The industry’s response to the decarbonisation challenge

Dr Michael Clark discusses the cement sector’s response and strategies in terms of the large-scale challenges involved with decarbonisation.

In last month’s Technical Forum we discussed the new CemNet online training material regarding the decarbonisation of cement manufacturing. This month we will turn our attention to the industry’s response to that challenge.

There is no doubt that the world’s major cement manufacturers understand the imperative to reduce their CO₂ emissions. As long ago as 1999 the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) was formed by a group of leading cement companies. The CSI – which has been superceded by the Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA) – is a voluntary and continuous initiative to make the cement industry more sustainable. Members identified key priorities such as reducing CO₂ and other emissions, health and safety, efficient use of fuels and raw materials, and minimising the local impacts of operations.