Chemours announces net zero goals

Chemours has announced plans to achieve a 60% absolute reduction of operations-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. It warned, however, that achieving this “will require significant collaboration in both the public and private sectors to deliver technological innovation and government policies that enable and incentivise the transition to a greener economy”.

Using a holistic approach, Chemours will continue to enhance emission control technologies and drive energy efficiency improvements company-wide so as to reduce Scope 1 (direct) emissions and it will increase the amount of electricity and other energy generated from renewable sources to reduce Scope 2 (indirect) emissions. It will announce its goals related to Scope 3 emissions from its value chain later.

As part of this, the company has named Sheryl Telford, currently VP of EHS and corporate responsibility, to the newly created position of chief sustainability officer. This will involve “establishing [external] strategic collaborations and partnerships … to advance Chemours’ sustainability efforts and advocate for sustainable, science-based policy and regulation”, the company said.

Earlier, Chemours had initiated a strategic review to assess the potential sale of its Mining Solutions business in Memphis, Tennessee. This part of the Chemours Chemical Solutions segment and is one of the largest North American producers of solid sodium cyanide for the extraction of gold and silver from mined ores. The move is part of the firm’s ongoing portfolio evaluation.