Forty cement and concrete manufacturers representing 80% of the global cement industry volume outside China have published a roadmap to reach net zero carbon emissions within 30 years.
The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) released the Concrete Future document, a roadmap to 2050, ahead of the current United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
Around 14 billion m³ of concrete was produced globally in 2020 and the global cement and concrete products market’s value totalled $440 billion, according to the association. The GCCA roadmap includes an immediate pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25% by the end of this decade.
“We will accelerate our CO₂ reductions through … increased clinker substitution – including fly ash, calcined clays, ground granulated blast-furnace slag and ground limestone; fossil fuel reductions and increased use of alternative fuels; improved efficiency in concrete production; improved efficiency in the design of concrete projects and use of concrete during construction, including recycling; investment in technology and innovation; and carbon capture usage and storage technology (CCUS) and infrastructure development,” GCCA said.
Prominent members of the association include HeidelbergCement, Holcim Group, CEMEX and several large Chinese manufacturers. GCCA has antipodean affiliates including Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA); the Cement Industry Federation (CIF) of Australia; and Concrete NZ. Members produce Portland cement clinker and other natural cementitious clinkers.
CEO of HeidelbergCement, Dominik von Achten, said swift and decisive political action was needed to create the right framework conditions, particularly in the area of CO₂ infrastructure and market incentives for low-emission building materials.
Image source: GCCA Concrete Future Roadmap
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia and at the helm of our magazine for 8 years. She was behind the Institute's weekly news bulletins from 2016-2021 and is now writing our focused news items. Desi has been an engineering news and features journalist/editor across all disciplines since 2013 - part of a 30-year career writing for a wide range of industries.