Policy And Goals

The 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development highlighted the need to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which have a direct impact on climate change. Under the ground-breaking Kyoto Protocol, signatory countries are required to reduce their combined GHG emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.

Samsung Electronics recognizes that governments as well as companies have responsibilities to address the global challenges posed by climate change. Samsung Electronics supports global mandatory cuts of greenhouse gas emissions of at least 50% by 2050 (from 1990 levels) and mandatory domestic cuts by industrialized countries (Annex I countries of Kyoto Protocol) of at least 30% as a group by 2020. The company also calls for global greenhouse gas emissions to peak by 2015.

To date, the company has focused on its direct impacts; reducing CO₂ emissions during manufacturing processes via a range of energy-saving initiatives and improving the energy efficiency of its products. Future plans will expand Samsung Electronics' GHG emission reduction efforts to cover additional direct impact areas such as logistics and indirect sources where possible.

Samsung Electronics has participated in several voluntary government-led initiatives on climate change in Korea, where 60% of our workforce and the majority of our operations are based. These include:

Pilot CO₂ emission trading program supported by the Korea Energy Management Corp (KEMCO)
National Korean Greenhouse Gas Register (trial project)
Voluntary agreements to reduce energy consumption in all Samsung Electronics workplaces in Korea via the Catch CO₂ Project
Agreement on Response to Climate Change and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases with KEMCO

Reduction Goals for emissions of GHGs

Samsung Electronics sets reduction targets for emissions of GHGs in terms of targets in absolute emissions and relative emissions.

Reduction target for absolute GHG emissions
: The company will reduce the total emissions of GHGs from its global manufacturing sites by 2% by 2011, from a baseline year of 2008.
Reduction target for GHG emissions per basic unit*
: The company will reduce GHG emissions per basic unit globally by 36% by 2011, from a baseline year of 2008.

*Basic unit = GHG emissions / (Revenue / Bank of Korea's producer price index)