Cement and concrete industry outlines net-zero plans

The global cement and concrete industry has published its new roadmap to net-zero. 

Concrete is the most used human-made material on the planet with 14 billion cubic meters produced every year. It also accounts for around 7% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, meaning if it was a country it would be the third-largest emitter in the world. 

In a bid to reduce these emissions, members of the Global Cement and Concrete Association(GCCA) have pledged to cut emissions by 25% by 2030 and to reach net-zero by 2050. 

The GCCA has published a detailed roadmap that outlines how it will achieve this. 

The roadmap is built around a seven-point plan that relies on actions to reduce the amount of CO2 intensive clinker in cement, significantly reducing fossil fuel use in manufacturing, and accelerating innovation in products, process efficiency and technologies including carbon capture.

Thomas Guillot, GCCA chief executive, said: ‘Concrete is the world’s most used building material and provides the foundation for renewable energy transition, resilient infrastructure and new homes around the world.

‘Global cooperation on decarbonizing concrete is a necessity, as countries developing their infrastructure and housing will be the biggest users of concrete in the coming decades. I am proud of the commitment made by our members today to take decisive action and accelerate industry decarbonization between now and 2030, an important milestone towards the ultimate goal of net-zero concrete. I envision a world in the not too distant future where the foundation of a sustainable, zero-carbon global economy will literally be built with green concrete.

‘We now need governments around the world to work with us and use their huge procurement power to advocate for low carbon concrete in their infrastructure and housing needs. We require their support to change regulation that limits the use of recycled materials and impedes the transition to a low carbon and circular economy.’

Photo by Haneen Krimly