We talk about electric instead of petrol cars, heat pumps instead of gas boilers, trains instead of planes. The EU is working to decarbonise so many sectors, and yet it still overlooks some crucial ones. The impact of cement, a material that is literally built into our lives—and traditionally extremely polluting—is yet to be addressed. The ALCCC, Alliance for Low-Carbon Cement & Concrete, wants to break down the walls blocking cement decarbonisation in Europe, but it can’t unless the European Commission clears a path.
Europe trails other nations and regions when it comes to cement decarbonisation—including the US, Latin America, and Canada. The culprit? Outdated European standards.
Instead of being ‘technology neutral’ (the buzzword for politicians and industry alike), standards swim against the tide, prescribing recipe-based rules for cement that block innovative low-carbon technologies from the market and prevent a level playing field.
These recipes overprescribe one ingredient called clinker, the key binding material of traditional cement—and the main cause of its high climate impact (which amounts to as much as 8% of global CO2 emissions). However, today’s overconsumption of traditional clinker is no longer justified. New ways of making cement exist, but they face disproportionate political headwinds because they challenge the status quo.
Innovation abounds in the cement industry, with many companies—such as members of the Alliance for Low-Carbon Cement & Concrete (ALCCC)—manufacturing new, clean technologies. Proven, scalable, and cost-effective solutions already exist that could wean the industry off highly polluting traditional cement and clinker. In fact, research shows that European clinker production could be halved as soon as 2030 just by using current technologies.
Change in the cement industry doesn’t have to be a far-off pipe dream—it could happen today. Low-carbon technologies are ready be deployed at scale, but policymakers have so far failed to put standards and policies in place that will usher in this transition. We have the solutions. A lack of political will is the only thing now standing in the way of decarbonisation.
Decarbonisation and competitiveness: Two sides of the same coin
It is not only decarbonisation that is at stake—competitiveness is, too. Driving down emissions is a major economic opportunity for the European cement industry because it will allow European companies to compete with other, more future-focused markets.
For decades, European cement standards have followed a recipe-based logic, only offering a limited and predefined set of cement types and compositions an easy route to market. We urgently need performance-based standards—ones that will define the properties of cement instead of a shopping list of ingredients decided by only a handful of companies. The current approach has sidelined innovation—leaving a gap in the global market for low-carbon cement that is now being filled by others.
This has led to a growing number of European innovators exploring other markets, including the US, Latin America, and Canada, all of which have more innovation-friendly cement standards in place. These countries now have a competitive advantage in attracting both innovators and investments—including those from Europe.
For European companies to remain competitive, the EU must remove the barriers preventing clean technologies from being deployed at scale—including its antiquated recipe-based standard. Competitiveness does not exist without underlying fair and open competition on the internal market. Today, this is not happening.
The clock is ticking for the European Commission
The European Commission, aware of this market failure, initiated a process earlier this year to supposedly break free from outdated practices. Worryingly, the drafts it has put forward on how future European cement standards need to look are business-as-usual, offering the same old (polluting) technologies an easy route to market.
With time running out for the EU to meet its climate goals—something that will not be possible without addressing cement emissions—many are beginning to sound the alarm. A letter published last week with 23 signatories from industry, civil society, and think tanks counselled the European Commission to stand strong in the face of political pressure and short-term business interests. They call for technology neutral cement standards to be prioritised instead of the status quo.
The EU has everything it needs to lead the way with a green, vibrant, and innovative market—but politicians and incumbent companies must stop blocking progress. Time is running out for Europe’s cement industry, which if it doesn’t act will become obsolete in a constantly evolving global market.
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Publish date : 2024-10-22 03:14:00
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The post How the European cement industry can become competitive and clean – Euractiv first appeared on Love Europe.
Author : love-europe
Publish date : 2024-10-22 22:26:39
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