Aluminium sector seeks role in climate meet

LONDON (Commodity Online): International Aluminium Institute (IAI) called on negotiators at the UNFCCC Copenhagen Climate Change meeting to include aluminium in its discussions to ensure the significant and long term task of addressing climate changes will be based on a bottom up approach that encourages participation at all levels. IAI chairman and deputy CEO of UC RUSAL Artem Volynets said: “The biggest task for governments is engaging and informing the community across all levels, from producer to consumer about the role they can play in improving the transformation of resources, including energy, from raw material to consumer goods and then to reuse.” Volynets noted “our industry is committed to maintaining the position of aluminium as one of the most sustainable and preferred materials in building, transport and packaging.” “Through its annual global surveys, the aluminium industry reports key sustainability indicators in greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, environment, health & safety performance, recycling and use phase benefits of aluminium applications. Around 300 million tonnes CO2e GHG emissions were potentially saved through aluminium vehicle light weighting applications in 2008. And, 9 million tonnes of aluminium recycled from post-consumer scrap annually, saving 80 million tonnes CO2e, with additional savings from the 9 million tonnes of pre-consumer scrap recycled every year. Volynets said: “These are excellent achievements by any measure and demonstrate the value of governments engaging with industry. Industry has demonstrated that it is an integral part of the response to GHG mitigation. Government can improve the effectiveness of its policy response to GHG by engaging with industry early in the development process.”