Industry tightens emissions reduction targets

An image showing the BASF SE chemical plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany

Source: © Alex Kraus/Bloomberg/Getty Images

As COP26 approaches, many firms are announcing ambitious climate goals. But are they achievable?

At June’s G7 meeting, leaders pledged to take action to decarbonise industrial sectors such as chemicals and petrochemicals by harnessing collective strengths in science and innovation. The chemicals sector has some catching up to do if it’s to achieve the deep decarbonisation required to put the world on track to avoid the most dangerous increases in temperature. And such is its reach into every sector of society, its action is pivotal to enable the world to reach net zero.