Ref. Ares(2016)810029 - 16/02/2016
Open letter to the European Council, European Commission
and European Parliament
THE EUROPEAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
BACKS STRONG GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE AGREEMENT AT COP 21
Open letter to the European Council, European Commission
and European Parliament
We, leaders of the European chemical industry, applaud the diplomatic ef orts to
achieve an ambitious and global y-binding agreement in the Paris climate negotiations.
Climate action is needed worldwide, to truly protect future generations from this global
problem.
Today, the chemical industry is a pil ar of the European economy: a €551 bil ion industry
in 2014 with a significant trade surplus of €43.5 bil ion, providing over 1 mil ion direct
jobs and nearly 2.5 mil ion indirect jobs in Europe.
We believe the chemical industry is also a pil ar of tomorrow’s low carbon economy.
We represent a creative industry, whose greenhouse gas emissions have fal en by 54%
on 1990 levels while production grew by 70%. So, we want to set the record straight
that Cefic does, and will continue to, support ef orts by European governments and
institutions to achieve a competitive, low-carbon economy.
Chemistry is often all but invisible yet essential to consumers’ everyday lives: from health
and hygiene to transport, construction and computing. Chemical innovation enables
current and future climate change solutions, including renewable energy, energy storage
and thousands of products to improve energy efficiency, such as in vehicles and buildings.
In future years, chemical companies around the world will develop many more of these
innovative and important solutions.
For now, Europe’s chemical industry is facing the reality of ever fiercer global
competition. It must remain competitive in order to continue being innovative.
Climate change policy leadership in Europe should not come at the expense of
‘investment leakage’ – the ef ect of regional imbalances in climate regulations and
associated cost dif erences that lead to the relocation of carbon emissions but not to
an overall global reduction. For this reason we would warmly welcome a successful
outcome in the Paris climate negotiations. Meanwhile Europe’s policymakers also need
to make certain that measures are in place ensuring energy-intensive industries are not
exposed to investment leakage in any scenario. European deindustrialisation is not and
should never be seen as a viable option on the journey to decarbonisation.
We wish success to all involved in the negotiations in Paris.
Open letter to the European Council, European Commission
and European Parliament
We, leaders of the European chemical industry, applaud the diplomatic ef orts to
achieve an ambitious and global y-binding agreement in the Paris climate negotiations.
Climate action is needed worldwide, to truly protect future generations from this global
problem.
Today, the chemical industry is a pil ar of the European economy: a €551 bil ion industry
in 2014 with a significant trade surplus of €43.5 bil ion, providing over 1 mil ion direct
jobs and nearly 2.5 mil ion indirect jobs in Europe.
We believe the chemical industry is also a pil ar of tomorrow’s low carbon economy.
We represent a creative industry, whose greenhouse gas emissions have fal en by 54%
on 1990 levels while production grew by 70%. So, we want to set the record straight
that Cefic does, and will continue to, support ef orts by European governments and
institutions to achieve a competitive, low-carbon economy.
Chemistry is often all but invisible yet essential to consumers’ everyday lives: from health
and hygiene to transport, construction and computing. Chemical innovation enables
current and future climate change solutions, including renewable energy, energy storage
and thousands of products to improve energy efficiency, such as in vehicles and buildings.
In future years, chemical companies around the world will develop many more of these
innovative and important solutions.
For now, Europe’s chemical industry is facing the reality of ever fiercer global
competition. It must remain competitive in order to continue being innovative.
CEO Signatories
Jean-Pierre Clamadieu,
Joao Fugas,
Giorgio Squinzi,
President of Cefic,
CUF - Químicos Industriais SA
MAPEI SpA
Solvay SA
Mark Garrett,
Rudolf Staudigl,
Tony Bastock,
Borealis AG
Wacker Chemie AG
Contract Chemicals Ltd
Fréderic Gauchet,
Patrick Thomas,
Kurt Bock,
Minafin Group
Covestro AG
BASF SE
Karl-Ludwig Kley,
Graham van’t Hoff, Executive VP,
Wolfgang Büchele,
Merck KGaA
Shell Chemicals Ltd
Linde AG
Hariolf Kottmann,
Matthias Zachert,
Alain de Krassny,
Clariant
Lanxess AG
Donau Chemie AG
Thierry Le Hénaff,
Maria Victoria Zingoni, Executive MD,
Klaus Engel,
Arkema
Repsol
Evonik Industries AG
Jari Rosendal,
Daniele Ferrari,
Kemira Oyj
Versalis SpA
Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council, founded in
1972, is the voice of 29,000 large, medium and small chemical
companies in Europe, which provide 1.2 million jobs and
account for 17% of world chemical production.
Chemistry making a world of difference
European Chemical Industry Council - Cefic aisbl
Avenue E. van Nieuwenhuyse 4 B-1160 Brussels Belgium
Tel. +32.2.676.72.11
xxxx@xxxxx.xx www.cefic.org
@Cefic