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Abatement of CO2 emissions for a low-carbon society

To address climate change, it is time, more than ever, to take actions. As a responsible company, Air Liquide has long endeavored to protect the environment. In 2018, the Group took a step further with an ambitious commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of its activities. Air Liquide also helps its industrial customers to reduce their carbon emissions, developing new technologies and skills to support their low-carbon transition. Our recent investments in low-carbon hydrogen also demonstrate this commitment.

Reducing our CO2 emissions

Air Liquide has long been committed to a sustainable growth. In 2018, the Group already committed to a 30% reduction of its carbon intensity1, and will fully deliver its objectives by 20252. The Group has now set more ambitious goals to abate CO2 emissions.

-33% carbon emissions by 2035



Air Liquide commits to decreasing its CO2 emissions in absolute value by 33%2 by 2035. This includes direct emissions from its production and cogeneration units, as well as indirect emissions from the production of electricity and steam purchased by the Group for its operations.

Carbon neutrality by 2050

Air Liquide commits to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, aligning the Group with international efforts to reduce global warming, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. This means significantly increasing the use of low-carbon electricity for operations, implementing innovative carbon capture technologies, optimizing supply chains and improving the efficiency of our production units.

Developing low-carbon solutions for our customers and for industries

We're not only reducing our carbon footprint but helping industrial customers do the same. Drawing our technological expertise and capacity for innovation, we're inventing cleaner, more sustainable solutions to reduce their emissions.

For example, the Group is working closely with the steel industry to reduce CO2 emissions by using hydrogen on a large scale during steel manufacturing. We are also developing new technologies to capture and recycle carbon emissions from the steelmaking process.

To strengthen its engagement to the entire value chain and further address CO2 emissions downstream of its operations, Air Liquide has undertaken its first Scope 31 objective to have, within two years, 75% of its Top 50 customers committed to 2050 Carbon neutrality and bring it to 100% by 2035.
1. Other indirect emissions related to the life cycle of products sold by Air Liquide
 

Committing to biodiversity preservation

The Group is taking a commitment to reinforce biodiversity assessment criteria into the investment process for all new projects by 2024 and to develop and implement an aggregated biodiversity indicator by 2025.

 

Accelerating in hydrogen

Hydrogen is a cornerstone of the energy transition. It offers a tremendous growth potential as a competitive low-carbon solution for many applications in the industrial, energy and mobility sectors. Deeply convinced that hydrogen will play a major role in the energy transition, the Group intends to be a key enabler of the hydrogen society thanks to its assets, technology and expertise.

Sales in hydrogen x3



Our hydrogen revenues will at least triple in size, increasing from 2 billion to more than 6 billion euros by 2035.

8 billion euros

Approximately 8 billion euros will be invested in the low-carbon hydrogen supply chain by 2035.

Inauguration of the world's largest low-carbon hydrogen production unit in Canada

In early 2021, Air Liquide inaugurated the world's largest membrane-based low-carbon hydrogen production unit in Bécancour, Canada. Powered by 99% renewable energy, this unit can produce over 8.2 metric tons of low-carbon hydrogen daily – enough to fuel more than 2,000 cars, 16,000 forklifts, 275 buses, or 230 large trucks. This enables the Group to supply its North American industrial customers and mobility markets with decarbonized, high-purity hydrogen and help reduce their carbon footprint.
1. In kg CO2 equivalent/euro of operating income recurring before depreciation and amortization at 2015 exchange rate and excluding IFRS16 for greenhouse gas emissions scopes 1 and 2. Location-based.

2. From 2020 Market-based emissions of 32.5 million tonnes CO2 eq (scopes 1 and 2).