A Harvard-China Project Research Seminar with Jing Meng, Professor, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London; Director, Centre for Sustainability Science and Technology, University College London

Abstract: To effectively decarbonize heavy industry, climate policy must move beyond broad national targets and address the complex economic realities of individual industrial plants. Overlooking vast plant-level heterogeneity leads to inefficient, costly transition strategies. This presentation introduces a powerful bottom-up modeling framework that overcomes this barrier by engineering least-cost, technologically feasible decarbonization pathways for thousands of facilities across the globe. By integrating granular plant-level data with dynamic techno-economic forecasts, our research constructs an actionable blueprint for a smarter industrial transition. This plant-specific approach allows policymakers to target interventions effectively, minimize economic costs, and demonstrate that achieving ambitious climate goals can be aligned with industrial competitiveness.