Denmark and USA to explore development of green corridors in the Global South

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Danish Government have joined forces to resource and execute pre-feasibility studies for green corridors in five countries in the Global South, as announced on Friday at COP28 in Dubai. 

The “Global South Green Corridors” project aims to support sustainable green growth and job creation in developing countries by identifying and supporting the development of green corridor projects. The project is expected to conduct pre-feasibility studies in Namibia, Panama, Fiji, and two more countries to be announced soon.

While most existing green corridor studies are being conducted in the Global North, this project aims at demonstrating that green corridors can have benefits also for developing countries and are an important element in ensuring that the green maritime transition is just and equitable. The project partners plan to work closely with national and local stakeholders and the private sector, ensuring strong national ownership and capacity building.

“We are facing a global transition that needs to be inclusive, just and equitable to be truly sustainable: from East to West and from South to North. Many countries in the Global South are now acting with dedication and urgency to seize the opportunity of catalyzing a transition with social growth opportunities. This is why we are excited to partner with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Danish Government to establish the Global South Green Corridors with countries in Latin America, Africa and the Pacific,“ Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, said.

“Green maritime corridors are an essential response to the need for effectively combatting climate change. However, for a seafaring nation like Namibia, they are equally impactful catalysts for development and a bedrock for sustainable industrialization and a key ingredient of our nation’s Green Industrialization Agenda,” James Mnyupe, Presidential Economic Advisor and Green Hydrogen Commissioner of Namibia, said.

Green Corridors operate as dynamic multistakeholder partnerships, fostering collaboration between public and private entities. This collaboration spans from local energy and alternative fuel production to port infrastructure, vessel owners and operators, and cargo owners.

”The Global South Green Corridors project is a brilliant idea that will assist countries in the Global South in making sustainable use of their resources and in making a vital contribution to achieving the goal of climate neutral shipping. That’s a win-win for everybody,” said Anne H. Steffensen, CEO of Danish Shipping.

“We are going to need vast amounts of green fuels and many countries in the Global South will hopefully be able to transform their enormous renewable energy resources into profitable business ventures and thus help us reach our ambitious climate goals.”

The pre-feasibility studies play a pivotal role in shaping these green corridors. The studies identify key enabling conditions, such as financing, safety, and regulation, while pinpointing optimal geographical areas for the production of alternative energy, alternative fuels, ports, and maritime activities. They also serve as the foundation for decision-making, and ensure that the selection criteria for green corridors align with national and regional strategies for a sustainable transition.