by Unilever, alongside the Exponential Roadmap Initiative and Inter IKEA Group, brought leaders from business, policy, and civil society together to address the single biggest barrier to keeping 1.5°C alive: the implementation gap.
The key message from the roundtable was clear: the era of unaligned, siloed climate action is over. The consensus was unequivocal: to close the gap between ambition and reality, we must move from ‘what’ and ‘why’ to ‘how’ and ‘who’ by creating concrete, mutually reinforcing national (NDCs) and corporate (CTAPs) transition plans.
This alignment is not just theoretical; it’s a practical accelerator, and it’s already happening.
Real-world proof of progress
China’s transport sector offers a good example. National targets through the NDCs, the 15th Five-Year Plan, and targeted incentives have created a stable policy environment that supports the shift toward low-carbon logistics. IKEA has built on this foundation, reducing the carbon intensity of domestic transport by around 50% since 2017. Today, approximately 16% of IKEA’s road transport in China runs on electric or hydrogen trucks — compared to just 1% across the broader market. The impact is tangible: logistics costs are down, emissions have dropped by 19% compared to 2017, and a growing network of clean transport partners is emerging. This is what happens when long-term policy enables long-term investment — progress accelerates.
Vietnam shows what’s possible next. As a key sourcing market for IKEA, Vietnam’s energy-intensive industries need better access to clean energy. Since launching the IKEA renewable electricity program for suppliers in 2023, renewable electricity use among IKEA suppliers has surged from 15% to over 90%. Most of this progress comes from certificates — a good start, but unlocking Direct Power Purchase Agreements (DPPAs) could be transformative. A scalable DPPA framework could mobilize $2 billion in private investment and meet 1.4 GW of corporate demand. Vietnam’s renewable potential is vast, but grid constraints and slow permitting remain barriers. Finalizing a robust DPPA framework is the next step toward unlocking that potential.
Energy is also a crucial topic for Unilever in India. Unilever has signed a solar PPA with developer Brookfield to supply renewable electricity to 32 sites across 15 states, including its own factories and 10 collaborative manufacturers. This 45 MW off-site solar project in Rajasthan will cover nearly 25% of Unilever’s operational electricity demand in India, delivering 25% cost savings over 20 years and avoiding 28,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions annually for Unilever and the ten collaborative manufacturers. The initiative supports Unilever’s goal to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 42% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2039, while also helping collaborative manufacturers reduce their Scope 2 emissions. Strong government support is crucial to help businesses switch to renewables.
In Indonesia, Unilever is the first company to buy biomethane for industrial use, supporting the national clean energy transition. In its recently expanded Unilever Oleochemical Indonesia (UOI) facility – Unilever’s palm oil processing facility in Sei Mangkei North Sumatra – Unilever is replacing natural gas and shifting towards thermal renewable energy using biomethane created from palm oil effluent from local mills. By transforming palm oil effluent into a source of renewable energy, Unilever is influencing wider changes in Indonesia and across the palm oil industry. Indonesia’s renewable energy sources are growing, totalling 14.5% of the energy mix. With more prevalent use of biomethane, corporations can help increase its contribution to the mix.
From ambition to aligned action
These case studies show what’s possible. Now we must move from isolated efforts to an orchestrated acceleration of solutions and next-generation value chains that deliver for climate, nature, the economy, and energy security — aligning ambition and action to reach 1.5°C.
As leaders gather in Belém, we call for a new focus on collaboration and alignment. National plans for nature, climate, and land use under all three Rio Conventions must pull in the same direction — creating clarity for business on opportunities, expectations, and the pathways to invest and deliver impact.
We urge policymakers to use their NDCs as an invitation for private sector partnerships — turning them into clear, investable roadmaps for key sectors. And we call on businesses to lean in, not only by setting 1.5°C-aligned targets, but by working hand in hand with governments to design and implement the national transition plans we all need.
COP30 cannot be just another meeting. It must be an implementation COP. The solutions to halve emissions by 2030 exist. The business case for action is clear. Now, we must align, collaborate, and ignite the race to the top — where countries move faster in investing in solutions that attract investment, enhance energy security, build resilience, create jobs, improve health, and drive sustainable economic growth while delivering on their NDCs.
