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Contributor: PR Newswire New York
Friday, December 16 2022 - 22:30
AsiaNet
LyondellBasell Increases Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets, Includes Scope 3
HOUSTON and LONDON, Dec. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), a leader in the global chemical industry, today 
announced it will increase the company's 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 
reduction target for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from 30 percent to 42 
percent, relative to a 2020 baseline. In addition, the company will establish a 
2030 scope 3 GHG emissions reduction target of 30 percent, relative to a 2020 
baseline and in accordance with guidelines from the Science Based Targets 
Initiative (SBTi). The company's previously announced goal to achieve net zero 
scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from global operations by 2050 remains unchanged.

"We believe a more ambitious GHG reduction target is achievable and will create 
substantial value for all of our stakeholders," said Peter Vanacker, CEO of 
LyondellBasell. "Reducing emissions while simultaneously building a world-class 
Circular and Low Carbon Solutions business is needed to meet the demands we are 
seeing throughout the value chain.  This approach is not only good for society, 
but also good for business. We will follow a disciplined approach to prioritize 
high-return projects and will continue to meet our return expectations."

Estimates of the capital expenditures necessary to achieve its emissions 
reduction goals are built into the company's long-range plan. These investments 
are not expected to represent a significant portion of total capital 
expenditures over the next three years, nor change the capital allocation 
strategy. While many of the GHG emissions reduction projects are still in the 
early stages of development, the company will evaluate, pursue and prioritize 
its GHG emission investments based on each project's rate of return.

LyondellBasell will submit its climate goals to SBTi to be validated against 
SBTi guidance. The SBTi defines and promotes best practice for corporate GHG 
emissions target setting aligned to the latest climate science.

In the near term, LyondellBasell continues to execute its previously announced 
initiatives to reduce emissions, including:

    - Startup of four power purchase agreements in Texas, representing 
      approximately 400 thousand metric tons of the company's scope 2 GHG 
      emissions annually

    - Phasing out use of coal at its Wesseling, Germany site, reducing the 
      site's scope 2 emissions by about 170 thousand metric tons annually

As announced in April 2022, the company is on track to close its Houston 
refinery by the end of December 2023. This is expected to reduce scope 1 and 
scope 2 GHG emissions by more than 3 million metric tons annually and scope 3 
emissions by approximately 40 million metric tons annually.

LyondellBasell also aims to secure at least 75 percent of its global 
electricity from low carbon power by 2030, a majority of which will come from 
its existing goal to procure a minimum of 50 percent of global electricity from 
renewable sources. 

Many of the GHG emissions reduction initiatives planned for implementation by 
2030 will begin in 2024 and beyond as the company leverages existing asset 
turnaround schedules for its largest sites, including:

     - Process heat recovery projects, electrification of a large process 
       turbine and optimization of steam demand at its site in Wesseling, 
       Germany in 2024

    -- Optimization of heated equipment through advanced digitization, 
       efficiency improvements and fuel management at its site in Channelview, 
       Texas in 2025

In addition, the company's previously announced Circular and Low Carbon 
Solutions business will focus on achieving its goal to produce and market 2 
million metric tons of recycled and renewable-based polymers annually by 2030, 
further reducing scope 3 emissions.   

Value chain collaboration remains a top priority for the company. Most 
recently, LyondellBasell joined the World Economic Forum Low Carbon Emitting 
Technologies (LCET) ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3738659-1&h=2705565207&u=https%3A%2F%2Finitiatives.weforum.org%2Flow-carbon-emitting-technologies-initiative%2Fhome&a=World+Economic+Forum+Low+Carbon+Emitting+Technologies+(LCET) 
) group to help accelerate the development and upscaling of the low carbon 
emitting technologies required for the chemical industry and related value 
chains to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Additional information regarding the company's transition plan, climate risk 
and capital allocation approach and its alignment to the Task Force on 
Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) requirements will be included in 
the 2022 LyondellBasell Sustainability Report. For more information on the 
company's approach to sustainability, click here ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3738659-1&h=823881320&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lyondellbasell.com%2Fen%2Fsustainability%2F&a=here 
).

About LyondellBasell

As a leader in the global chemical industry, LyondellBasell strives every day 
to be the safest, best operated and most valued company in our industry. The 
company's products, materials and technologies are advancing sustainable 
solutions for food safety, access to clean water, healthcare and fuel 
efficiency in more than 100 international markets. LyondellBasell places high 
priority on diversity, equity and inclusion and is Advancing Good with an 
emphasis on our planet, the communities where we operate and our future 
workforce. The company takes great pride in its world-class technology and 
customer focus. LyondellBasell has stepped up its circularity and climate 
ambitions and actions to address the global challenges of plastic waste and 
decarbonization. In 2022, LyondellBasell was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine's 
"World's Most Admired Companies" for the fifth consecutive year. For more 
information, please visit www.LyondellBasell.com or follow @LyondellBasell ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3738659-1&h=3130598053&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Flyondell-basell%2Fmycompany%2Fverification%2F&a=%40LyondellBasell 
) on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements 
The statements in this release relating to matters that are not historical 
facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are 
based upon the expectations and assumptions of management of LyondellBasell, 
including expectations based on third-party information and projections, which 
are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant 
risks and uncertainties. When used in this release, the words "estimate," 
"believe," "continue," "could," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," 
"strategy," "goal," "ambition," "achieve," "pathway," "enable," "target," 
"should," "will," "expect," and similar expressions are intended to identify 
forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain 
such identifying words. In addition, statements that refer to LyondellBasell's 
2030 goals, net zero goal and related efforts, activities and expected capital 
expenditures are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ 
materially based on factors including, but not limited to, market conditions, 
the business cyclicality of the chemical, polymers and refining industries; the 
availability, cost and price volatility of raw materials and utilities, 
particularly the cost of oil, natural gas, and associated natural gas liquids; 
our ability to operate safely, increase production of recycled and 
renewable-based polymers, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and energy 
usage; implementation of new technology and the ability to realize the expected 
benefits therefrom; our ability to access capital to fund our climate-related 
initiatives; developments with respect to the European Union Emissions Trading 
System (EU ETS) and our ability reduce related costs; our ability to capture 
benefits under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act;  actions by our suppliers and 
customers, including the use of the Circulen family of products; our ability to 
procure renewable and low carbon energy and reduce our reliance on coal; 
competitive product and pricing pressures; labor conditions; operating 
interruptions; the supply/demand balances for our and our joint ventures' 
products, and the related effects of industry production capacities and 
operating rates; our ability to manage costs; future financial and operating 
results; climate change developments; legal and environmental proceedings; tax 
rulings, consequences or proceedings; technological developments, and our 
ability to develop new products and process technologies; and potential 
governmental regulatory actions, including climate-related disclosure 
requirements. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially 
from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the 
"Risk Factors" section of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 
and in our subsequent filings with the SEC, which can be found at 
www.LyondellBasell.com on the Investor Relations page and on the Securities and 
Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made and are 
based on the estimates and opinions of management of LyondellBasell at the time 
the statements are made. LyondellBasell does not assume, and expressly 
disclaims, any obligation to update forward-looking statements should 
circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change, except as required 
by law. This release refers to certain frameworks and initiatives. In doing so, 
the company does not intend to endorse or adopt and is not endorsing or 
adopting these frameworks permanently. The company makes no representation or 
warranty as to these organization's use or definition of specific terms or 
recommendations or viability of any initiatives.

LyondellBasell's reported emissions and expected reductions are based on a 
combination of measured and estimated data and are based on industry standards 
and best practices, including the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and guidance from 
IPIECA and the American Petroleum Institute. Emissions reported are estimates 
only, and data is subject to change as methods, data quality, and technology 
improvements occur. LyondellBasell's goals to reduce emissions are good faith 
efforts based on current relevant data and methodology, which could be changed 
or refined as we evolve our approach to identifying, measuring and addressing 
emissions.

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SOURCE  LyondellBasell Industries

CONTACT: Nick Facchin, LyondellBasell Media Relations, Email: 
nick.facchin@lyondellbasell.com, Phone: +1 (713) 623-3643
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