The cement and concrete sector has made notable progress in reducing its environmental impact over the past three decades, cutting CO₂ emissions per tonne by 25% since 1990. However, a new analysis from the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) warns that reaching net zero concrete by 2050 will depend heavily on supportive and coordinated policy frameworks.
Factory using carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). AI generated picture.
According to the report, the industry’s long-term decarbonisation strategy is advancing, yet gaps in national policy environments risk slowing the transition. As Thomas Guillot, Chief Executive of GCCA, notes, ‘Despite our strong progress, we know that firm policy action across the world is fundamental to enabling us to accelerate our reductions.’
A central recommendation is the adoption of robust carbon pricing systems that encourage investment in cleaner technologies. The report highlights that ‘an appropriate carbon price, as well as long-term predictability of the carbon price, allows companies to make the investments needed to reduce their CO₂.’ It also cautions policymakers to ensure a level playing field: ‘Policymakers must ensure that use of carbon pricing does not lead to distortions of competition between domestic producers and importers.’
Read more: Carbon pricing: global solutions for a global challenge
Beyond pricing mechanisms, the report stresses that achieving carbon-neutral concrete requires widespread deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). Owing to the chemical nature of cement production—where process emissions from limestone account for two-thirds of released CO₂—renewable energy alone cannot deliver full decarbonisation. As the report states, ‘CCUS is a ‘critical lever’ to decarbonise cement and concrete, because unlike other sectors, switching to renewable energy is not sufficient to deliver decarbonisation.’
Yet despite growing interest, current CCUS policies remain fragmented and insufficient to deliver the scale of projects needed. The GCCA emphasises that ‘policy needs to address public financing, recognition of carbon removal, transport and storage infrastructure, access to decarbonised electricity, carbon pricing and demand for low carbon product.’
The report outlines a suite of actions to accelerate progress, from integrating CCUS into public financing tools to recognising all carbon removal pathways, expanding CO₂ transport and storage solutions, enabling access to affordable clean energy, and embedding CO₂ performance into procurement and construction standards. It also highlights opportunities to reduce emissions through increased use of alternative fuels, recycling construction waste, and adopting blended cement and concrete products.
With the concrete sector responsible for roughly 7% of global CO₂ emissions, scaling these measures will be essential. While CCUS deployment is increasing, the GCCA underscores that substantial policy alignment will be necessary to meet the 2050 net zero goal.
Read more: EU carbon prices poised for €100–130 surge by 2028
The concrete industry’s push to cut process emissions and scale technologies like CCUS highlights a broader truth: hard-to-abate sectors will need more than technological innovation to reach net zero. Residual emissions—especially those inherent to cement production—require reliable removals, and this is where nature-based solutions become essential. Green Earth develops high-integrity projects that not only capture and store carbon but also regenerate ecosystems, support biodiversity and create long-lasting value for local communities. As companies look to complement industrial decarbonisation with trusted carbon removals, nature-based solutions offer an impactful, verifiable and socially meaningful path forward. With momentum building across the sector, this is the ideal moment to engage with projects that deliver real environmental and community gains.
