We need to ‘defossilise’ our chemicals

Imagine living without medication, fertilisers, fabrics, paints, or cleaning materials. Could you?

The chemicals industry is instrumental in nearly every part of our modern daily lives. Spanning diverse sectors, chemicals are used to manufacture around 70,000 products

Largely relying on fossil fuels, chemicals are the second-highest emitter of carbon dioxide. 

There’s an urgent need to develop climate-friendly ways of producing the chemicals that make life possible.

A new study, funded by PwC Germany and conducted by the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF), stresses the need for a swift transition to a low- and zero-emissions energy supply to meet global net-zero targets by 2050.

The research outlines pathways to 'defossilise' the industry for seven major chemicals. These chemicals currently account for 74% of the industry's energy use and 97% of energy-related emissions in G20 countries. 

The projected production of these chemicals is set to rise by 70% from 2020 to 2050.

“We need a quick scale-up of renewable energy supply and novel sustainable production technologies for a Paris aligned 1.5°C mitigation pathway for the chemical industry,” says ISF Senior Research Consultant Maartje Feenstra.

Sustainable chemical pathways

With governments around the world looking to reduce carbon emissions in the global effort to tackle human-induced climate change, the chemical industry will need to play its part.

This latest study analysed the different greenhouse gas reduction pathways, investment requirements and provide further valuable insights into net-zero strategies.

These sustainable chemical pathways were developed using ISF’s One Earth Climate Model (OECM). 

Transforming the chemicals industry is essential not only for environmental sustainability but for future growth and employment opportunities. The industry's role in producing essential goods positions it uniquely to drive broader economic transitions toward sustainability.