DRAFT CORPORATE CLIMATE STOCKTAKE: CONCRETE AND CEMENT SECTOR

The report identifies clinker production as the primary source of emissions in the cement sector, accounting for 88% of total emissions. It evaluates three main decarbonization levers: substituting clinker with materials like fly ash and calcined clay, replacing coal and gas with biomass, waste, or green hydrogen, and deploying CCUS. While some progress is noted in developed markets, the report warns that absolute emissions will rise as production grows in emerging markets like India and Africa unless green processes are scaled. Key barriers include supply constraints for substitutes, high upfront costs for CCUS, and a lack of carbon transport infrastructure in high-growth regions.

• Clinker production is the dominant source of emissions in the cement and concrete lifecycle, representing 88% of the sector's total emissions.
• Global cement production reached approximately 4.4 billion metric tons in 2021, with significant growth driven by China.
• The supply of cost-effective clinker substitutes, specifically blast furnace (BF) slag and fly ash, is expected to decrease in Europe and North America as the steel and coal industries decarbonize.
• Industry experts project the average clinker ratio will decrease from approximately 60% today to about 50% by 2050, with some leaders suggesting it could reach 40%.
• Biomass and waste substitutes are currently cost-competitive with coal for kiln heating, but biomass supply is insufficient in high-growth markets such as India and other APAC regions.
• Long-term kiln heating alternatives like green hydrogen and electrification are currently hindered by high upfront investment and operational costs, with electrification being approximately 20 times the cost of coal per GJ.
• CCUS is considered essential for the sector due to process emissions from limestone, but adoption is slow; less than 1% of plants are scheduled to be CCUS-enabled by 2030.
• The cost of CCUS significantly increases the price of clinker (by 300-400%), though the impact on the final cost of a finished construction asset is relatively small, estimated at a 1.5-3% increase.
• A critical barrier to CCUS is the lack of carbon transport and storage infrastructure, particularly in regions where cement production is growing fastest; approximately 80% of 2020 production occurred in areas with medium or low pipeline density.
• Emerging markets in India, Africa, and the Middle East are expected to see the largest increases in cement production through 2050, making the installation of green processes in these regions crucial for global decarbonization.

APA

We Mean Business Coalition (2023). DRAFT CORPORATE CLIMATE STOCKTAKE: CONCRETE AND CEMENT SECTOR. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Corporate-Climate-Stocktake_Cement_WMBC-1.pdf

Chicago

We Mean Business Coalition. DRAFT CORPORATE CLIMATE STOCKTAKE: CONCRETE AND CEMENT SECTOR. 2023. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Corporate-Climate-Stocktake_Cement_WMBC-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=We Mean Business Coalition |title=DRAFT CORPORATE CLIMATE STOCKTAKE: CONCRETE AND CEMENT SECTOR |date=October 2023 |url=https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Corporate-Climate-Stocktake_Cement_WMBC-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wemeanbusinesscoalition2023draft, author = {{We Mean Business Coalition}}, title = {{DRAFT CORPORATE CLIMATE STOCKTAKE: CONCRETE AND CEMENT SECTOR}}, institution = {We Mean Business Coalition}, year = {2023}, month = oct, url = {https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Corporate-Climate-Stocktake_Cement_WMBC-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }