As well as its versatile form, the metal’s light weight (a third of steel). It is a good conductor of electricity (one kilogram of aluminium cable can carry twice as much electricity as one kilogram of copper). It transmits conducted heat and reflects radiant heat, making it an excellent medium from which to produce cooking utensils and foils, radiators and building insulation. Its strength, combined with low density, make it ideal for transport and packaging applications. Aluminium is a unique metal: strong, durable, flexible, impermeable, lightweight, corrosion-resistant and 100 percent recyclable.

Examples of areas where aluminium helps people and the economy to operate effectively and efficiently include air, road, rail and sea transport; food and medicine; packaging; construction; electronics and electricity transmission.

The industry employs a lifecycle approach to address the challenges of climate change, focusing not only on the energy required to produce aluminium products but also on the energy savings to be made through their use and reuse. Up to eight percent fuel savings can be realized for every 10% reduction in weight. One kilogram of aluminium, used to replace heavier materials in a car or light truck, has the potential to eliminate 20kg of CO2 over the lifetime of the vehicle. For other vehicles, such as trains, ferries and aircraft, the potential savings are even greater.

The Aluminium industry has developed a four-pronged voluntary strategy to meet the challenges of climate change, which encompasses the full lifecycle of aluminium from production, to primary use, to recycle and reuse:

1.Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aluminium production;
2.Increase energy efficient in aluminium production;
3.Maximize used-product collection, recycling and reuse;
4.Promote the light-weighting of vehicles.