The goal of the Paris Agreement is to limit global warming to pre-industrial levels. In 2020, the United States GDP was $20 trillion dollars in mostly carbon-driven goods and services. However, “Countries that we’ve commonly referred to as ‘underdeveloped’ now have an extraordinary opportunity to leapfrog the industrial revolution into the decarbonized circular economy of the current millennium,” explains Seth Warren Rose, Founding Director of Eneref Institute. “While some see this as aspirational, in fact it’s urgently necessary.”

The commercial world wants to gain entry to the enormous mineral resources of slightly-developed countries, but this can and should be done sustainably. “Lightly-industrialized nations are the envy of the world in terms of mineral resources, and we invite the world to benefit,” says Abdullah Khodadad, Director of Eneref Institute’s Lead the Leap campaign. “However, in opening vast resources to the world, our aim is to bring in international impact investors who are committed to non-toxicity, energy efficiency, and 100% clean power generation.”