Jakob Skovgaard
Associate professor | Senior lecturer | Principal investigator BECC
Petrochemicals and climate change: Powerful fossil fuel lock-ins and interventions for transformative change
Author
Summary, in English
In this report, we focus on the petrochemical sector, which represents the largest share of the chemicals industry and is generally understood to refer to the part of the industry that relies on fossil-fuel feedstocks from oil, gas, and coal. The petrochemicals sector produces chemicals mainly used for plastics and fertilisers, but the products also end up in paints, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other applications.
This report provides a critical exploration of the petrochemical sector to strengthen awareness of its relevance to the climate crisis and to provide tools and recommendations for decision-makers in different domains to initiate, support, and accelerate much-needed transformation. The report highlights the rapid expansion of the petrochemical sector as well as the range and growth of economic, infrastructural, and political interlinkages with the fossil fuel extraction sector. It argues that these developments and dynamics are crucial to understanding pathways, strategies, and interventions for a low-carbon transition for petrochemicals.
Department/s
- Environmental and Energy Systems Studies
- Department of Political Science
Publishing year
2023-05-24
Language
English
Publication/Series
IMES/EESS report
Full text
Document type
Report
Publisher
Environmental and Energy Systems Studies, Lund university
Topic
- Energy Systems
- Political Science
- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Status
Published
Project
- Petrochemicals and Climate Change: Mapping Power Structures
Report number
130
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1102-3651
- ISBN: 978-91-86961-56-5