The bi-national Great Lakes region is North America’s economic engine and the main driver of the United States – Canada economic partnership. As both countries seek collaborations and projects between business, government, academia and the non-profit sector to achieve a low-carbon future as part of the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership, the region can lead the way in designing decarbonization strategies and techniques on a regional, cross-border scale.

The goal of the Great Lakes Carbon Collaborative is to develop multi-industry decarbonization projects in the bi-national Great Lakes region. The US Business Council for Sustainable Development and the bi-national Council of the Great Lakes Region, which are leading the effort, have 30 years of combined experience facilitating cross-industry sustainability initiatives, using a methodology that has proven successful in translating business goals into actionable projects.  This industry collaborative is being modeled on the US BCSD’s successful Gulf Coast Carbon Collaborative – knowledge and project prototypes will be shared between the two groups as they move forward.

The empirical data from the Great Lakes Carbon Collaborative’s activities helps demonstrate the value, commitment and investment of companies in decarbonizing the bi-national Great Lakes region. On-the-ground project results can underpin policy initiatives, connect with research projects led by top academic institutions, and offer a market for new technologies. Working together, participating companies and organizations will be well positioned to accelerate the development of carbon reduction projects in the region.