Bookmark 02-15-2008

BASF Presents its Carbon Balance

BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, German, is the world’s first company to present a comprehensive carbon balance for its operations. The results show that BASF products can save three times more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire amount caused by the production and disposal of the company’s products. The carbon balance shows for the first time not only emissions from BASF’s production, but also takes into account emissions from raw materials and precursors as well as the disposal of all products. In addition, the company has looked at the product lifecycle of 90 key products that save CO₂ emissions when used in end products. An independent third party, the Öko-Institut in Freiburg, Germany, has confirmed BASF’s calculations. The company is developing technologies and materials for sustainable climate protection. The company also wants to further improve on what it has achieved in the areas of climate protection and energy efficiency. By 2020, BASF aims to reduce its specific greenhouse gas emissions, i.e., per metric ton of product sold, by 25% compared with 2002. To emphasize the strategic importance of climate protection, BASF will appoint a Climate Protection Officer for the first time.