A European agenda for industrial transformation

The European cement industry was one of the first sectors to present a 2050 Carbon Neutrality Roadmap following the publication of the European Green Deal. The past five years were marked by the development of a comprehensive EU legislative framework and the launch of significant decarbonisation investments in the industry. Now, with the deployment of carbon-neutral cements within grasp, it is necessary to implement transformative measures on innovation, infrastructure, public acceptance, digitalisation and skills development.

For the coming five years, CEMBUREAU calls for an ambitious EU agenda focused on the implementation of the Green Deal and industrial transformation.

01. Turbo-charge EU and national funding and develop national industrial decarbonisation plans.

The pipeline of investments in the cement sector is strong and requires supporting measures. The ETS innovation fund should be transformed into a dynamic ‘cleantech deployment fund’, and the ETS contributions of CBAM sectors used to support these sector’s transition plans. Simplified rules and procedures across funding regimes should be set up. Furthermore, Member States should urgently develop national industrial decarbonisation plans, building on the existing national energy and climate plans.

02. Successfully roll-out the EU Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to create a level playing field for EU industries.

As the first worldwide instrument to deliver a level playing field on carbon, CBAM is a game-changer for the European cement industry's journey towards carbon neutrality. It is vital to ensure that it runs seamlessly as of 2026. This will require the development of key implementation measures to ensure its watertightness and avoid circumvention.

03. Build a pan-European CO₂ Capture network and move towards circular carbon feedstocks.

Carbon capture is indispensable to reach net zero objectives. CEMBUREAU's commitment is clear, with significant investments ongoing, but the path is uneven across EU regions due to the lack of CO₂ pipelines and storage sites. The coming five years should focus on establishing a strong and open EU carbon capture infrastructure, based on fair access conditions and transparency. Europe should also lead the way on circular carbon feedstocks, allowing to reduce its fossil fuels use and to decarbonise key industries.

04. Placing circular economy at the heart of industrial decarbonisation.

Decarbonising the cement and concrete value chain goes through the circular economy. The shift from fossil fuels to waste-derived fuels through ‘co-processing’, coupled with smart raw material usage and innovative recycling of construction materials, is transformative. The upcoming Waste Framework Directive review is an opportunity to push for landfill bans, support a coherent biomass and alternative fuel strategy to increase access to waste-based resources, endorse material recycling via coprocessing, and support novel methods for the recycling of waste and by-products.

05. Enhance the EU buildings’ agenda to significantly cut emissions.

Drastically cutting emissions in the building sector requires a revolution in sustainable building practices. Policies are needed based on material neutrality, taking into account emissions over the entire lifecycle of buildings, including the durability and adaptability of building materials. It is time to leverage materials that can lock away CO₂ for good, making a lasting contribution to sustainability ambitions.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/09012024/a-european-agenda-for-industrial-transformation/