Reduction of Environmental Load / GHG Emission Reduction (Scope1&2)
The Kuraray Group has set out a roadmap for reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG Emissions with the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Scope1 and Scope 2 GHG Emissions won’t be increased by 2026 (compared to 2019) which is the final year of the Medium-Term Management Plan by pursuing the concrete measures listed on the roadmap. After then, we will aim for 30% of the reduction compared to 2019 by 2030 and targeting net zero carbon emissions by 2050. To this end, we plan to invest 80 billion Japanese Yen in GHG emission reduction by 2030.
In 2023, as in the previous year, we took measures to promote the greening of electricity, including the purchase at overseas Group companies of Unbundled Energy Attribute Certificates (renewable energy certificates). We also saw a significant decline in greenhouse gas emissions in line with lower levels of production in Japan and abroad amid soft demand in the second half of the year.
In the United States, we formed a cross-organizational project team to explore Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) for the carbon that is a by-product of coal-based activated carbon production. We are seeking to expand this initiative as a corporate project. In 2023, we selected CO2 capture equipment sufficient in scale to cope with the emissions of the various plants of Calgon Carbon Corporation from among multiple candidates, by looking at the track record of capture equipment already up and running. We also studied relevant options from a list for a CO2 storage project in the area around the Pearl River Plant, including the possibility of gaining eligibility under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.
In Japan, meanwhile, we decided in 2023 to join the GX (Green Transformation) League following our endorsement in 2022 of its founding charter, the GX League Basic Concept. Given the challenges of driving forward greenhouse gas emission reduction initiatives through the isolated action of one company, we will now look at outside tie-ups with industry, government, and academic institutions, aiming to achieve our greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Planet Global Warming Prevention / GHG Emissions and Reduction Measures
