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Climate change needs innovative solutions
Cefic is now launching a new information campaign on the everyday life solutions European chemistry provides for improved climate protection. Based on new data, these practical tools are being promoted to answer fears of failure of the next climate change negotiations in Copenhagen and scientists who claim we must change our way of living.
Next December, a United Nations conference (COP 15) will try to reach an agreement in Copenhagen on how to manage climate change issues and to limit our greenhouse gas emissions for the period starting in 2012. Different criticisms have been heard in the media about the G8 leaders’ very timid commitments at their summit in l’Aquila (last July). In the meantime, several scientists have expressed fears that the target of limiting global temperature increases to 2°C would be hard to reach and even if that were the case you could not be sure it would be enough to manage climate change issues.The Innovations for Greenhouse Gas Reductions report
It is not up to the European Chemical industry to question such scientific concerns. It is however up to this industry to provide solutions based on sound data to meet the needs of society facing the demand for a more sustainable future.This is why Cefic is now launching a new information campaign on the reduction of greenhouse gases. It follows the data-based approach set out in the recently published Innovations for Greenhouse Gas Reductions report – a report made on behalf of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) with the support of McKinsey & Company and scientifically validated by the independent German scientific NGO Öko Institut.
Stabilize the greenhouse gas concentration
This new report, to which Cefic contributed with its counterparts from Japan and the USA, details where the main greenhouse gas emissions are and what are the most effective solutions to curb these. It shows we have to use innovative solutions if we really want to achieve a low carbon economy. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), current global greenhouse gas emissions are between three and four times the earth’s natural absorption rate of CO2, reaching 46 giga tons of CO2 equivalent in 2005. To stabilize the greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere, it is necessary to change the way society behaves while strengthening the economy with greater and more sustainable competitiveness. The chemical industry has not been standing idly by. As the ICCA report shows, in a world without chemical solutions, greenhouse gas emissions would have been 11% higher in 2005 because consumers would have chosen alternative products that emit more. This means that the current solutions proposed by the chemical industry are already having a positive effect on greenhouse gas mitigation policy. Disseminating more such solutions will secure further reductions.Is the European Chemical Industry a good climate change example?
As energy represents in Europe 80% of the cost of ammonia or 40% of chlorine, the European chemical industry has been compelled to increase its energy efficiency and to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Between 1990 and 2005, this industry cut its energy intensity by 3.6% annually and during that period absolute greenhouse gas emissions fell by 30%. As a result, EU energy consumption per sale in the chemical industry is the lowest in the world (9.64) as compared to 11.76 in Japan, 17.59 in the USA or 26.05 in India.
In that respect, as the EU chemical industry’s own efforts on its processes show, this is already a good climate change example. The development of products that enable consumers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions gives even more examples of this industry’s commitments. . These examples are only made possible by great efforts on research and development. In 2005, the EU chemical industry was responsible for 38% of patents in the global chemistry (excluding pharmaceuticals).
The mobility theme in climate change information
The mobility theme has been chosen as the first postcard to be disseminated on the contribution of the EU chemical industry to climate change protection. In 2005, the plastics used to reduce automotive weight enabled global savings of 120 million tons of CO2 equivalent. In the same area, the techniques developed to improve engine efficiency enabled global savings of 70 million tons and green tyres saved 40 million tons of CO2 equivalent.
Considering the extensive use of cars by European consumers, these figures speak for themselves: a more sustainable mobility requires more chemical tools being developed for the automotive industry. The energy consumption of the EU Chemical Industry is responsible for 11% of EU total consumption (household and services account for 38%, transport for 28% and the rest of the industry for 23%). Helping EU transport to reduce its carbon footprint is, then, a great challenge for the EU chemical industry since, for example, private cars emit 10% of EU greenhouse gases whereas the EU general figure for greenhouse gas emissions for the transport sector was 20 % of EU emissions in 2006.
How precisely does the EU chemical industry make a contribution? Chemical products save energy in cars. . Replacing metal by innovative plastics saves fuel. Thanks to high mechanical properties combined with outstanding thermal properties polyamide allows 30% to 50% weight reduction (Technyl, Rhodia and others). Modern tyres can cut fuel consumption thanks to efficient silicas (Ultrasil, Evonik Degussa): whilst energy efficient tyres lower rolling resistance, reducing GHG emissions by 5%. Lithium ion batteries (ExxonMobil) enable new lower emission cars.
Collect the first of the climate change postcards created by Cefic for Cop 15
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