Atlas Copco raises climate ambitions

Atlas Copco has announced that it has set science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Group aims to reduce emissions from its own operations in line with keeping the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees, and to reduce emissions from the value chain in line with keeping well below a 2-degree temperature rise. The goals are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.

“We are significantly raising our climate ambitions by setting absolute reduction goals for the entire value chain,” said Mats Rahmström, President & CEO of the Atlas Copco Group. “The absolute majority of our impact comes from the use of our products and this is where we can make the most impact. We will continue to develop energy-efficient solutions that enable customers all over the world to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.”

Atlas Copco said that it has for a long time worked to offer the most energy-efficient products and solutions. In its own operations, there is a focus on buying renewable electricity, installing solar panels, switching to biofuels in portable compressor testing, implementing energy conservation measures, logistics planning improvements as well as switching to more environmentally friendly transport. This has resulted in a 28% reduction of CO₂ emissions from the energy consumption in operations and transport of goods in relation to cost of sales and compared to a 2018 baseline.

To reach the targets, Atlas Copco said it will continue to focus on increasing the energy efficiency of products and supporting customers to reach their own sustainability ambitions, as well as reducing emissions from its own operations.

“To reach a net zero-carbon world, there is a need to transform society,” Rahmström said. “We contribute to this transformation by developing technologies and products needed for heat recovery, renewable sources of energy and the abatement of greenhouse gases. We provide the products and solutions needed in, for example, the production of electrical vehicles, wind and solar power and biofuels.”

The company said its science-based targets will be implemented from 2022.

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