Climate Change and Our Carbon Strategy
CARBON STRATEGY TARGETS AND CURRENT
DEVELOPMENTS
The UK cement industry is committed to the
reduction of CO2 through its Carbon Strategy, which was
launched in November 2005. The industry is playing an active
role in assisting the government towards achieving its target of a
60% or more reduction of CO2 emissions by 2050 based on
1990 levels.
To view the Carbon Strategy click here.
Short term targets up to
2010
The industry is well on the way to meeting its
2010 Climate Change Agreement target having already
achieved over 27% improvement in specific energy
consumption. Additionally, the industry has saved over 3.7
million tonnes of CO2 since 1990 by reducing
its direct emissions by 28%.
In 2005, direct CO2 emissions
generated from the manufacture of a tonne of Portland Cement
equivalent were 822 kg CO2/t PCe (down from 924kg
CO2/t PCe in 1998). This betters the Environment
Agency cement sector plan target of 833 kg CO2/t PCe by
2010, due to specific actions including:
Capital investment in energy efficient
technology
Fossil fuels replacements
Production of factory-made composite cements,
which encourages the use of secondary main constituents as
alternatives to clinker.
The industry has initiated a preliminary
assessment of the carbonation of concrete. This is the ability of
concrete to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere over its life
cycle. Current indications are that, on average, concrete could
absorb around 19% of the CO2 emitted in the manufacture
of cement. This uptake of CO2 acts as a carbon
offset.
Medium term target up to
2030
The industry is on course to meet its medium
term targets through:
New capital investment in energy efficiency
technologies and transport efficiency
Increasing the production of factory-made
composite cements, such that the UK matches the EU average for CEM
II to IVs.
Engagement with the government of EU ETS
targets post 2012. The BCA has recently signed the UK manifesto on
the EU ETS developed by the government.
Engagement with the government to support a UK
cement manufacturing industry, in order to avoid displacement of
climate change through increased imports of cement from non-carbon
constrained economies.
Long term targets to
2050
The industry is working towards its long-term
target and is an active participant in a preliminary project being
carried out by the International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas
R&D Programme to determine the practicalities of applying
carbon capture and storage (CCS) to cement manufacture.
Current indications are that incorporating
carbon capture and storage at plants would notably increase energy
demand and require a significant increase in capital investment in
equipment.
The BCA is a member of the UK Carbon Capture
and Storage Association in recognition of the important role the
cement industry has to play in the development of CCS.
To support the government target of 60%
reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050, the industry
objective is to maximise the contribution of cement to the delivery
of a more sustainable built environment.