Technology Roadmap Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry

Acknowledgements

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5
Cement is used to make concrete, the most consumed 
manufactured substance on the planet. Concrete 
builds homes, schools, hospitals, workplaces, 
transport systems and infrastructure for clean water, 
sanitation and energy, which are important for quality 
of life and social and economic wellbeing.
The cement sector is the third-largest industrial 
energy consumer, comprising 7% of the global 
industrial energy use (10.7 exajoules [EJ]). Cement 
production involves the decomposition of limestone 
(calcium carbonate), which represents about 
two-thirds of the total CO
2
emissions generated in 
the process, with the remainder of CO
2
emissions 
being due to combustion of fuels. Thus despite 
considerable progress on energy efficiency, the 
use of alternative fuels and clinker replacements, 
the sector has the second-largest share of total 
direct
1
industrial carbon dioxide (CO
2
) emissions, 
at 27% (2.2 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide per year 
[GtCO
2
/ yr]) in 2014. 
Rising global population and urbanisation patterns, 
coupled with infrastructure development needs, 
drive up the demand for cement and concrete. 
Global cement production is set to grow by 12-23% 
by 2050 from the current level. Some regions, such 
as People’s Republic of China and the Middle East, 
have excess cement production capacity, with 
cement production per capita levels well above the 
global average. Other regions, such as India and 
Africa, are set to increase their domestic cement 
production capacity to fulfil their infrastructure 
development needs.
Direct CO
2
emissions from the cement industry 
are expected to increase by 4% globally under 
the International Energy Agency (IEA) Reference 
Technology Scenario (RTS
2
) by 2050 despite an 
increase of 12% in global cement production in the 
same period. 
Realising the sustainable transition of the 2 degree 
Celsius (°C) Scenario (2DS) implies a significant 
reduction of the global direct CO
2
emissions from 
cement manufacture by 24% compared to current 
levels by 2050 still with the expected increase 
in global cement production. This represents 
cumulative emissions reductions of 7.7 GtCO
2
compared to the RTS by 2050, reaching 1.7 GtCO
2
, 
equivalent to around 90% of current total global 
industrial direct CO
2
emissions. Implementing 
this vision requires accelerated development and 
deployment of CO
2
emissions reduction levers, 
supportive policy, public-private collaboration, 
financing mechanisms and social acceptance.
1. Direct CO
2
emissions refer to emissions that are generated and 
released in the cement production process.
2. Please refer to Box 1 below for details on scenarios.