First Movers Coalition Impact Brief 2026

Sector deep dives2 Current landscape The aluminium sector is making steady progress towards greater sustainability. Global production continues to rise, yet total emissions have stabilized, with significant improvements in emissions intensity brought about by cleaner electricity sources and increased recycling rates.6 However, inconsistent emissions-measurement standards and regional policy uncertainty still limit comparability and market confidence. By bringing together corporate leaders to consolidate their demand, FMC is accelerating investment into new, breakthrough aluminium smelting technologies and the expansion of lower-carbon supply chains. Impact highlights The aluminium industry faces the dual challenge of rising global demand and persistently high process emissions, particularly from alumina refining and anode consumption during smelting. FMC members are addressing these challenges through coordinated innovation across the value chain – from low-carbon production to recycling and end- use applications. Rio Tinto and Hydro are piloting carbon capture for aluminium electrolysis, investing $45 million over five years in Norway and other parts of Europe to target an approximate 75% reduction in direct CO2 emissions linked to anode use.7 Building on this, Hydro and Calix are developing electrified calcination for near-zero-emissions alumina, aiming for commercial integration by 2026.8 In a further technological innovation, Canadian technology company ELYSIS - a joint venture between Alcoa and Rio Tinto with support from the governments of Canada and Québec - has achieved a breakthrough in high-amperage aluminium production with no direct carbon emissions from the smelting process. This marks the world’s first implementation of 450 kiloampere-designed inert anode technology at a commercial scale.9 Further downstream, Novelis and VELUX Group are strengthening circularity through a multi-year supply agreement for flat-rolled aluminium with over 70% recycled content, supporting VELUX’s target of ≤3 kg CO2e per kg by 2030.10 Together, these efforts show how FMC members are combining technological breakthroughs and closed-loop solutions to transform aluminium’s hardest-to-abate processes into pathways toward deep decarbonization. Outlook The decarbonization of aluminium will hinge on stronger collaboration and regulatory alignment. In the short term, greater use of scrap and recycling will remain the fastest way to cut emissions. Further ahead, industry players must invest in and scale low-carbon technologies for primary production, as seen in Hydro and Rio Tinto’s carbon-capture pilots. To sustain momentum, stakeholders need to address tariff distortions, infrastructure gaps and inconsistent carbon accounting, while clear standards, transparent measurement and coordinated platforms such as the First Suppliers Hub will turn progress into lasting competitive advantage. Aluminium Commitment in brief: Members pledge to buy meaningful volumes of low-carbon aluminium by 2030. They aim to make at least 10% of their aluminium purchases low-carbon and can also choose to ensure 50% of total aluminium comes from recycled sources. Achieving this will require breakthrough technologies, such as inert anodes, CCUS, electrified refining and green hydrogen. Read the aluminium commitment in full. Bold text FMC member s Red text FSH member s First Movers Coalition Impact Brief 8