Background
Based on the reports from the United Nations expert group (IPCC) on climate change no real doubt exists that man made CO2 emissions has given rise to higher temperatures globally. If present development continues, the climate will change dramatically within a few decades. Therefore mitigations are needed at global, regional and at company levels.
Position on global warming
Novozymes is committed to reducing CO2 emissions and to increasingly be part of the solution. Novozymes strongly believes that industrial biotechnology potentially can add significantly to sustainable development. Thereby industrial growth and welfare can be decoupled from CO2 emissions and the resulting climate change. However, we all have an obligation - and in particular the industry itself - to focus much more on energy efficiency and CO2 reductions to act responsibly.
Committed to contribute to global CO2 emission reductions
Novozymes is providing biotechnology solutions for the industry - mainly enzymes and microorganisms - substituting conventional technologies that consume more energy and have a greater environmental impact. It has been documented that industrial biotechnology can offer big energy savings and thereby reductions in CO2 emissions.
Based on life cycle assessments (LCA) it can be calculated that our customers’ application of Novozymes products – as alternatives to conventional technologies – reduces global emissions by around 30 mio tons of CO2 per year. A target for Novozymes is to increase these annual reductions to 75 mio tons of CO2 in 2015. This will be achieved by developing new products, finding new applications, and expanding our existing markets.
Novozymes’ own production and our suppliers’ production give a total emission of around 0.8 mio tons of CO2 per year. Even though this is by far counterbalanced by our products contribution to CO2 emission reductions, we also need as a company to focus on energy efficiency and savings. It is a prerequisite to acting responsibly and staying competitive in the long run. Therefore Novozymes has embarked on an ambitious energy strategy with the target of improving the energy efficiency with more than 50 % in 2015 compared to 2005 and thereby halving our energy use per produced kilo of product. We will also, by 2020, strive to be using renewable energy to cover 50% of our energy use.
In Novozymes we are committed to contribute to global CO2 emission reductions. We are convinced that our technology will play a role globally and we will as a company show dedication to a sustainable development.
Inquiry on Novozymes and global warming
You are welcome to contact Novozymes for more information on our position on global warming here