MPA appoints director for energy and climate change

The UK-based Mineral Products Association (MPA) has appointed Dr Diana Casey as executive director for energy and climate change, including heading up the MPA’s product groups for cement and industrial lime. She takes over from Dr Pal Chana, who continues to provide support as a special advisor to the MPA.

In her new position on the MPA’s executive team, Dr Casey will play a key strategic role in the sector’s acceleration towards net zero carbon, advocating for better government policy to support decarbonisation and facilitating the growth of a whole raft of innovations being implemented by MPA members, according to the association.

Dr Casey joined the MPA in 2010 as technical advisor for energy and climate change after completing a PhD in Sustainable Lime Mortars at the University of Bristol and two years working for the Environment Agency. Her work for MPA has included analysis of data from UK cement plants, modelling the impact of climate change and environmental policy including the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and Renewable Energy policies, and playing a key role in industry projects such as the UK Concrete and Cement Industry Roadmap to Beyond Net Zero and the MPA Lime Net Negative 2040 Roadmap.

In 2022 she took on overall responsibility for the MPA cement product group which covers environmental regulation, products and standards, energy and climate change, and delivery of a range of government funded-innovation projects. In addition to her MPA responsibilities, Dr Casey sits on the board of the Emission Trading Group and holds the position of ETS policy chair.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr Casey said, “It’s a great honour to join the MPA’s executive team at such a critical time. Both the UK cement and lime industries have made solid decarbonisation progress through early action in fuel switching and energy efficiency. Now we’re moving into a new phase to decarbonise both sectors, involving the deployment of technologies including carbon capture, which will require enabling actions from government and others. The journey towards net zero that we are now making will demonstrate what’s possible to other industries and other countries.”