POLICY ASKS

Some specific policies to achieve the above outcomes and support transition to net zero concrete are listed here.

• Use appropriate carbon pricing mechanisms to create a level playing field on carbon costs and avoid carbon leakage through adequate carbon pricing mechanisms.

• Unlock the full circular economy potential of the cement and concrete value chain by prioritising the use of, and improving access to waste and by-products as alternative fuels and materials; a ban on landfill, promoting the collection, sorting, pre-treatment, recovery, recycling and co-processing of waste.

• Through changes to standards and public procurement policy accelerate the adoption of low carbon cements and concrete products, that utilise cements with new chemistries and compositions.  

• Support R&D and innovation through public funding and risk sharing investment mechanisms. Provide incentives for the creation of climate innovation hubs which foster the participation of all relevant stakeholder groups.

• Support carbon capture utilisation and storage, providing fair recognition of all carbon capture technologies with adapted carbon accounting and supporting the provision of, and access to transport and storage infrastructure.

• Boost the supply, distribution, availability and affordability of renewable energy.

• Recognise in national greenhouse gas accounting and in lifecycle analysis the natural CO2 uptake in concrete over its lifetime and at end of life (recarbonation) as a permanent CO2 sink and facilitate access to concrete demolition waste to enable the industry to maximise CO2 uptake (recarbonation).

• Set ambitious standards for energy performance of buildings that are demanding and sophisticated enough to take into account the benefits of properties such as thermal mass.

• Adopt material/technology neutrality and CO2 lifecycle performance in construction regulations and standards, as well as in public procurement, to optimise sustainable outcomes.

• Tackle (non-regulatory) systemic barriers to enable the optimisation of concrete design and construction and prioritisation of CO2 performance alongside other objectives at the procurement, design and construction stages.