Editorial comment
In a highly critical report from its own watchdog organisation, the UK government has been accused of “worryingly slow progress”, and losing its position of leadership in climate change issues. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) also stated that it was “markedly” less confident than it was a year ago that the UK would reach its targets for cutting emissions.
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The Committee’s chairman, Lord Deben (a former minister for the ruling Conservative Party), was particularly critical of new coal and oil projects, remarking on the decision to open the UK’s first deep coal mine in 30 years as “total nonsense” and was also quoted by the BBC as saying “how can we ask other nations not to expand fossil fuel production if we start doing it ourselves?”
The UK has set legally binding targets to cut emissions from all areas and reach net zero by 2050. However, the CCC has warned that “continued delays in policy development and implementation” mean that reaching this goal is becoming increasingly difficult and it has criticised a “lack of urgency” with ministers showing a “worrying hesitancy” to lead on climate issues. Lord Deben pins much of the blame on a failure to include net zero targets at the heart of the UK’s planning system: “If you pass laws in order to do something and then don’t provide the means, then you’re failing.” In short, according to the CCC at least, the UK government might talk a good game when it comes to tackling climate change, but its actions aren’t quite living up to the hype.
That’s why it’s reassuring to see the cement industry taking the challenge of climate change seriously. Heidelberg Materials, for example, recently celebrated the opening of its vast new plant in Mitchell, Indiana. After investments of more than US$600 million, the Mitchell plant promises to be one of the most advanced and sustainable plants ever built.
“The plant will reduce clinker production carbon dioxide emissions per ton of product by almost 30% mainly through operating on natural gas,” said Chris Ward, President and CEO of Heidelberg Materials North America. “Our investment in the Mitchell facility helps us lower our carbon footprint while serving the growing demand for more sustainable products in this key market.” On top of that, the Mitchell plant will primarily EcoCemTM PLC, a cement product with a significantly smaller carbon footprint than OPC. The plant has also been awarded US$8.9 million in funding from the US D.O.E. to study the subsurface geology for suitability for the storage of CO2.
Indeed, cement companies across the world are looking for ways to reduce their emissions, either through one of the dozens of CCUS projects currently underway, or through the increased use of alternative fuels, SCMS and novel binders, or new process technologies. Two more examples head up the technical content of this issue: On pg 10 you can find an article from Votorantim Cimentos that discusses the production of new low-carbon cements from the Cuiabá plant in Brazil, and on pg 13 you will find a piece from Heidelberg Materials discusses the upgrade of a slag grinding plant in the USA.
World Cement will continue to showcase the latest developments in the cement industry’s progress to Net Zero, and you can join us in person for the discussion too! Our first in-person conference and exhibition will be taking place on 10 – 13 March 2024 – join us in Lisbon for EnviroTech to discuss the industry’s decarbonisation journey with industry leaders from around the world! Register now at www.worldcement.com/envirotech2024
