Cement industry reports 25% CO2 intensity reduction: calls for urgent government action to accelerate net zero mission

The report finds that the industry has reduced the CO2 intensity of cementitious products by 25% across the globe since 1990, and also sets out a series of policy recommendations that can pave the way for faster reductions.

Dominik von Achten GCCA President and Chairman of the Managing Board of Heidelberg Materials said: "Our industry is collaborating and innovating across every aspect of our manufacturing – finding new ways to work and deploying exciting technologies that are already making a genuine step change.

“However, to achieve the industrial scale transformation that our world needs, we cannot do it by ourselves – our industry needs the support of governments, policymakers, stakeholders, and our allies across the built environment right now.”

The report calls for the urgent implementation of effective policies which promote the use of otherwise non-recyclable municipal and industrial waste as sustainable alternative fuels for cement kilns, as well as using construction demolition waste as recycled raw materials. Other key policies include a change in building codes to encourage the wider adoption of blended cement and concrete products, as well as the establishment of market-driven national carbon pricing mechanisms that incentivise decarbonisation and investment in clean innovation.

Thomas Guillot, Chief Executive of the GCCA said: “The breadth of activity we are seeing across our membership is truly inspiring, with great examples of projects and work across all decarbonisation levers, where enabling policies exist.

"Cement and concrete are essential materials for the world, but we know they are also essential to decarbonise. Despite our progress, we know that firm policy action across the world is fundamental to enabling us to accelerate our reductions.”

Four years on from the launch of its net zero roadmap, the GCCA’s ‘Cement and Concrete Industry Net Zero Progress Report 2025/26’ highlights the leading role that the companies across the world are playing in decarbonisation.

The report highlights more than 60 standout decarbonisation projects from GCCA member companies and partner associations, including:

CO2 reductions through using waste materials (“alternative fuels”) to replace fossil fuels, use of decarbonated raw materials, energy efficiency measures and innovations such as use of hydrogen and kiln electrification.

• Examples include Fletcher’s Golden Bay plant and JSW’s Nandyal and Shiva plants. Votorantim Cimentos has pioneered in Turkey the use of biomass waste. At its Yozgat plant the alternative fuel in the main burner is primarily corn stalks. At its Hasanoglan plant, biomass is used in the calciner line.
• Limak Cement has used construction demolition waste in commercial production, Molins has commercialised calcined clay cement into the Spanish market and TCC Holdings’ subsidiary CIMPOR is driving African calcined clay production. CRH’s cement plant in Rohožník, Slovakia has made clinker efficiencies through the replacement of 20% raw materials with alternatives.

Acceleration of Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) which accounts for 36% of the industry’s planned CO₂ reductions, according to the GCCA Roadmap.

• Examples include the launch of world’s first industrial sized carbon capture cement plant at Brevik, Norway, run by Heidelberg Materials in June 2025. Other examples include Breedon, Cementir Holding, CNBM, GCC, Holcim, JCA, JSW, TITAN and UltraTech. Publicly announced projects are collated and made available to see on the GCCA/LeadIT green cement technology tracker.

Increasing use of alternative energy sources.

• Examples include solar power advancement at Cemex plants in Croatia, and UltraTech’s renewable energy project in Gujarat.

Lower carbon Concrete and circularity, and design and construction.

• Holcim and Seqens have built the Recygénie 220-unit social housing complex in Paris using a custom concrete, the world’s first building using 100% recycled concrete. Taiheiyo Cement’s CARBOCATCH system is producing lower carbon concrete by using waste materials that have absorbed CO2.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Government of Canada said: “Concrete is at the heart of the world’s growing economic ambitions and infrastructure needs, from housing to roads to energy and trade hubs. As demand is accelerating, industrial decarbonization has never been more important.

“Canada is proud of the work and achievements of the Cement and Concrete Breakthrough, and COP30 marks an opportunity to deliver on progress made towards our first set of Priority Actions.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/19112025/cement-industry-reports-25-co2-intensity-reduction-calls-for-urgent-government-action-to-accelerate-net-zero-mission/