16 Dec 2015
The 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was held in Paris, where 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal. The ambitious and balanced agreement, the first major multilateral deal of the 21st century, sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by keeping global temperatures well below 2°C above pre-industrial times and to endeavor to limit them even more, to 1.5°C.
According to European Environment Agency 2014 was the hottest year on record. It was also one more year in series of increasingly warm decades. Greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere need to be reduced substantially to keep global temperatures well below 2°C above pre-industrial times and to minimise the impacts of climate change. Governments can set targets, but it is ultimately up to industry, businesses, local authorities, and households to take action. This action must aim to ensure that emissions are reduced, atmospheric greenhouse-gas concentrations stabilized, temperature rises halted, and climate change limited.
"We are hopeful for the positive effect of the agreement to carbon reduction. We believe that it will have a positive effect on the insulation industry in the long-term as the easiest and most significant way we can reduce energy demand and related greenhouse gas emissions is by thoroughly insulating our buildings", says Kari Lehtinen, CEO of Paroc Group.
The European Commission has established a long term objective of decreasing the CO2 emission levels for building sector by 88-90% in 2050 as compared to 1990 levels. According to the European Insulation Manufacturers Association, the only way to meet this target is through intense renovation of the EU building stock. Buildings are responsible for 36% of Europe’s CO2 emissions. There is huge potential for reducing carbon emissions by improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Insulation may account for as much as 75% of the total energy reduction potential of buildings; approximately 460 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
