Update on mid-century strategy (April)

The Cefic’s mid-century strategy – to be published in June 2019 – will present the European chemical industry’s view on society and on the chemical industry towards midcentury. It is an initiative of the European chemical industry to describe a plausible path towards a decarbonised, fully circular, cleaner future in the year 2050.

The draft 40-page document highlights the European chemical industry’s past GHG emissions reduction performance (-61% since 1990 even as production increased by 83%) and predicts that by 2050, based on the current technological developments, the industry should reduce its GHG emissions by a further 50% compared with today’s levels. However, it would require an enormous effort by the industry and society and the right framework conditions. All technical solutions, including carbon capture and storage and re-using CO2 as a feedstock, will be necessary to reduce the industry’s GHG emissions. The report also indicates that fossil fuels will remain the most important source of feedstock, enabled by a sustainable and circular management of carbon cycles.

The report should be finalised and launched in June.