CO₂ and Climate Protection

Cement production causes approximately 5% of global man-made CO₂ emissions. Ca. 50% of emissions are process emissions that happen during clinker production, 40% come from the burning of the fuels to heat the cement kiln, and ca. 10% come from electricity use and transportation. 

Demand for cement is forecast to continue increasing worldwide, in particular in emerging economies where much needed housing and infrastructure boosts development. The reduction of CO₂ emissions from cement production is therefore an important and urgent task for the cement sector.

The CSI member companies have been addressing CO₂ reduction since the start of the initiative. They measure and report their emissions following the same protocol, the CSI’s Cement CO₂ and Energy Protocol, and they have set individual targets to reduce CO₂ intensity.

The CSI’s work, and other sources, has identified four main levers for CO₂ reductions:

• Energy efficiency, via modern dry-process technology
• The use of Alternative fuels (incl. biomass) to replace coal and petcoke in the cement kiln heating process;
• The substitution of clinker with other mineral components in cement; and
• Carbon capture and storage.