One of the administration’s decisions, announced in early June 2017, is the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. At first glance, this decision appeared to be catastrophic. The many great strides that had been made by the previous administration to fight climate change seemed to be erased in one fell swoop of the pen.

Nevertheless, one of the most interesting reactions to this decision is the strengthened resolve of many corporations, as well as U.S. municipal and state jurisdictions, to stay the course, and in certain cases to set even more aggressive carbon reduction targets. In fact, it appears as though the resolve of multiple jurisdictions around the globe has intensified and the transition to a clean tech economy is well on its way.

Where there is change, there is also opportunity

Canada’s clean technology and services sector is now in a position to capitalize on the global shift toward a clean economy. With or without the Trump administration, this transition is happening. The global market for clean technologies is growing exponentially and Canadian exporters can position themselves as champions of clean technologies, taking a large share of this rapidly growing market.

It has been suggested that the opportunity for Canadian exporters may actually increase as the U.S. backs away from its carbon reduction commitments. Federal program support for American companies looking to export their clean tech solutions to global markets is likely to be significantly reduced. This will create more opportunities for Canadian exporters.

This opportunity is probably best summed up by Tom Rand, clean-technology venture capitalist and lead clean tech advisor at MaRS. In his closing remarks at the annual acclaimed Cleantech Forum held in San Francisco in January 2017, he concluded that:

If the U.S. wants to walk away from climate action, then Canada will be more than happy to eat its cleantech lunch.

This opportunity has not been lost on the Canadian government, which has identified clean technology as a priority sector for exporting around the globe. This priority sector includes products and services in renewable generation such as solar and wind, energy storage, and energy efficiency, to name a few. Export programs are available which provide support and assistance to Canadian enterprises offering these advanced technologies in overseas markets.

Turning green into gold with sustainability programs

With this transition to a green economy, there exists a second area of opportunity for Canadian enterprises in creating the business case for sustainability. Corporations are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. In doing so, they are eliminating waste and increasing efficiency, which can lead to a global competitive advantage. Many corporations, large and small, have created the business case for sustainability and have seen profits increase.

As an example, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) is administering the SMART Green program, which assists Ontario small and medium sized manufacturers with reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The program is funded by the Government of Ontario Green Investment Fund, which supports investments in clean technology and process improvements to improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions. Programs of this sort aim to improve the competitiveness of manufacturers and, at the same time, contribute to GHG reduction targets.

With or without program support, corporations on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border are turning green to gold.

Many enterprises are greening their entire global supply chain and have made it a priority to take a sustainable approach to doing business. In order to be a global supplier, there must be a focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Not only is it the right decision to protect the environment, it makes good business sense for companies looking to enter and succeed in global markets.

It’s time for Canadian exporters to build their competitive advantage

As many countries around the globe endeavour to shift away from fossil fuels and reduce their carbon footprint, this transition to a green economy promises to be challenging and rewarding.  Canadian exporters of innovative technologies are poised to take advantage of this building momentum at home and abroad.

With Canada’s largest and most accessible trading partner appearing disinterested in promoting jobs and investments in clean technologies at the federal level, this may be a tremendous opportunity for Canada to use this sector as an engine for growth. If embraced and done properly, this will become a big competitive advantage for Canadian exporters doing business around the world.

The post Growing momentum for clean tech will spur exports – here’s why appeared first on Trade Ready.

Christine Colevray, CITP®|FIBP®, is a Vice-Consul and Trade Commissioner with Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD) at the Consulate of Canada in Düsseldorf, Germany.

With a lifelong interest in international business, she is proud to help Canadian companies develop their export potential, and eager to continue to learn more as she does so.

Christine’s roots are in France, and her initial post-secondary education in Management was in Lyon.  She also took opportunities to study in the UK and the Netherlands, and she pursued an internship in New York, NY.

Christine then went on to build over a decade of experience working for food companies, enabling her to combine her passion for international trade with her love of food.  Most notably, she worked with Plaisirs Gastronomiques—a high-end food company based out of Quebec.

While she was doing business all over Canada and the United States, Christine built relationships with countless different restaurants, grocery stores and other food retailers to increase sales and expand consumer accessibility to quality food products.

Desiring to “open new horizons and work more directly in international business development,” Christine decided to join the Canadian government as a Trade Commissioner, initially with a focus on commercial relations in southern Africa.

After working in two other roles in the public service, Christine took on her current job in Düsseldorf. She now focuses on helping Canadian companies—primarily those working on clean technologies, such as waste and water treatment, fuel cell designs as well as companies from the wood sector—expand into German markets.

“We all know how challenging export can be,” she says. “The path is always risky and complicated. I find it very rewarding to help Canadian companies export to Germany, by highlighting their expertise, finding them a local partner or helping them settle in Europe.”

While Christine had already added a Master’s in International Administration to her resume in 2007, she was eager to continue learning about international trade. This quest led her to the FITTskills courses, which she was able to take through DFATD.

“Even though I have worked for a few years in international trade,” Christine notes, “I know I still have a lot to learn and will always have to learn as our world continuously changes.”

 FITT offers concrete training that takes stock of the various challenges exporters have to face and the spectrum of solutions available to them.

Now that she has completed her courses and earned her CITP®|FIBP® designation, Christine is excited to find new opportunities for Canadian businesses to thrive and expand internationally.

The post Christine Colevray, CITP|FIBP, Vice-Consul and Trade Commissioner appeared first on Trade Ready.