Technology Roadmap Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry

Figure 13: Global average estimates of cement composition
Notes: Cement composition estimates are provided as shares of cement production on a mass basis. The 2050 global average cement 
composition estimates shown are based on the low-variability case of the 2DS.
Sources: Base year data from CSI (2017), 
Global Cement Database on CO
2
 and Energy Information
, 
www.wbcsdcement.org/GNR
; SNIC 
(forthcoming), 
Low-Carbon Technology for the Brazilian Cement Industry
; CII, WBCSD and IEA (forthcoming), 
Status Update Project from 
2013 Low-Carbon Technology for the Indian Cement Industry; 
UNEP (2016), 
Eco-efficient Cements: Potential, Economically Viable Solutions for 
a Low-CO
2
, Cement-based Materials Industry; 
data submitted via personal communication by Sinoma Research Institute and China Cement 
Association (2016-17).
2%
65%
13%
6%
8%
5%
2014
Clinker
Blast furnace and steel slag
Fly ash
Limestone
Natural pozzolana
Gypsum
Calcined clay
1%
2%
60%
7%
18%
4%
8%
2050 - 2DS

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4. Carbon emissions reduction levers
KEY MESSAGE: The clinker to cement ratio becomes considerably reduced across different regions
by 2030 in the 2DS.
Figure 14: Regional clinker to cement ratio in the 2DS low-variability case
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2014
2030 - 2DS
China
2014
2030 - 2DS
India
2014
2030 - 2DS
Africa
Other Asia Pacific
2014
2030 - 2DS
Middle East
Eurasia
2014
2030 - 2DS
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2014
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2014
2030 - 2DS
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2014
2030 - 2DS
China
2014
2030 - 2DS
India
2014
2030 - 2DS
Africa
Other Asia Pacific
2014
2030 - 2DS
Middle East
Eurasia
2014
2030 - 2DS
2014
2030 - 2DS
2014
2030 - 2DS
2014
2030 - 2DS
Sources: Base year data from CII, WBCSD and IEA (forthcoming), 
Status Update Project from 2013 Low-Carbon Technology for the Indian 
Cement Industry
; CSI (2017), 
Global Cement Database on CO
2
 and Energy Information
, 
www.wbcsdcement.org/GNR
; data submitted via 
personal communication by Sinoma Research Institute and China Cement Association 
(2016-17)
.
Sources: CSI (2017), 
Global Cement Database on CO
2
 and Energy Information
, 
www.wbcsdcement.org/GNR
; SNIC (forthcoming), 
Low-
Carbon Technology for the Brazilian Cement Industry
.
Challenges to implementation
z
Regional availability
of cement blending 
materials remains critical, in terms of quantity/
quality and its impact on prices. Availabilities of 
GGBFS and fly ash are expected to decline.
z
Common practice, market awareness and 
acceptance
should be enhanced because, in 
some regions, consumers and contractors are 
reluctant to select blended cements over PC. 
This can be attributed to a lack of awareness by 
consumers and to lack of training/education of 
contractors.
z
Building standards
vary regionally in terms of 
the type of blended cements that are allowed for 
construction.
z
Distances between sources of blending 
materials and cement and concrete plants, and 
logistics,
can be barriers to the use of blending 
materials because they affect economic viability.
R&D needs and goals
The availability of cement blending materials should 
be quantified globally, building from bottom-up 
local assessments. The need to continuously assess 

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