This week and next, thousands of experts, government officials, industry representatives, and NGOs are meeting in Durban, South Africa for the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The UNFCCC sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to address climate change. The ultimate objective of the Convention is “to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.”
The chemistry industry is already a key player in developing a low carbon economy. A new video from the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) highlights how products made from chemicals help reduce carbon emissions in many ways:
- Insulation materials in buildings, which reduce heat lost by buildings and thus the use of heating fuel, result in the largest reduction in emissions;
- Energy-saving light bulbs produced with chemicals produce the same amount of light as regular light bulbs with only a quarter of the energy;
- Plastics packaging is much lighter than packaging made from other materials, which means that less energy is needed to transport them;
- Plastics used in manufacturing automobiles are making cars much lighter, saving energy in this area as well;
- Wind turbines, made of chemical composites, provide technologies for harvesting renewable energy.
The video highlights these and other findings from the industry’s comprehensive global carbon life-cycle (cLCA) report, which highlights the vital role of this industry in reducing GHG emissions by making products that save energy and create a net emission reduction along the value chain. Through these and other efforts, the chemistry industry has substantial potential to help further reduce GHG emissions globally.
