The ASEAN Federation of Cement Manufacturers (AFCM) has unveiled the 2035 AFCM Decarbonisation Roadmap, the world’s first region-wide decarbonisation strategy for the cement industry. The announcement was made at the 46th AFCM Council Meeting in Brunei Darussalam, chaired by AFCM President Dr Chana Poomee, with representatives from all eight member countries in attendance.

The roadmap comes as ASEAN economies continue to rely heavily on cement for infrastructure development, while facing increasing pressure to reduce CO2 emissions ahead of global climate negotiations at COP30 in Brazil. AFCM said the new framework represents a unified regional commitment to cut emissions in line with national climate policies and global environmental goals.

Developed with support from the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), the roadmap sets out four pillars for the sector’s transition:

  • Expansion of low-carbon cement through performance-based standards.
  • Greater use of clean and renewable energy, alongside improved thermal and electrical efficiency.
  • Adoption of advanced decarbonisation technologies, including CCUS.
  • Development of new supplementary cementitious materials to support next-generation low-carbon products.

AFCM estimates that full implementation could reduce regional CO2 emissions by up to 38Mt by 2035. Dr Poomee said the roadmap should be seen as a “collaborative regional strategy”, while noting that targets and timelines will differ across member countries depending on industrial conditions, energy systems and regulatory frameworks.

A key short-term measure highlighted in the roadmap is the phasedown of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), which AFCM describes as an immediate and high-impact lever for emissions reduction.

Cement associations from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam expressed support for the roadmap, stressing the need for policy alignment, increased alternative fuel use, wider adoption of low-carbon technologies and the expansion of low-carbon cement markets.

Dr Poomee added that government support will be essential to enabling the transition, helping attract green investment and strengthening the competitiveness of ASEAN’s cement sector in the global low-carbon economy.