Decarbonisation pathways for the EU cement sector

The EU cement sector faces challenges in deep emission reductions due to chemical process emissions. The study evaluates two high-innovation scenarios: one dependent on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and another focused on novel cements and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Both pathways require CCS to reach near-zero emissions by 2050 and face limited roll-out potential before 2030 due to the need for piloting and demonstration. The report recommends developing a sector-level decarbonisation roadmap aligned with the European Green Deal, establishing R&D funding, and updating standards to enable rapid emission reductions after 2030.

• Historically, emission reductions in the EU cement sector have primarily been achieved through 'low-hanging fruits', specifically energy efficiency and fuel switching to reduce energy-related emissions.
• The study compares two high-innovation scenarios—the High Innovation Capture scenario (HIC-S), which relies heavily on CCS, and the High Innovation Processes scenario (HIP-S), which focuses on SCMs and novel cements—finding that both offer similar mitigation potential.
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is essential for both analyzed pathways to achieve near-zero emissions by 2050, even in scenarios that prioritize novel cements.
• Commercial roll-out of innovative technologies is expected to be limited before 2030, as a ten-year period is required for piloting and demonstration.
• To enable rapid emission reductions after 2030, the report suggests immediate actions including the creation of a sector-level decarbonisation roadmap aligned with the European Green Deal, R&D investment plans, and the updating of standards.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2020). Decarbonisation pathways for the EU cement sector. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/decarbonisation-pathways-for-the-eu-cement-sector

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Decarbonisation pathways for the EU cement sector. 2020. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/decarbonisation-pathways-for-the-eu-cement-sector.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Decarbonisation pathways for the EU cement sector |date=17 December 2020 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/decarbonisation-pathways-for-the-eu-cement-sector |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2020decarbonisation, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Decarbonisation pathways for the EU cement sector}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/decarbonisation-pathways-for-the-eu-cement-sector}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }