Climate projects as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the cement and construction industries

The construction and cement industries are among the key sources of man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, requiring a transition to low-carbon practices. Voluntary climate regulation instruments such as climate projects are currently gaining significant importance in this process, particularly in Russia. Such climate projects allow companies to develop a systematic approach to reducing (or preventing) GHG emissions throughout the entire lifecycle of building materials, and, in the absence of mandatory regulation in these industries, to gain financial and reputational benefits by participating in verified GHG emission reduction unit trading. However, despite the formation of a voluntary carbon market in Russia beginning in 2022, the potential for implementing climate projects in these industries remains little known and largely unexploited.

This article provides an analytical overview of potential areas for developing climate change projects in the cement and construction industries, including reducing the carbon footprint of cement-based building materials. Climate change projects in these industries and their methodologies are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the use of various wastes (including recycled resources) in production, which facilitates the adoption of circular economy approaches. This often reduces the carbon footprint of waste management in various industries.

Developing climate change projects in the cement and construction industries is relevant because innovations in building materials production and waste management offer new opportunities. How ever, it should be noted that in the future, as mandatory requirements for the building materials industry and waste management evolve, some approaches and technologies currently available for climate change projects may no longer be applicable.