Chemicals sector faces transition dilemma

Transitioning to low-carbon is complicated but represents huge opportunities for the sector, says new report

The chemicals sector could grow annual production by a factor of 2.5 by 2050 while still being aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement, according to a study by consultancy Systemiq. But the sector is lagging on its commitments to decarbonise and is expected to be one of the slowest industries to transition. “The chemicals industry is a complex industry—there is a lot of different parts and processes to it,” report co-author Alexandre Kremer tells Transition Economist. “It is not easy for regulators to get moving and find consensus.” The chemicals sector represents just under 4pc of the 59gt of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. If the industry continued to scale up at its current