Beyond Zero Emissions: Grantee Spotlight (Q3 2026)

The Giving Green Fund is awarding a restricted grant to Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) for work to drive green iron and steel production in Australia's key industrial regions. BZE is an independent think tank based in Melbourne. 

BZE's work falls within our philanthropic strategy of decarbonizing iron and steel. Please see Giving Green's strategy report for more information, including potential risks and co-benefits, recommended sub-strategies, theory of change, funding need, and key uncertainties.

Last updated: October 2026

What Is Beyond Zero Emissions?

Founded in 2006, BZE is a think tank that researches and advocates for practical solutions to decarbonize industry in Australia. It identifies regions best placed to lead Australia’s clean industry transition, finds key bottlenecks blocking progress, and advocates to industry and policy decision-makers to unblock them.

What Are We Funding, and How Could It Help Address Climate Change?

Because of its abundant natural iron ore and renewable energy resources, Australia is one of the best-placed geographies in the world to decarbonize the 1.6 GtCO₂e of annual emissions from ironmaking. Scaling domestic supply and exporting it to economies that lack resources to make green iron themselves would cut global steel emissions substantially.

Our grant supports BZE's National Action Plan program, which identifies and unlocks key infrastructure and decisions that can turn opportunities into investable projects. In each region, the work runs in three phases:

1. Assessing critical success criteria for each region with local leaders and technical experts, and identifying a set of enabling projects and decisions that are the most pivotal to transformation.
2. Aligning government, industry, and regional stakeholders around critical solutions through briefings, convenings, and local partnerships that can sustain support through political and investment cycles.
3. Handing ownership of the priorities to regional leaders, and sharing lessons between regions.

BZE plans to use our funding to contribute to its work in the Hunter, Gladstone, Kwinana, and Port Hedland regions, and expand to the Latrobe Valley, Port Kembla, and Karratha.

Why Do We Think Beyond Zero Emissions Will Use This Funding Well?

BZE has established a strong track record of moving regional infrastructure toward delivery. In the Hunter, it identified transmission as the main bottleneck and advocated prioritizing the multi-billion-dollar Hunter Transmission Project, moving its delivery schedule forward by one year. In Western Australia, its identified priorities have been included in major government decisions, such as the $1.4 billion AUD (around $1 billion USD) Clean Energy Link-North project.

BZE has a strong reputation. In commissioned research for an Australian donor in 2024, Giving Green identified BZE as one of Australia's most impactful climate nonprofits. Its work is regularly sought and recognized by government and industry: In the 2025–26 financial year, its flagship National Action Plan was cited by industry and government 53 times, received 14 requests from governments for policy input, and led to nine joint policy submissions with industry groups. Its chief executive also sits on the stakeholder panel of the Net Zero Economy Authority, the federal agency coordinating Australia's industrial transition. 

We publish grant spotlights to offer transparency to Giving Green Fund donors and resources for those interested in the impact strategies each grant supports. Giving Green believes our Top Climate Nonprofits have the greatest impact potential for large, unrestricted gifts. For several reasons, we also disburse and recommend grants to other organizations surfaced through our research process for work that we believe is at least as impactful as grants to our top recommendations.

This is a non-partisan analysis (study or research) and is provided for educational purposes. Beyond Zero Emissions is a registered nonprofit in Australia.