Climate Neutrality: No time to waste
The Paris climate agreement provides for limiting the rise in average global temperature to a maximum of two degrees Celsius in order to mitigate the damage to people and the environment. The sooner we act, the more room for maneuver we have. LANXESS has translated its commitment to climate protection into a concrete industrial agenda, which we have consistently pursued ever since.
LANXESS' Climate Neutral 2040 campaign is a comprehensive plan to become climate neutral by 2040. LANXESS aims to reduce its CO2e emissions through targeted climate protection projects.
“With our goal of being climate-neutral by 2040, we are living up to our responsibility as a global specialty chemicals group. At the same time, we will be an even more sustainable partner for our customers.”
Matthias Zachert
Chairman of the LANXESS Board of Management
Chemistry is one of the most energy-intensive industries. Since 1990 it has made great strides in achieving energy efficiency. According to a study by the German Chemical Industry Association, production has risen by 69 percent since then. By contrast, energy consumption has fallen by 14 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 48 percent. LANXESS has always formulated and reached its own ambitious milestones.
THREE CORNERSTONES FOR OUR CLIMATE TARGET
Decoupling growth and emissions
The company will continue to grow – and in a climate-friendly manner. We are establishing a clear framework for ourselves: Suppliers and potential acquisition candidates must fit the new climate strategy and the CO2 balance will be an important criterium for investments. In addition, CO2 reduction will become one of the evaluation criteria in the bonus system for managers.
LANXESS implements coal exit strategy
In order to become more climate-friendly, we are planning on an energy supply without coal. We will start at our sites in Nagda and Jhagadia, India. We will also continue to phase-out the use of coal in our large chemical parks.
Strengthening process and technology innovations
In order to become climate-neutral by 2040, we are revising numerous existing production processes. For example, we will further improve our combination structures, such as in the area of heat exchange between plants or in exhaust air purification. Other processes have not yet been developed on an industrial scale. We are therefore focusing our research more strongly on climate-neutral process and technology innovations.
THAT’S WHY WE KNOW: OUR CLIMATE PROTECTION TRACKRECORD
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED: POLITICAL SUPPORT
Urgently needed: renewable energies at fair prices
- Renewable energies in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices
- A functioning European emissions trading system without the double burden of national systems
- Simple and fast approval procedures for new emission-reducing plants
Good for business, good for society
Ambitious climate targets and a stringent plan are good for LANXESS, for our customers and for society:
- Commitment to sustainability makes LANXESS the preferred supplier.
- Most investments in reducing greenhouse gases improve profits.
- LANXESS anticipates and fulfills even stricter future regulations.
- We are making a contribution to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Protection Agreement.
Close networks with climate protection actors
We have been an active partner in the IN4climate.NRW initiative since 2018. Working together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, we develop climate-friendly strategies and innovations for industry, science and government authorities. The goal: to reconcile economic growth and the Paris climate protection targets. With a share of around 19 percent of North Rhine-Westphalia’s greenhouse gas emissions, the industry sector bears a special responsibility. The path to climate neutrality requires the individual polluters to jointly shape the change process – including across national borders. On board: six renowned scientific institutions. Under the auspices of the Wuppertal Institute, they are driving forward the work of IN4climate.NRW from a scientific perspective.
