Editorial comment
If you needed any further reminders that climate change remains a core fixture of the current political agenda, in just a few weeks, on 31st October, the UK will begin hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties or, as it’s more commonly known: COP26.
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The aim of this two-week long meeting is to enable negotiations between the 197 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and agree on methods for dramatically reducing humanity’s impact on the environment. More specifically, the aim of COP26 is to enable the necessary agreements and frameworks required to achieve the following four goals:
- Secure global net zero by 2050 and limit global average temperature rises to 1.5°C.
- Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats most impacted.
- Mobilise finance: ensuring that developed nations and international financial institutions play their part in funding change.
- Work together: finalise the ‘Paris Rulebook’ (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational) and accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society.
Meeting these challenges will require an essential combination of investment, collaboration, and the widespread deployment of new technologies. A daunting task in its own right. It’s good then to see the cement sector continue to make strides towards reducing its own environmental footprint. One recent example is the news that FLSmidth and Chart Industries will be working together to commercialise carbon capture technology capable of removing more than 90% of CO2 emissions from cement production. The technology in question is Cryogenic Carbon Capture (CCC). CCC uses specialised equipment to capture CO2 from exhaust gas and produce it as a high-purity liquid ready for storage and use. FLSmidth’s role is to use its industry recognition and process knowledge to accelerate commercialisation of the technology and optimise it for use in the cement sector.
Indeed, the cement industry has seen a flurry of ‘green’ news stories recently: HeidelbergCement announced a new carbon capture pilot project in Eastern Europe, Hoffman Green Cement Technologies has launched its fourth low-carbon cement (emitting one-sixth of the CO2 produced by OPC), Calix’s LEILAC technology has received a €15 million investment, to list just a few examples. Even our cover story this month, an interview with the CEO and other leaders at Cementir Holding (p. 16), looks at how the cement sector can reduce its environmental impact.
For more information on cutting edge technologies in the cement sector, make sure to join us on 9 – 10 November for WCT2021. Featuring live Q&As, a virtual exhibition, and presentations from Lubrilog, Titan Cement, Holcim, FLSmidth, thyssenkrupp and more, this online conference is not to be missed! Register today (for free) at: www.worldcement.com/wct2021