Posted on 24 June 2011
Gland, Switzerland – WWF and Lafarge, the
world’s largest cement maker, today agreed
to continue working together to further
reduce the company’s greenhouse gas emissions
and to help build hundreds of energy-efficient
buildings – targets that will help fight
the effects of climate change.
As part of its ongoing partnership with
WWF, Lafarge committed to further reduce
its net greenhouse gas emissions by 33 percent
per ton of cement below 11000 levels by
2020. This will be achieved by increasing
the use of alternative fuels (such as biomass)
and the efficiency of Lafarge’s plants.
In an innovative approach to sustainability,
the company also pledged to be part of the
development of 500 sustainable buildings
across the globe by 2015, and to advocate
for ambitious national and global climate
change policies.
As part of its commitment,
Lafarge will work with its customers, architects,
engineering companies, designers and construction
companies to develop new innovative technology
platforms and new construction systems,
which will be used in the energy efficient
buildings.
"Working with companies like Lafarge
is an essential part of our efforts to address
climate change,” said Bruce Haase, Acting
Head Climate and Business Engagement, WWF
International. "By working with the
corporations with the highest carbon footprint,
you can have a significant and measurable
impact. Lafarge will help advance our work
to move the world to a low carbon society.”
“The partnership and the new commitments
will also enable us to reinforce our policy
work,” Haase said. “One of the biggest policy
challenge we would like to engage Lafarge
on, is moving greenhouse gas emissions reductions
in the European Union from the current 20
percent target, to 30% by 2020.”
Lafarge and WWF have
been working together for 10 years to reduce
the company’s carbon footprint by improving
its work practices and sustainability strategy.
The company has been a member of WWF’s Climate
Savers Programme since 2001 and has already
exceeded previously set emissions reductions
targets, leading to net emission reduction
of 21.7% per ton of cement below 11000 levels
in 2010.
“Lafarge is showing
leadership by ensuring the targets cover
all aspects of its work, from extraction
to the construction of buildings, and including
climate change policy”, Haase said. “In
an industry that accounts for 6 percent
of global greenhouse gas emissions, this
will have a measurable impact.”
The two partners have been working together
on a progressively wider array of issues,
ranging from greenhouse gas emissions reduction
and forest restoration, to biodiversity,
sustainable construction, water footprint
and persistent pollutants.
