Cement manufacturers around the world have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a quarter within this decade and reach net zero emissions by 2050. They say this will have a significant impact on the prospects of the Cop26 climate summit.

This industry accounts for about 7%-8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to any country except China and the United States. Reducing emissions from cement production is difficult because the chemical processes used to make cement and concrete release carbon dioxide. The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), which represents the world’s 40 largest manufacturers and approximately 80% of industries outside of China, made its pledge on Tuesday. Several major Chinese cement and concrete companies that account for about 20% of the Chinese market have also joined. For more than ten years, the company has been committed to changing chemical processes and using different materials as well as ways to improve energy efficiency.

Tuesday’s pledge marks the first time a major producer has made a public pledge on climate issues. GCCA CEO Thomas Guillot said: “This is an important milestone-this is a big event. Concrete is the second most commonly used material in the world after water. We are the first department to do so as a joint commitment. , But I hope that more departments will do this, which will inspire more people to do so.” Guillot said that the pledge does not depend on government actions, although the industry prefers countries to set carbon prices and formulate policies to speed up the process.

These companies promise to achieve net zero emissions without offsetting their emissions. This is something that some people in other industries plan to rely on this controversial approach to achieve net zero emissions targets. The reduction in emissions this decade will use existing technologies, but the industry’s 2030-2050 roadmap will require about one-third of the emissions reductions to come from the use of carbon capture and storage technologies that have not yet been widely used commercially. Adair Turner, chairman of the Energy Transition Commission think tank, said that given the nature of the industry, this move is a “big step forward.” “Everyone recognizes that cement and concrete production is one of the most difficult economic activities to decarbonize.

Achieving this goal will require better building design and construction, multiple forms of efficiency improvements, and carbon capture and storage,” he said. The peer said. Mike Childs, head of science at Friends of the Earth, said companies should also try alternatives to concrete. “Switching to cleaner fuels, such as electricity or hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources, can reduce carbon emissions [in cement], and innovation may one day help solve the process emissions problem. So, while these measures are good, But they are not all the answers. We need to reduce the use of cement and make the process cleaner. One way is to switch to wood,” he said.

News Source : The Guardian