The Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) and the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) have launched a new tracker, to help policymakers, industry experts, academics and the public monitor worldwide decarbonization efforts in the cement industry. The Green Cement Technology Tracker was unveiled today, at an international inter-governmental meeting focused on clean energy, which is taking place in India (CEM14-M18)
Cement and concrete are vital to the built environment, used for homes, infrastructure and to provide things like clean running water. But the sector also accounts for 7% of global CO2 emissions. With the launch of the GCCA’s Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap, it became the first heavy industry to set out a clear plan on how to decarbonize.
Today’s launch of the Green Cement Technology Tracker is the next step along the industry’s roadmap.
Per Andersson, Head of the Secretariat – LeadIT said: “In order to empower the industry and policymakers committed to emission reductions, our goal is to provide comprehensive tracking of public announcements of investments in low-carbon cement technologies.”
The Green Cement Technology Tracker currently includes Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS), accounting for 36% of planned reduction levers in the GCCA 2050 Roadmap for Net Zero Carbon Concrete that leading manufacturers have committed to. Future steps to enhance the tracker include expanding its scope, to cover more technologies that reduce emissions from cement manufacturing.
Thomas Guillot, Chief Executive of the GCCA said: “Unleashing technology such as CCUS is key to achieving our net zero mission in our sector. Carbon capture pilots, projects and announcements are picking up pace across the world. This technology works, and our next goal is to scale up, working with stakeholders such as governments and the investment community to help transform the industry worldwide.”
The Tracker will be instrumental in assessing progress and ensuring transparency of low-carbon cement technologies, initially carbon capture and, in the future, complementary efforts to reduce emissions from cement manufacturing.
Preliminary data from the Green Cement Technology Tracker reveals that initiatives for carbon capture technologies are underway worldwide, predominantly in Europe, followed by Asia, North and South America, and Australia. Full-scale operational carbon capture plants are expected to come on stream in the coming years. Approximately half of the announced CCS and CCUS projects disclose their expected capture volumes. Post-combustion capture technology is currently the most common investment.
About the Green Cement Technology Tracker
The Green Cement Technology Tracker tracks public announcements of low-carbon cement investments aligned to corporate climate goals consistent with the Paris Agreement. The tool is developed jointly by the Global Cement & Concrete Association and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), in collaboration with the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions. Aimed at accelerating technology adoption and global decarbonization, the tool seeks to support the cement industry to meet its commitments, progress towards net-zero emissions. Regular updates engage stakeholders like producers, researchers, policymakers and investors to ensure data relevance.
