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UK coatings industry surpasses 2030 emissions target as BCF calls for urgent Government action
The British Coatings Federation (BCF) has launched its 2026 Net Zero Roadmap, confirming a reduction in emissions to 55,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent by 2024. However, deeper interventions and stronger Government support are essential to achieving Net Zero by 2050.
The British Coatings Federation (BCF) has released the 2026 edition of its Net Zero Roadmap, showcasing significant progress in reducing carbon emissions across the UK coatings industry. Updated data reveals that Scope 1 and 2 emissions dropped from a revised 2018 baseline of 110,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) to 55,000 tonnes tCO₂e by 2024 – a 50% reduction. This surpasses the roadmap’s original 2030 target, which anticipated a 38% reduction.
The roadmap attributes these early successes to operational optimisation, efficiency gains, and the adoption of readily accessible decarbonisation measures. However, it warns that the industry has already addressed much of the “low-hanging fruit.” To maintain momentum, attention must now shift to Scope 3 emissions, which constitute 97% of the sector’s total carbon footprint. Reducing these emissions will require deeper supply-chain collaboration and access to advanced decarbonisation technologies, such as hydrogen and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS).
Revised targets and the need for Government support
The 2026 roadmap outlines updated milestones for the coatings industry, including a 62% reduction in emissions by 2030, 71% by 2035, and 81% by 2040. To achieve these goals, the BCF stresses the need for stronger collaboration across the entire value chain, from suppliers and customers to logistics and waste management partners.
The BCF has also issued an urgent call for Government intervention to create favourable policy conditions. Key priorities include long-term policy stability, financial incentives for low-carbon technology upgrades, and expanded green skills training programmes. BCF CEO Tom Bowtell emphasised, “Our industry has made decisive progress, but the next decade will be critical. With the right policy support and strong collaboration across the value chain, we can deliver a competitive, resilient, and sustainable future for the UK coatings industry.”
