Efficiency savings success prompts BASF to double its 2020 emissions reduction target

BASF has announced new emissions targets after going well beyond its 2020 targets nearly a decade ahead of schedule.

Since 2002, the German chemicals multinational has achieved a 35% emissions reduction, ten percentage points above its original 2020 ambition. It says in its latest integrated financial and CSR report that it will now aim at 40% by 2020, almost doubling its initial target.

Having also achieved its commitment to a 25% energy efficiency improvement after a 2.1% increase last year, BASF has extended this target to 35%.

BASF, whose revenue last year was €73bn ($96bn, £61bn), attributed the achievement to improvements in production processes, though the figures exclude oil and gas operations, in which the company is also intent on making energy improvements.

BASF is near its 2020 sustainability targets on other issues including gas flaring, water emissions and transport accidents.

BASF board member Margret Suckale said: "Since BASF operates in an energy-intensive industry, our success depends on securing a long-term, competitive supply of energy and raw materials. Therefore, we are constantly working on boosting our worldwide energy efficiency."