The European chemical industry’s contribution to reducing the EU’s carbon footprint

Reducing the EU’s carbon footprint – our total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – is a key objective of the EU’s climate and energy policy. The chemical industry is committed to contributing to the EU’s 2020 climate goals by further improving its own processes and by encouraging the use of chemical products that enable emissions savings along the value chain.

Reducing chemical industry emissions

The carbon footprint of all human activities relates to our impact on the atmosphere, particularly our use of energy. Like many other energy-intensive industries, the European chemical industry remains sensitive on this issue – both as a major consumer of energy and as an industry that seeks to address the global challenge of climate change.

The European chemical industry has already made significant efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Between 1990 and 2008, it reduced its GHG emissions by 42% in absolute terms and by 66% in specific terms, i.e. per unit of production.

With a reduction of 96 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents since 1990, the chemical industry alone has achieved nearly one third of the EU commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% between 1990 and 2012.

The chemical industry continues to identify further GHG abatement opportunities in its sites. As an example, catalyst technologies are increasingly used to optimise chemical reactions and processes. Cefic is currently coordinating a research project with the International Energy Agency to explore the impact of catalysis on energy and greenhouse gases, as part of the chemical industry’s global technology roadmap work.

Taking a lifecycle approach

Chemical products have a twofold effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases are emitted in the manufacturing of chemical products, while at the same time the use of many of these products enables significant reductions in global emissions. The environmental impacts have to be assessed across the entire product lifecycle – from production to the final disposal.

Many chemical products enable GHG abatement either because their production footprint is smaller than that of the non-chemical alternatives, or because their use results in fewer emissions than would be the case without their use or with non-chemical alternatives.

A study commissioned by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) in 2009 found that the global chemicals sector currently delivers two tonnes of GHG savings for every tonne emitted in the production processes. With the right policy framework, this could rise to more than four tonnes by 2030.

At present, the most important emissions savings enabled by chemical products are in thermal insulation, farming, lighting, transport, packaging, textiles and other consumer goods. A good illustration of this impact is insulation. High-performance foam insulation of a house significantly reduces the heating required, thereby cutting energy consumption and GHG emissions.

Cefic position on EU climate policy

The chemical industry is committed to contributing to the agreed EU target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, by further reducing its GHG intensity and by enabling emission reductions in other parts of the economy.

In the global economy, worldwide action is needed to effectively address the climate challenge. Cefic is not in favour of setting new unilateral EU targets in the absence of a global climate change agreement. Unilateral EU targets may even be counterproductive if leading to further relocations to and growth in more carbon-intensive regions – so-called “carbon leakage”.

To ensure the competitiveness of the European industry in a low carbon economy, investments in innovation must be stepped up. This means for example investing the auctioning revenues from the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) in carbon-efficient technology and innovation.