Global Cement Industry Reports 25% CO2 Intensity Reduction and Calls for Urgent Government Action to Accelerate Net Zero Mission

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The extensive decarbonisation work being carried out by the global cement and concrete industry to cut CO₂ emissions is set out in a new global report launched at COP30 in Belem, Brazil. The report details latest industry data showing that the sector is making progress, and also emphasises the need for urgent global government input to help accelerate action.

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 Hasanoğlan 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 full report: https://gccassociation.org/cement-and-concrete-industry-net-zero-action-and-progress-report/

About industry emissions data

Every year the GCCA publishes our latest industry GNR (“GCCA in NumbeRs”) data. The GNR is a global database that collects (through a credited third party, PwC) and transparently publishes a set of key industry sustainability data. The data is collected according to the Cement CO₂ and Energy Protocol, and available data goes back to 1990 as a reference point, so we are able to assess the progress that is underway.

The GNR is a key tool in how key sustainability progress is monitored and reported.

Latest data

In 2025, we collected data for 2023, to meet stipulated lag period required by Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of 2 years.

• The 2023 Cement Industry GNR data* show a 25% reduction in CO2 per tonne of cementitious has been achieved since 1990
• The proportion of alternative fuels used is 12 times greater than in 1990
• Energy efficiency has improved by 18%
• Clinker to Cementitious ratio shows an improvement of 10.68% since 1990

About the GCCA

The GCCA and its members account the majority of global cement production capacity outside of China, as well as a growing number of Chinese manufacturers. Member companies have committed to reducing and ultimately eliminating CO2 emissions in concrete, which currently account for around 7% globally, through implementation of the GCCA’s Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap – the first heavy industry to set out such a detailed plan, Together, GCCA is committed to building a bright, resilient and sustainable concrete future for the industry and for the world.

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