Cefic issues report on measuring and managing carbon emissions in chemical transport

Carbon emissions from passenger and freight transport - currently responsible for the generation of one fifth of total EU GHG emissions - keep growing and this growth is offsetting progress made in other areas.

A new report, prepared for Cefic by Professor Alain McKinnon (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh), aims to provide a better understanding of how to measure and evaluate transport carbon emissions and how emissions could be reduced in chemical transport operations.

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing governments, industries and society. All stakeholders are working on possible solutions and required actions. Major improvements have already been achieved in many areas. The European chemical industry has an excellent track record of improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its operations. Moreover the use of products from the chemical industry, for example in insulation of buildings and in lightweight materials for cars, contributes significantly to energy savings and reduction of GHG emissions.

This report, entitled Measuring and managing CO2 emissions of European chemical transport, reviews possible approaches for measuring transport CO2 emissions and looks at lessons that can be learned from other industry sectors. Based on this review, McKinnon proposes a set of recommended average transport emission factors for the different modes of transport used by the chemical industry, taking into account the specific characteristics of chemical supply chains.
 In a next step the McKinnon report examines a range of possible decarbonisation measures for chemical transport operations, focusing on five key parameters: modal split, supply chain structure, vehicle utilisation, energy efficiency and carbon intensity of the energy source. Opportunities for influencing each of these parameters are assessed, as well as the possible obstacles that need to be overcome. Consideration is also given to the cost-effectiveness of possible measures.

Says Jack Eggels, Chairman of the Cefic SIG Energy, HSE & Logistics: “This report represents the first step in understanding how chemical companies can assess and improve their operations. In commissioning this work, the chemical industry is taking a proactive role as part of its continuing commitment to safe, efficient and sustainable logistics.”

Contact:
Philippe de Casabianca
Senior Counsellor Communication
 
Energy, HSE & Logistics Programme
pca(at)cefic.be
Tel: 0032 (0)2 676 74 52
Mobile: 0032 (0) 497 45 47 90
avenue E van Nieuwenhuyse 4
B-1160 Brussels
Cefic –  European Chemical Industry Council (www.cefic.be)