As we posted yesterday, Aggregate Industries has just released its 2018 sustainability report. AI says:
2018 has been challenging, both politically and economically, and the drought across the UK brought home our fragility in the face of our changing climate.
So how did the company react?
Given the drought, what dramatic cuts did it make to its water use?
Our mains water use has increased to 14 litres/tonne of production, an increase of 1 litre/tonne compared to 2017.
AI reminds us that:
In early 2019 Sir James Bevan, the Head of the Environment Agency said that within 25 years England will not have enough water to meet demand.
Meanwhile, the MPA – the trade body for the UK's aggregates, cement and concrete industries – helpfully reminds us that the climate emergency is climbing the global agenda:
The mineral products industry has a long history of innovation. And with #climatechange climbing the global agenda, research into reducing the #carbon impact of #cement is showing ever-more promising signs: https://t.co/7UQl4kfNKt pic.twitter.com/LgMVPVDYaf— MPA Mineral Products (@MineralProduct) August 30, 2019
Allegedly, AI is determined to reduce its #emissions per tonne:
We're determined to reduce our #emissions per tonne by improving the #energy efficiency of our production facilities. To view our 2020 #climate targets, head on over to our website 👉 https://t.co/zAqrcHgcwz pic.twitter.com/b0x0xTTmLO— Aggregate Industries (@AggregateUK) January 11, 2019
So, given "our fragility in the face of our changing climate", what dramatic cuts did AI make to its CO2 emissions in 2018?
Our emissions intensity (kgCO2e/tonne) showed a modest increase due to issues hampering our attempts to use more biomass and sustainable, waste-derived fuels within our cement operations.
Aggregate Industries is the company that has been promising action on emissions for YEARS. In 2006, it said "climate change... it’s happening and we have to take action now". In 2012, it said "By 2016 we will reduce process carbon emissions by 20%". And yet this is the company’s record:
Back in 2007, the company said:
In our first report in 2000, our reported emissions for 1999 were 228,267 tonnes of CO2.
The company now emits more than 5x that amount – nearly 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 each year.
Last year, we posted If AI’s record is an example of corporate action on climate change, we’re all screwed, and this year that parent company LafargeHolcim is acting in a way that would “wipe out most life on the planet”:
LafargeHolcim’s net CO2 emissions increased in 2018 to 121,000,000 tonnes*, up from 118,000,000 tonnes in 2017, up from 115,000,000 tonnes in 2016
Inhabitants across the world are feeling the full force of our climate emergency at this very moment. Aggregate Industries and parent LafargeHolcim clearly couldn't care.
... companies like @LafargeHolcim for example bring us straight into a 6 degree world.
1e) Und Firmen wie @LafargeHolcim z.B. bringen uns geradewegs in eine 6 Grad-Welt.— Datamap (@datamapio) September 4, 2019
Quelle:
World’s top 500 companies set to miss Paris climate goalshttps://t.co/J8wZpVSc4s pic.twitter.com/cqbiyEbJho
* Net CEM CO2 emissions. Total gross direct CO2 emissions 135Mt. Total indirect CO2 emissions 30Mt. Source: LafargeHolcim Sustainability Report 2018
