Aluminum Association responds to US-China joint presidential statement

The Aluminum Association, based in Arlington, Virginia, has issued a statement commending the Joint Presidential Statement by the United States and China which lays out concrete and achievable goals for addressing climate change promptly.

The association says the U.S. aluminum industry has long been part of the solution to address climate change, citing the automotive, construction and packaging industries as three sectors that have relied on the use of aluminum as an efficient, sustainable material.

The U.S.-China Joint Presidential Statement promises to make these kinds of gains enjoyed in the United States commonplace in China within a short period of time, the Aluminum Association states.

“We welcome China’s commitments to a cleaner manufacturing future, and the use of aluminum will be a meaningful solution to the challenges of global climate change,” says Heidi Brock, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association. “As they work to address climate change, we believe China should commit to setting appropriate standards for aluminum production emissions and coal usage, taking offline production assets that do not meet those standards.”

According to the Aluminum Association, in 2005, China supplied 13 percent of the world’s aluminum.  Today, spurred by energy subsidies, Chinese producers supply roughly half of this metal, the association says. China’s tax regime also incentivizes the export of this excess, carbon-intensive production which has displaced energy-efficient, sustainably produced North American aluminum, the association claims.

The Aluminum Association says it is working to raise the visibility of a variety of issues with the U.S. government related to the global trade of aluminum, calling on relevant authorities to investigate claims of unfair trade practices like the deliberate misclassification of metal to avoid taxes, and urging bilateral discussions between China and the U.S.