We need to change our production and consumption to avoid the collapse of planetary boundaries. The transition to a just and green economy can only succeed if business and society unite with a holistic approach to solving the sustainability dilemmas of social inequality, the nature crisis and the looming climate emergency.
We will not solve the climate emergency unless we also protect and restore nature, and reduce social inequalities. In addition, the transition to a circular economy has become an essential concept for reconciling the objectives of economic growth and sustainable development, by decoupling production from resource depletion. Recycling is one of the fastest ways towards zero-carbon aluminum production and an integral part of Hydro’s 2030 strategy. By recycling post-consumer scrap, which is aluminum that has lived a past life as a product, we are able to produce aluminum with a carbon footprint 30 times lower than the industry average.
Since 1990, we have cut carbon emissions in half, while almost doubling our production. By 2030, we will cut our total carbon emissions by 30 percent compared to a 2018 baseline and deliver industrial scale pilot volumes based on emission free smelting technology.
As we take the next step towards pioneering the green aluminum transition, powered by renewable energy, we are rethinking every step of our value chain, ensuring transparency and minimizing harmful practices from the mine to the end-product. Production of zero-emission materials is not fully sustainable without also contributing to a nature positive and socially just transition.
Our sustainability approach:
- Contributing to a just transition by providing jobs, supporting local communities with education and social programs, and actively engaging with our suppliers to uphold human rights
- Contributing to a nature positive future by minimizing the environmental impact of our operations and our supply chain, and investing in research, partnerships and innovation to transform our sector and have a positive impact upon the landscapes where we operate
- Decarbonizing by switching to renewable energy sources wherever possible, increasing scrap collecting and recycling, and implementing cutting-edge smelting technology that removes carbon emissions from aluminum production
Updated: February 5, 2025
