The Materials Processing Institute has publicly committed to international carbon reduction targets as the latest step towards a clean and productive future.
The Teesside-based research and innovation centre has signed up to the Race to Zero, an international campaign led by the United Nations Champions for Climate Action, that highlights how climate change poses a threat to the economy, nature and society-at-large.
As a supporter of the global initiative, the Institute has pledged to meeting or exceeding the targets of:
- Halving its greenhouse gas emissions before 2030
- Achieving net zero emissions before 2050
- Disclosing its progress on a yearly basis
The Institute has also committed to the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Climate Commitment through the SME Climate Hub.
Race to Zero aims to galvanise net-zero commitments from cities, businesses, and investors across the climate action community in the run-up to COP26, the 2021 United Nations climate change conference held in Glasgow later this year.
It focuses on the need, for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.
The SME Climate Commitment is one of the three pillars of the SME Climate Hub and provides SMEs with the opportunity to make an internationally recognised climate commitment which is aligned with the latest climate science and is recognised by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign.
Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute, said: “We are extremely proud to be recognised by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign.
“To tackle climate change, it is vital that governments, businesses, cities, regions, and centres of learning that share this mission, join forces.
“Signing up to this worldwide campaign underlines our own commitment to developing cutting edge processes to help overcome climate change.
The Institute is a world-leading centre, for innovation, research and development and commercialisation of technology, serving global steel, metals, and foundation industries.
Its work centres on decarbonising industry, minimising the use, and extending the life of raw materials, promoting the circular economy, and reducing waste, emissions, and energy leakage.
Last year, it was awarded £22m by the government to deliver a five-year research and innovation programme to increase productivity and sustainability in the UK steel and metals sector of which preparation for a productive net-zero carbon economy is a key pillar. This Programme is funded by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.
The Institute is also leading research to develop techniques to recover lithium and graphite from used electric vehicle (EV) batteries.