A vision for circular, low carbon, and competitive aluminium

The European aluminium industry wants to drive the deep transformative policies and practices needed to realise a climate-neutral and circular economy in Europe.

Our Vision 2050 report is European Aluminium’s contribution to the EU’s mid-century strategy for climate neutrality by 2050. It articulates a clear outlook for the development of a carbon-neutral, circular, and energy-efficient aluminium value chain in Europe by 2050 and presents three scenarios for primary aluminium production to realise its strategic potential fully.

Using Vision 2050 as our guiding document, we are poised to work with energy operators, policy makers, and other stakeholders to develop an enabling legislative and funding framework that will help us become climate-neutral before 2050. Our Vision 2050 is complemented by our Circular Aluminium Action Plan for increased circularity by 2030 and our Sustainability Roadmap Towards 2025.

Key takeaways of our Vision 2050

• Thanks to aluminium’s unique properties and contribution to the green transition, the global demand for primary aluminium is expected to increase by 50% by 2050, reaching 107.8 million tonnes. European demand (EU, UK, EFTA) for primary aluminium will be about 9 million tonnes per year up to 2050;
• The European demand in 2050 will be met by almost equal shares of primary and recycled aluminium production. European production of primary aluminium is expected to meet 25% of the European demand by 2050, provided adequate supportive policies for the industry are in place;
• Increasing the production of recycled aluminium, rather than importing more primary aluminium from third countries, would reduce CO₂ emissions between 2020 and 2050 by 880 and 1500 million tonnes of CO₂;

How can policy makers help us realise our vision?

In our CEO Manifesto, we outline the four ways policy makers can help us to co-create the conditions for the world’s number one base metal to continue to deliver for Europeans – and the world.