WCA focus on MENA region decarbonisation

The World Cement Association (WCA) has held its first CEO-exclusive, pre-conference webinar, in which participants concluded that cement producers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) can halve carbon emissions with zero or low capital expenditure.

The webinar brought together thirty CEOs representing cement-producing companies from Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey among others, ahead of WCA’s annual conference which will be held in Dubai, in September 2022.

The CEO’s recognised that MENA Cement producers can almost halve carbon emissions from cement with zero or very low capex. They stressed that there is a short window to be proactive and shape the industry roadmap rather than wait for government regulations to be imposed. MENA region’s main challenge is due to limestone quality in some countries and limited availability of supplementary cementitious material. New, innovative technologies could help overcome some limitations. Finally, high energy prices have encouraged a greater focus on energy efficiency and projects such as waste heat reduction now have highly attractive returns.

The MENA region is responsible for approximately seven per ent of total global CO₂ emissions, and currently produces around seven per cent of the world’s cement. It is the largest producing region outside of China and India, underlining the importance of WCA’s annual conference to call attention to the region’s urgent need to embark on the net zero journey.

WCA and A³ & Co, a cement business consulting firm, have partnered to promote decarbonisation as a strategy, with a major emphasis on cost reduction and the competitive edge that decarbonisation will bring to the MENA cement sector.