Change for climate

The climate is changing.
So are we.

The greatest challenge of the 21st century is here. So, to protect the climate, we’re changing – in ways that might surprise you…

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Change for climate

Change for climate

Change for the climate

Our goal is net-zero emissions by 2050. How is that possible for a company in the energy-intensive chemical industry? It’s ambitious, for sure. But we’re confident we can get there. That’s because, in our pursuit of change, we’re leaving no stone unturned, questioning everything that can be questioned, and finding inspiration in surprising places.

Click on the pictures below to find out more.

The climate is changing and so are we: These are our projects to make it happen

A green engine for chemistry

Steam crackers are the engines at the heart of the chemical industry. The high-temperature, gas-powered furnaces are essential for basic chemical production, but the process is energy-intensive and emits significant amounts of CO2. To address this challenge, we have started construction of the world’s first electrically heated steam cracker furnace.

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Learning from sharks

Sharks are amazing. Ever noticed how easily they glide through water? We did, and we wondered how they do that. And can we learn from them how to help people travel more efficiently, and save fuel in the process?

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Tracing fashion – from seed to sew 

Would you like to be able to trace your new shirt all the way to the cotton farm and make absolutely sure it’s produced in a more sustainable way? We’re doing our part in revolutionizing the supply chain for high-quality cotton by supporting sustainable farming and ensuring every shirt is traceable from seed to sew.

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The ultimate tailwind?

To protect the climate, we have to think hard about the energy we use to power our sites. That’s why we’re investing in the world’s biggest subsidy-free offshore wind farm. The first sustainable energy was delivered to the grid in 2022, and the farm is expected to be fully operational in 2024.

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Driving in circles

Most people accept that for cars, the future is electric. But we’re going further – we’re recycling electric vehicle (EV) battery materials. We want to close the loop on EV sustainability.

Learn more

If insulated walls could talk…

They’d tell you about innovative housing materials that use less energy while helping to heat and cool homes like Containerwerk’s ‘tiny houses’ made from upcycled shipping containers.

Learn more

The climate is changing and so are we: These are our projects to make it happen

A green engine for chemistry

Steam crackers are the engines at the heart of the chemical industry. The high-temperature, gas-powered furnaces are essential for basic chemical production, but the process is energy-intensive and emits significant amounts of CO2. To address this challenge, we have started construction of the world’s first electrically heated steam cracker furnace.

Learn more

Learning from sharks

Sharks are amazing. Ever noticed how easily they glide through water? We did, and we wondered how they do that. And can we learn from them how to help people travel more efficiently, and save fuel in the process?

Learn more

Tracing fashion – from seed to sew 

Would you like to be able to trace your new shirt all the way to the cotton farm and make absolutely sure it’s produced in a more sustainable way? We’re doing our part in revolutionizing the supply chain for high-quality cotton by supporting sustainable farming and ensuring every shirt is traceable from seed to sew.

Learn more

The ultimate tailwind?

To protect the climate, we have to think hard about the energy we use to power our sites. That’s why we’re investing in the world’s biggest subsidy-free offshore wind farm. The first sustainable energy was delivered to the grid in 2022, and the farm is expected to be fully operational in 2024.

Learn more

If insulated walls could talk…

They’d tell you about innovative housing materials that use less energy while helping to heat and cool homes like Containerwerk’s ‘tiny houses’ made from upcycled shipping containers.

Learn more

Driving in circles

Most people accept that for cars, the future is electric. But we’re going further – we’re recycling electric vehicle (EV) battery materials. We want to close the loop on EV sustainability.

Learn more

It is the people who make change for climate possible at BASF 

Watch what happens behind the scenes: With every small action BASF takes to change for the climate it’s actually the people behind the scenes making climate protection a priority. It is their passion and their drive that makes the transformation possible.

We call them our Change Makers – and these are their stories...

A detailed roadmap to ensure we act with rigor.

 

The picture shows two buttons with each an icon in it symbolizing the four pillars of change supporting climate change at BASF , in this case a wind turbine with the headline "Investing in renewable energy" and an arrow with the headline "Cutting emissions at our sites"

Most of our direct CO2 emissions occur in the production of base chemicals. That’s why we’re fundamentally rethinking the way we produce and are pushing ahead with the switch to CO2-free or low-CO2 processes. We plan to make the first large plants almost climate neutral by 2030.

Female engineer in BASF-branded protective clothing and helmet looks into a piece of equipment at BASF’s methane pyrolysis test facility in Ludwigshafen.

As chemistry requires energy, reducing our emissions isn’t just about innovative technologies. It’s also about sourcing renewable energy in huge quantities. That’s why we’re becoming our own renewable energy producer. We’ve also signed several long-term power purchase agreements for renewable energy.

A wide view of a blue ocean with waves taken from above, showing two rows of wind turbines stretching into the distance and an offshore platform with helicopter landing pad in the foreground.
The picture shows two buttons with each an icon in it symbolizing the four pillars of change supporting climate change at BASF , in this case a recycling symbol with the headline "Recycling the things we value" and a footprint with the headline "Reducing your carbon footprint"

We know that we need to consider sustainability beyond our production. So, to contribute to the circular economy, we’re rethinking our raw materials. This includes our efforts to make sure value materials are used more than once, allowing us to produce in a more environmentally friendly way and save waste at the same time. 

Overhead view of a mass of colored plastic waste including food packaging, disposable cups and bottles – the edges of picture are blurred to give the impression that the waste is spinning in a circle.

We know that all kinds of people want to buy products with a significantly reduced or even net-zero carbon footprint. That’s why so many of our products are created to help other companies and their customers reach their climate targets.

A female production worker wearing protective gloves, safety glasses and hairnet inspects a bottle of green-blue colored shower gel on a production line.

We have an established track record in reducing our global CO2 emissions. Since 1990, we’ve almost halved them. And, by 2030, we want to reduce our emissions by a quarter compared to 2018. By 2050, in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement, we’re aiming for net-zero CO­2 emissions1. 
 

1 The goal includes Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Other greenhouse gases are converted into CO2 equivalents according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Watch us, we are changing.

 

Find out how BASF is changing to protect the climate:

Aerial view of a lush green forest with wisps of cloud and three narrow lakes shaped like a circle of three arrows to symbolize recycling.
Our climate goals
We have set ourselves ambitious goals and are striving worldwide to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
  1. More about our ambitious goals