Cement and concrete companies release 2050 Climate Ambition
The 2050 Climate Ambition initiative was released on 31 August 2020. Its purpose is to demonstrate the commitment of the cement and concrete industry to reducing the amount of CO2 created by these materials while working towards the production of carbon neutral concrete by 2050. The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) released the statement on behalf of 40 cement and concrete companies from around the world.
The statement represents actions required by the industry to achieve carbon neutral concrete, including:
- Eliminating energy-related emissions and maximising the co-processing of waste from other industries.
- Reducing process emissions through new technologies and deployment of carbon capture.
- Using concrete more efficiently, including the reuse and recycling of concrete and buildings.
- Harnessing concrete's ability to absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere.
- Reducing and eliminating indirect energy emissions through renewable electricity sources.
- Reprocessing concrete from construction and demolition waste to produce recycled aggregates to be used in concrete manufacturing.
GCCA members are developing a 2050 concrete roadmap that will set out the detailed actions and milestones that the industry will enact in order to achieve its targets. This will include working across the built environment value chain to deliver the vision of carbon neutral concrete in a circular economy, whole life context. The 2050 concrete roadmap is due to be published in the second half of 2021.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Carbon dioxide in construction.
- Cement.
- Circular economy.
- Concrete.
- Construction materials.
- Construction waste.
- Greenbloc.
[edit] External resources
- Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA).
- Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), 2050 Climate Ambition.
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