IKEM, the Swedish industry association for innovation and chemical industries have launched the roadmap for a fossil-free future and presented it to Sweden’s Minister for Climate and Environment, Romina Pourmokhtari.
Within the framework of Fossil-Free Sweden, there is now a unified plan for how the industry can contribute to the goal of fossil-free operations by 2045. The roadmap, developed by IKEM (Innovation and Chemical Industries) and Lif (the research-based pharmaceutical companies), outlines a possible path forward and highlights the industry’s commitment to reducing its climate impact and contributing to Sweden’s climate targets.
Twenty-two other industries have already developed roadmaps to demonstrate how they can strengthen their competitiveness by becoming fossil-free or climate-neutral. What sets IKEM’s roadmap apart is the agreement among companies in the innovation and chemical industries that raw materials will be a crucial factor in achieving the climate goal. The chemical, plastics, and pharmaceutical industries need climate-neutral raw materials in the form of carbon atoms, either recycled or bio-based. The target is for 40% of the raw materials used in the chemical industry to be bio-based or recycled by 2035, increasing to 80% by 2045.
Through this, the chemical industry will become a key player in the transition to a climate-neutral Sweden.
Almost everything—96% of all goods produced—depends on chemicals in some way. Chemical products and materials are part of every value chain, meaning the inputs produced by companies in the innovation and chemical industries are indispensable for all industrial activities. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the chemical industry undergoes a paradigm shift, replacing fossil-based raw materials with sustainable alternatives.
Sekab has been an active participant in the development of this roadmap and already only use 100% bio-based raw materials. However, for the industry as a whole, this represents a significant commitment that will require intensified efforts on many fronts.
The roadmap is complete, but the work is just starting. Efforts are now required from both the industry and policymakers.
Read the roadmap here: https://www.ikem.se/globalassets/media-ikem/dokument/rapporter/ffs-ikem-english.pdf