Climate and industry: Taking action across the value chainValue chainAll activities, stakeholders and flows upstream, within and downstream of a company, from raw-material purchasing through product use and end of life.
Climate changeClimate changeA long-term change in climate patterns, now primarily driven by the rise in human-induced greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. is one of the main environmental and economic challenges facing industrial companies. It is primarily caused by the accumulation in the atmosphere of greenhouse gases (GHGs)Greenhouse gases (GHGs)Gases in the atmosphere that retain part of the Earth’s heat radiation and contribute to global warming; examples include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. generated by the use of fossil fuels, industrial production, transport and, more broadly, our patterns of production and consumption.
The Paris AgreementParis AgreementInternational agreement adopted in 2015 to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C. aims to keep the increase in the global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. At European level, this ambition is reflected in particular in the objective of climate neutralityClimate neutralityA state in which the net impact of human activities on the climate is zero. At European Union level, this objective is set for 2050. by 2050 and a net reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990.
In France, the National Low-Carbon Strategy (SNBC) sets out the emissions reduction pathway and supports the progressive transition of the various sectors of the economy towards carbon neutralityCarbon neutralityA situation in which greenhouse gas emissions within a defined scope are balanced by equivalent removals or absorptions; when used at company level, the term should be applied cautiously and with a clearly defined scope..
The low-carbon transitionLow-carbon transitionThe progressive transformation of activities, technologies and organisational models in order to achieve substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions. presents a particular challenge for the metals industry.
Metal processing, machining, the operation of industrial equipment, raw material procurement, subcontracting and transport all require energy and resources throughout the value chain.
For a manufacturing SME such as MATISSART, specialising in the design, manufacture and maintenance of extrusion blow moulds, the climate challenge therefore extends beyond the site’s own energy consumption.
A significant proportion of the carbon footprintCarbon footprintThe total quantity of greenhouse gas emissions directly and indirectly associated with an activity, organisation, product or service, generally expressed in CO₂e. occurs upstream and downstream of our operations: the production of purchased metals and components, subcontracted services, freight transport, travel and capital goods.
DecarbonisationDecarbonisationThe progressive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activity, product, process or value chain. therefore requires simultaneous action on energy performanceEnergy performanceA measurable result relating to the use and consumption of energy by a building, piece of equipment, process or organisation., process efficiency, more economical use of materials, equipment durability, procurement, and cooperation with suppliers and partners.
