Where we are: The 2018 BASF corporate carbon footprint
BASF has published a comprehensive corporate carbon footprint since 2008, the only industrial enterprise worldwide to do so. The annually updated balance gives us pointers on where the influencing factors for preventing greenhouse gas emissions are. So we can check whether we are on the right track for meeting our goals to reduce greenhouse gases.
The basis of our climate protection activities is comprehensive emissions reporting, for which we conduct two separate analyses:
The use of BASF products for climate protection purchased in 2018 is reducing our customers’ emissions from 1,000 to 360 million metric tons of CO2, thus preventing 640 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. Every product makes an individual contribution in the value chain. Assessing the value chains in terms of BASF’s economic share of the respective climate protection product leads to the conclusion that on average, 5% of the emissions avoided were attributable to BASF in 2018. We have compiled further information on our approach for calculating avoided emissions and the results of the assessment in an overview of the approach as well as two case studies (Green Sense® Concrete Solution, External Thermal Insulation Composite System).
Avoided emissions 2018
Balancing sets out three emission ranges (scopes):
The figure below summarizes the emissions along the value chain for 2018 – emissions are given in million metric tons of CO2 equivalents, categories within Scope 3 are shown in parentheses. Emissions in BASF production include Scope 1 and Scope 2 (location-based approach).
Greenhouse gas emissions along the BASF value chain in 2018
In accordance with the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting Standard, we report Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions separately. Regarding Scope 1 emissions resulting from the generation of energy, we also differentiate between emissions from energy production for our own consumption and emissions from energy production for sale to third parties. For Scope 2, we consider the location-based approach as well as the market-based approach.
We report on all emissions from our fully consolidated companies’ production sites worldwide. The emissions of consolidated joint operations are included pro rata, based on our stake. The table shows the development of the BASF Group’s greenhouse gas emissions since 2002.
Million metric tons of CO2 equivalents
BASF operations including the discontinued oil and gas business 2 | 2002 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|
Scope 1 3 |
|||
CO2 (carbon dioxide) 4 |
14.634 | 16.813 | 16.956 |
N2O (nitrous oxide) |
6.407 | 0.747 | 0.740 |
CH4 (methane) |
0.244 | 0.048 | 0.064 |
HFC (hydrofluorocarbons) |
0.061 | 0.081 | 0.091 |
Scope 2 |
|||
CO2 4 |
5.243 | 3.796 | 3.361 |
Total | 26.589 | 21.485 | 21.212 |
Sale of energy to third parties (Scope 1) 5 | |||
CO2 4 | 0.347 | 1.086 | 0.567 |
Total | 26.936 | 22.571 | 21.779 |
Scope 2 (market-based) | |||
CO2 | 4.517 | 3.657 |
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1 BASF reports separately on direct and indirect emissions from the purchase of energy. Scope 1 emissions encompass both direct emissions from production and generation of steam and electricity, as well as direct emissions from the generation of steam and electricity for sale. Scope 2 emissions comprise indirect emissions from the purchase of energy for BASF’s use. 5 Includes sale to BASF Group companies; as a result, emissions reported under Scope 2 can be reported twice in some cases. |
Our list of Scope 3 emissions is based on the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard (Corporate Value Chain Accounting and Reporting Standard). We have checked all 15 categories in this standard for relevance and report the emissions for the 12 relevant categories.
Our Group companies are then consolidated just as in our financial reporting, the exception being the determination of emissions in Scope 3 categories 3, 5 and 9, where we have adopted the same approach as in the reporting for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
No. | Category | GHG Emissions [CO2 equivalents in millions of tons] |
---|---|---|
1 | Purchased goods and services | 48.6 |
2 | Capital goods | 1.9 |
3 | Fuel- and energy-related activities | 2.9 |
4 | Upstream transportation and distribution | 1.9 |
5 | Waste generated in operations | 0.7 |
6 | Business travel | 0.2 |
7 | Employee commuting | 0.2 |
8 | Upstream leased assets | 0.3 |
9 | Downstream transportation and distribution | 1.8 |
10 | Processing of Sold Products | Undetermined1 |
11 | Use of sold products | 41.5 |
12 | End-of-life treatment of sold products | 16.0 |
13 | Downstream leased assets | <0.12 |
14 | Franchises | Not relevant3 |
15 | Investments | 1.9 |
1 For a chemicals company at the beginning of the value chain, such as BASF, the effort to determine Scope 3 emissions from the further processing of our products (Category 11 Processing of Sold Products) is not reasonable. 2 Expert estimate. The activities of BASF as a lessee account for less than 20% of our activities in the area of Leased Assets Upstream (Category 8). 3 BASF does not engage in franchising activities. |
We have summarized the procedure and assumptions in the calculation of emissions in the named categories in our emission report based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standards template.