Thank you for your question.
I'll correct you at the outset, because we can't say that aluminum is green in Canada. As per Bill C‑59, which was passed this summer, such a statement is equivalent to greenwashing. That's why we use the wording “low-carbon footprint aluminum”. That's the wording I'm going to use for the purpose of our discussion.
Since carbon pricing systems were implemented in Quebec in 2012, our industry has adopted an approach to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible.
Accordingly, we have signed two voluntary reduction agreements, one of which is with the Government of Quebec. We have surpassed the commitments set out in both agreements. We chalked up more reductions than we had anticipated. Right now, that makes us the Canadian industrial sector that has contributed the most to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
We emit approximately two equivalent tonnes of CO2 per tonne of aluminum produced, while a comparable coal smelter in India or China emits between 17 and 21 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of aluminum. Today, based on that average, we emit one of the lowest levels of emissions compared to the rest of the world's production.
When we look at the reductions planned over the next few decades, everyone has the same objective, which is to achieve net zero by 2050, as in the industrial sector. The global average, which takes into account emissions related to hydroelectricity, natural gas and coal, is much higher at around nine tonnes.
Canada's average is two tonnes, which is where the rest of the world wants to be around 2045. So we're well ahead of the game. The challenge we face is that to further reduce our emissions, we will have to change the way we produce aluminum.