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February 5, 2008
Alcoa signs a voluntary agreement with the Minister of Environment of Spain and the regional governments of Asturias and Galicia to reduce greenhouse gas emission
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The president of Alcoa Spain, José Ramón Camino de Miguel, signs today -together with Ministry of Environment, Cristina Narbona Ruiz, the councillors of Environment from Asturias and Galicia, Belén Fernández González and Manuel Vázquez Fernández respectively-, a voluntary agreement by which Alcoa undertakes the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Alcoa facilities in both regions.
Following this voluntary agreement, the Alcoa plants in A Coruña, Avilés (Asturias) and San Ciprián (Lugo) undertake the reduction 100.000 tons of CO2 equivalent, through 2008-2012. These facilities have a total production capacity of 410.000 t/year of primary aluminium.
Alcoa engages on this commitment on a voluntary basis following a previous 75% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions during 1995-2005, through best practices development and production process optimization, despite 10% increment of its production during this period of time.
The scope of this agreement covers greenhouse gas emissions from 2008 to 2012, and will mean a seven times reduction compared to 1995.
Alcoa bases its reduction target in the implementation of innovative techniques in process control and the modernization projects of Avilés and A Coruña facilities, involving up to 70 millions euros.
A monitoring commission will be created within the voluntary agreement and will evaluate the fulfillment of the committed objectives. Alcoa will present a periodic report on the results achieved to the entered parts of the agreement.
This commitment is enclosed in the Alcoa strategy for sustainable development, environmental leadership and technological innovation, facing the current challenges of aluminum industry. Also, it follows the Spanish public administration objectives after the Kyoto Protocol ratification, in order to make compatible social and economical progress and environmental respect, specially related to climate change, to improve life quality for our generation and the next ones.
Alcoa, the ministry of Environment and Asturias and Galicia governments strongly believe that the commitments reached through this voluntary agreement will allow Spanish electrolysis aluminum sector to develop their activities with an important improvement of greenhouse gas emissions and will contribute to reinforce Spanish strategy against climate change.
Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminium, fabricated aluminium and alumina facilities, and is active in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production, and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses as a single solution to customers. The company has 116,000 employees in 44 countries.
In Spain, Alco is also the leading producer of aluminum, the sole producer of alumina and primary aluminum and the principal aluminum flat rolled products. The company has 4,500 employees and also manufactures innovative solutions for customers in world principal markets.
Alcoa quotes in Dow Jones Index of New York. The company forms part of the United States Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) and leaderships for the fourth consecutive year the world ranking of 100 Sustainable Corporations, published in Davos Economical Forum 2008.
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