Global cement industry to accelerate adoption of new technologies to fight climate change

The global cement industry must step up efforts to adopt new technologies and put a greater focus on innovation to make crucial progress on reducing CO2 emissions, is the key message from the World Cement Association (WCA)’s Global Climate Change Forum in Paris, where the organisation’s President, Zhi Ping Song told members: “No more words, but actions are needed”.

Current technology employed by the sector to reduce emissions can only deliver 50 per cent of the CO2 savings required to achieve the Paris Agreement target of keeping a rise in global temperatures below 2˚C. Furthermore, current technological innovations are adopted too slowly. “The Global Climate Change Forum made clear the importance of stimulating innovation if we are to have any hope of achieving the Paris climate goals,” said Bernard Mathieu, director of the WCA Climate Change Programme.”

Based on the results of the conference, the WCA will develop a Climate Change Action Plan, which will be published in September. The focus will be on clear and tangible actions for transition towards low-carbon production and will also identify successful approaches to contribute to a carbon-neutral built environment.