Pilot Procurement Uses Collective Demand to Unlock Investment In Low-Emissions Chemicals

The Center for Green Market Activation and RMI launch first-of-its-kind request for proposals on behalf of corporates to scale low-emissions ethylene production.

WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr. 29, 2026 — The Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) and RMI today announced a first-of-its-kind pilot procurement for low-emissions chemicals, bringing together leading, early-adopter companies across industries, including technology, consumer goods, apparel, and food and beverage. Through a collective procurement, participating companies are sending a strong, coordinated market signal to address emissions embedded deep within the chemicals value chain, targeting approximately 3,000–10,000 mtCO₂e per year in emissions reductions from low-emissions ethylene — a key building block used in many everyday plastic products ranging from packaging and medical supplies to construction materials and textiles.

GMA and RMI are now seeking responses from chemical producers capable of supplying verified low-emissions ethylene using eligible production pathways, with transparent emissions accounting and the ability to transact environmental attributes through a book and claim system. The procurement is designed to provide producers with an opportunity to monetize low-emissions production, helping to support the business case for scaling emerging and differentiated production pathways. The inaugural request for proposals (RFP) will also act as a proof of concept for future aggregated procurements of low-emissions chemical attributes.

“With this innovative pilot procurement for low-emissions ethylene, we’re excited to demonstrate the power of collective, corporate demand in the chemicals sector,” said Kim Carnahan, GMA CEO.  “Through this pilot, we will have the opportunity to field test and refine our approach with an ambitious group of first movers and lay the groundwork for bigger buys and different molecules in future.”

Chemicals are crucial to modern society, yet little progress has been made toward decarbonizing chemical production. Historically, substantial barriers have constrained investment in low-emissions production pathways. These barriers include capital-intensive facilities, long asset lifetimes, thin operating margins, and complex supply chains that, together, have limited the ability of new technologies to secure the long-term demand needed to justify investment at scale.

As a result, companies that use chemicals in their products have struggled to address value chain emissions. While many are working to reduce or replace emissions-intensive inputs like ethylene, unavoidable residual demand remains, and companies are often several steps removed from primary production with limited visibility into the most emissions-intensive stages of their supply chains. Even where willingness to act exists, traditional procurement structures have made it difficult to translate that intent into meaningful emissions reductions.

This pilot procurement applies a novel approach to break that gridlock and enable action. By combining demand aggregation with a book and claim system, the procurement enables chemical producers to generate environmental attribute certificates (EACs) associated with low-emissions ethylene production and sell them separately from the physical product. This allows producers to receive revenue reflecting the lower emissions intensity of their production, while downstream companies gain a flexible, credible pathway to support low-emissions production and report associated claims in their climate disclosures.

“Voluntary demand has already proven to be a powerful catalyst for investment and innovation in sectors like renewable electricity and sustainable fuels,” said Thomas Koch Blank, managing director at RMI. “We’ve seen how established, forward-looking buyers can grow emerging markets, de-risk investment, and send strong demand signals that unlock capital at scale. We’re excited to explore how this pilot procurement for low-emissions ethylene can bring that same momentum to the chemicals sector.”

Versions of this approach have already been used successfully to jumpstart markets for low-emissions production in other hard to abate transport and heavy industry sectors, including the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance, the Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform, and others. This pilot represents the first known application of a collective procurement and book and claim model to the chemicals sector.

The RFP is available for download here on the GMA website, and responses are due by July 3, 2026. For additional information about the procurement, please contact chemicals@gmacenter.org.

Media inquiries please contact:

Alison Greene, Communications Manager, GMA: alison.greene@gmacenter.org

About GMA

The Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) is a US-based, globally focused non-profit. Through innovative procurement approaches and sector-specific buyers alliances, GMA catalyzes and scales the uptake of low-carbon goods and services within carbon-intensive industries including aviation, maritime, trucking, cement and concrete, and chemicals. With collective decades of experience in environmental markets and alternative fuels and materials, the GMA team works to standardize new, green markets and forges mutually beneficial partnerships between climate-focused companies, suppliers, and mission-aligned non-profit organizations to channel funding to critical climate technologies in pursuit of accelerated sectoral decarbonization. Learn more at gmacenter.org 

About RMI

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to secure a prosperous, resilient, clean energy future for all. In collaboration with businesses, policymakers, funders, communities, and other partners, RMI drives investment to scale clean energy solutions, reduce energy waste, and boost access to affordable clean energy in ways that enhance security, strengthen the economy, and improve people’s livelihoods. RMI is active in over 50 countries.