Agreement on CO2 targets with the Cement Industry
Bern, 10.02.2003 - The CO2 Law and the «SwissEnergy» action plan are having an impact. On Monday Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger signed an agreement with the cement industry on CO2 emissions reduction target. The head of DETEC expressed his satisfaction regarding the implementation of the CO2 Law. Further efforts were, however, necessary.
The Swiss cement industry (cemsuisse) has undertaken to reduce energy related CO2 emissions by 44.2% from the 1990 level by 2010. This drastic reduction is feasible due to the immense efforts on the part of the cement industry to replace coal and oil by alternative fuels. Cement firms mainly use waste oil, dried sewage sludge, bone meal, waste solvents and scrap plastic as alternative fuels. Alternative fuels account for around 40% of the fuels used by cement firms, a high percentage compared to international standards, and the firms intend to maintain that level. In addition, the cement industry has undertaken to reduce additional CO2 emissions resulting from production processes by 30.3% by 2010 compared with the 1990 level. «This means that Switzerland leads the field in terms of sustainable cement production compared with other countries,» cemsuisse Chairman Léo Mittelholzer commented. According to Mittelholzer, the process engineering developed in Switzerland is also being applied in many other countries, thus contributing to sustainable production.
Cemsuisse is the first industrial sector to have signed an agreement on CO2 reduction targets with DETEC after the agreement had been audited by independent experts. In February 2002 an agreement with car importers to lower specific fuel consumption by new cars was signed.
Further efforts needed
Under the SwissEnergy action plan around thirty agreements elaborated by the Energy Agency for the Economy (EnAW) should be submitted by the end of this year.
Cemsuisse's example and the ongoing efforts of the EnAW show that the industry are committed to the climate change policy. The CO2 Law and SwissEnergy are having an impact. The reduction targets of the CO2 Law still have some way to go however, and the introduction of a CO2 tax on heating and motor fuels cannot be ruled out. In accordance with the CO2 Law, CO2 emissions must be reduced overall by 10% by 2010 compared with the 1990 level (heating fuels must be lowered by 15% and motor fuels by 8%: see fact sheet).
Publisher
Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
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