GCCA at COP28

Innovation is a key part of the cement and concrete industry’s journey to net zero and is a key part of our 2050 Roadmap.

The GCCA runs two innovation programmes under its Innovandi programme:

• Innovandi Global Cement and Concrete Research Network (GCCRN)
• Innovandi Open Challenge

The Innovandi GCCRN brings together industry and academia to collaborate on pre-competitive research in areas such as alternate clinker and new binders. Since its launch in 2019, the network has grown, with several core projects underway between collaborators that show great promise.

Launched in 2021, the Innovandi Open Challenge is a global programme to bring together tech start-ups and GCCA member companies to drive innovation and help solve the climate challenge.

It partners our members with exciting start-ups to accelerate technology that will be essential in our decarbonisation journey.

The event will inform COP28 delegates on progress made to date and future initiatives

Speakers include

• Claude Lorea, GCCA Cement, Innovation and ESG Director
• Devika Wattal, GCCA Innovation Consultant

We cordially invite you as an important stakeholder to the launch of the "Cement Industry Progress Report 2023" and the formal unveiling of our ‘Concrete Future’ Pavilion. 2 Dec 2023, 16.30-18.00 – at the ‘Concrete Future Pavilion’, TA3-245, Thematic Arena, Blue Zone.

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This report is an opportunity to highlight the efforts undertaken by private and public players towards the decarbonisation of the cement and concrete sector – which produces the most used materials on earth after water. Our member companies are fully committed and working towards building a net zero future. The report contains contributions by GCCA member companies who are driving the daily decarbonisation agenda, as well as important contributions from key stakeholders such as the High Level Champions, Government of Canada on the Cement Breakthrough, UNIDO, Mission Innovation and LeadIT.

Our goal is to both highlight the progress so far, and identify the existing challenges to overcome that can expedite the transition. We can only achieve this by working with our members and with all relevant stakeholders who are making important contributions.

This COP will also see the launch of important initiatives on the international stage and we look forward to working with the “Cement Breakthrough" and the “Industrial Transition Accelerator” – both of which will help to galvanise more global action on decarbonisation of the industry,

Our event will include short presentations from governments, international stakeholders and GCCA's industry members:

• High Level Climate Action Champion, HE Razan (tbd)
• Government of Canada
• UNIDO
• Mission Innovation
• CEO Cemex and President of GCCA and, Fernando Gonzalez
• CEO GCCA, Thomas Guillot

The presentations will be followed by an informal reception to launch our Pavilion.

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The Cement sector is responsible for 6-7% of global CO₂ emissions. Carbon management is a vital decarbonization lever for the industry. At this opening event of the series, industry’s current plans and main challenges for CCUS deployment are presented and discussed. Government policy views are also presented.

Speakers:

• Thomas Guillot, CEO, GCCA
• Rana Ghoneim, Chief, Energy Transition, UNIDO
• Jean-François Gagné, Head of Clean Energy Ministerial Secretariat
• More TBC

In October 2021, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), on behalf of its member companies, published its Concrete Future – 2050 Cement and Concrete Industry Roadmap for Net Zero Concrete. The Roadmap sets out the pathway for our industry to achieve net zero and help to limit global warming to 1.5oC. The Roadmap highlights the critical need to accelerate the development of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) as a cornerstone of achieving net zero emissions.

This event will unveil key content of the recently launched GCCA CCUS Handbook a publication which aims to provide GCCA members with guidance on developing a large-scale CCUS project. The panel will feature companies whim will illustrate the guidebook with their very own practical experience.

Speakers and panellists:

• Claude Lorea, Cement, Innovation and ESG Director, GCCA
• Beth (Hardy) Valiaho, Vice-President, Policy, Regulatory & Stakeholders Relations, International CCS Knowledge Center 
• Mac Walton, International CCS Knowledge Center Policy Analyst 
• Cedric Demeeus, Head of Public Affairs & Government Relations, Holcim
• Winston Beck, Head of Government Affairs, Heidelberg Materials
• Dr. Antonis Kyrkos, Chief Digital and Strategy Officer, TITAN
• Vicente Saiso, CEMEX 

Speakers and panellists:

• Claude Lorea, Cement, Innovation and ESG Director, GCCA

The availability of CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure is a key prerequisite for effective CCUS deployment in the cement sector. In this panel the issues of infrastructure buildout and strategic CO₂ hubs are discussed. How can hubs best serve the global cement sector?

Speakers and panellists:

• Claude Lorea, Cement, Inovation and ESG Director, GCCA
• Julien Perez, VP Policy and Strategy, OGCI (confirmed)
• Beth Valiaho, VP Policy, International CCS Knowledge Centre (confirmed)
• Katherine Romanak, Research Scientist, University of Texas, Austin (confirmed)
• Nick Cooper, CEO, Storegga (confirmed)
• Alex Milward, Director of CCUS, DESNZ, UK (confirmed)

Moderator:

• Tim Dixon, General Manager, IEAGHG (confirmed)

Is there a business case for delivering low carbon projects?

Global leaders from world leading companies will share what they are doing to deliver low carbon projects across the built environment from commercial office space to urban transport systems to critical water supply infrastructure to mass housing.  But how to make the transition possible, in the notoriously complex value chain of the construction sector?. Hear the perspective of architect, contractor and material supplier together with the global perspective of leading consultancy BCG.

Moderator: 

• Dr Andrew Minson,  FICE FIStructE , Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA)

Speakers:

• Diane Hoskins, co-CEO, Gensler
• Marta Guzzafame, Partner, BCG

It is well-known that concrete is responsible for significant CO2 emissions, primarily as a result of the carbon-intensive process by which its key ingredient, cement, is manufactured. What is less well known is that concrete absorbs CO2 throughout its lifecycle, a property known as cement recarbonation, concrete carbonation or, more simply, carbon uptake. 

The event aims at presenting recent developments in estimating the natural carbon sink provided by concrete as well as development related carbonation-based binders and the use CO2 in the concrete value chain.  

Speakers and panellists:

• Claude Lorea, GCCA Cement, Innovation and ESG Director  
• Diana Casey , Executive Director, Energy and Climate Change, MPA 
• M.A. San Juan, Head of the Cement and Mortars Area, IECA 
• Jonas Helseth, Director, Bellona 

Finding financing for CCUS in the cement sector is going to be highly dependent on enabling policy frameworks set by governments. These frameworks will include, inter alia, national/regional CO₂ emission reduction and decarbonization visions, economy-wide policies such as carbon pricing, specific incentives for carbon capture technologies and policies to create demand for clean products. This panel will discuss how such policy frameworks are being implemented and how they can be accelerated.

Speakers and panellists:

• Thomas Guillot, CEO, GCCA
• Ruth Herbert, Chief Executive, CCSA 
• Yukimi Shimura, Director, MUFG Bank 
• Rich Powell, CEO, ClearPath 

Speakers:

• Devika Wattal, Innovation Consultant, GCCA

Concrete, as a primary building material, boasts significant advantages – local production, durability, and resilience to extreme weather events. Providing low-carbon cement and concrete can thus be a major solution to housing and infrastructure of the future. The good news is that net zero solutions are on the horizon with Heidelberg Materials set to launch the first-ever CCS plant in the cement world in Brevik, Norway, by the end of 2024. However, the awareness and demand for these materials remain confined to a few commercial downstream users. Furthermore, the embodied carbon of materials is rarely addressed in global climate mitigation policies. This event provides a unique opportunity to discuss policy- and market-driven instruments to accelerate the deployment of low carbon construction materials with policymakers and construction value chain leaders.

Speakers:

• Dr Nicola Kimm, Chief Sustainability Officer and Member of the Managing Board, Heidelberg Materials
• Diane Hoskins, co-CEO, Gensler
• Isabelle Spiegel, Global Head of Environment and Member of the Executive Committee, VINCI
• Rana Ghoneim, Chief of the Energy systems and Infrastructure Division at UNIDO
• Anja Hajduk, Secretary of State at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK)

Speakers:

• Thomas Guillot, CEO, GCCA

Hosted by Paul Adeleke, Strategy, Communications & Policy Director, GCCA

The built environment is responsible for half of global resource use, construction demolition waste accounts for nearly 40% of total solid waste and around  45% of GHG emissions come from the production and consumption of resources and materials.

Circular economy enables decarbonization and reduces the use of natural resources. Hence, there is a need to accelerate the shift from a linear “take-make-waste” economy to a circular “reduce-reuse-recycle” in the built environment.

This discussion will focus on how to accelerate the shift towards circular buildings and the role of innovative building solutions (including design, materials, waste management, etc.), to achieve this shift.

The session also aims at discussing  the collaboration levers between partners to create an enabling environment to successfully scale the transition to a circular built environment globally and the various obstacles that are yet to be overcome to achieve this scale up.

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Speakers:

• Andrew Minson, Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director

The Carbon Management Challenge (CMC) is launched at COP on 5 December. The Challenge gathers a coalition of willing governments to drive carbon management technologies to Giga-tonne scale by 2030. At this event, industry, government and finance sector representatives will discuss the role and implications of the Challenge, and how stakeholders can best take part in and support the Challenge.

Speakers and panellists:

• Rachel McCormick, Director-General, Natural Resources Canada (confirmed)
• Jarad Daniels, CEO, Global CCS Institute (confirmed)
• Lee Beck, Senior Director, EME, Clean Air Task Force (confirmed)
• More TBC

Sustainability is at the forefront of many industries, but the concrete construction community has a remarkable, elevated opportunity to fundamentally change the way civilizations are built,” said ACI President Nanni. “ACI and NEU are uniquely positioned to address these initiatives and we look forward to sharing our knowledge and collaborating with organizations that share this interest.” 

Concrete plays a major and indispensable role in a sustainable future, and NEU was established to drive education, awareness, and adoption of carbon neutral concrete materials and technologies.  

Moderator:  Dr Andrew Minson FICE FIStructE , Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director, Global Cement and Concrete Association  

Speakers:  

• Dr. Antonio Nanni, President, American Concrete Institute (ACI)
• Mr. Dean Frank, P.E., Executive Director, ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete (neu)
• Prof. Karen Scrivener, Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne (EPFL)
• Round Table moderated by Andrew Minson, GCCA

Clinker substitution is one of the main levers of our Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap. From a current level of 0.63, the clinker to binder ratio is projected to reduce to 0.58 and 0.52 by respectively 2030 and 2050.  

Availability of suitable materials around the world varies now, and will into the future, because for example fly ash comes from coal fired power stations and ggbs from the steel industry’s blast furnaces and these industries are also transitioning. In coming decades there will be increased use of ground limestone and the introduction of calcined clays to both compensate for reduced supply of fly ash and ggbs, and further reduce the clinker binder ratio.  

Calcined clays rely on clay deposits that are geographically spread and sufficiently abundant to meet projected demand. 

Whilst availability of materials can be a limitation on clinker binder ratio, client acceptance is a current barrier in fully exploiting this lever in some developed and emerging economies. 

This event will update on the latest updates in the calcined clays area and discuss further engagement and actions.

Speakers and panellists:

• Claude Lorea, Cement, Innovation and ESG Director, GCCA
• Karen Scrivener, Head of Material laboratory, EPFL
• Cedric de Meeus, Head of Government Affairs, Holcim
• Cementos Argos TBC

The Global Concrete Future Roadmap to Net Zero concrete was published in 2021 by GCCA.  Since 2022, this global commitment and pathway is being used as a catalyst to develop country specific roadmaps for net zero concrete. These country roadmaps take into account the particular opportunities and challenges that each country face.  Our first speaker, Maria Garcia, brings expertise from across Central and South America where FICEM have a deep knowledge of the status of the cement sector and are developing country specific roadmaps to net zero.  Sanjay Seth and Paulo Camillo, from India and Brazil respectively, will present on the soon to be published roadmaps for two of the most important growing economies.  

Moderator: Dr Andrew Minson GCCA  FICE FIStructE, Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) 

Speakers:  

• Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, Sustainable Habitat. The Energy and Resources Institute 
• María José García, Executive Director, Inter-American Cement Federation (FICEM) 
• TBC Paulo Camillo, President,  Brazilian National Cement Industry Association (SNIC)

The objective of the regional OPTOCE project is to explore the potential involvement of the cement industry in expanding treatment capacity for Non-Recyclable Plastic Wastes (NRPW). By doing so, we aim to contribute to the reduction of microplastic release into the sea. Our pilot initiatives are designed to exemplify this potential through localized proof of concept. In other words, the Pilot Demonstrations will conduct a comparative analysis of technical and environmental performance. This will involve assessing baseline conditions versus co-processing conditions, where different types and quantities of non-recyclable plastic waste are utilized alongside coal as co-fuel. The outcomes will undergo rigorous and unbiased verification, with results subsequently published in scientific or technical journals.

This project is part of the Norwegian Development Programme to Combat Marine Litter and Microplastics and investigates how the involvement of cement industry can increase the treatment capacity for NRPW in China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam and thereby contribute to reduce the release of plastics to the Ocean.

More than 175 nations have agreed to develop a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution by 2024, prompting a major step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production, use and disposal. Many oppose co-processing of NRPW in cement kilns and want this practice to be banned. The aim of the OPTOCE project is to document scientifically the benefits and potential weaknesses of co-processing and to provide the premises on disposal options for NRPW and support science-based policy and decision making.

Speakers:

• Dr. Kåre Helge Karstensen, Chief Scientist and Programme Manager. SINTEF
• Dr. Adriannah Mbandi, Lead, Waste, Climate Champions
• Claude Lorea, Cement, Innovation and ESG Director

The cement sector has reduced carbon emissions per unit production by 20% since 1990, but needs to do the same again in this decade*.  In this event, case studies of real action will be presented to demonstrate progress, illicit cross fertilisation of ideas and give confidence to all built environment stakeholders that real action is happening to decarbonise the most used man made material on earth: concrete.  (*GCCA Concrete Future Roadmap to Net Zero Concrete.) 

Moderator: 

• Dr Andrew Minson GCCA  FICE FIStructE , Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) 

Speakers:  

• Javier Durand, Cementos Pacasmayo
• Chana Poomee, CEO, SCG

Sustainability assessment tools are important for understanding impacts, reducing impacts through the design process and communicating the sustainability credentials of a project.  Such tools are complex as they reflect the complexity of the built environment and multi-facetted aspects of sustainability. What fundamental choices are shaping how these tools are being developed and refined?  How might they take into account climate adaptation and resilience? And how might they be more effective?

Moderator: 

• Dr Andrew Minson GCCA  FICE FIStructE , Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA)

Speakers:

• Shabnam Bassi, Director, Sustainable Buildings TERI (GIRI sustainability Assessment Method)
• Uzoma Anugom, RDC Property Group & Botswana Green Building Council , Chief Operating Officer/EDGE Expert 
• Liz Beardsley, Senior Policy Counsel, USGBC
• Other speakers tbc

Our industry’s impact on nature is a key focus for us, and efforts to conserve and reduce our impact have increased in recent years, particularly in light of COP15 and the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which set out an ambitious pathway to reach the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature by 2050. 

GCCA members are committed towards the achievement of Net Positive Impact in their cement, concrete and aggregates operations. 

Good practices on land stewardship and biodiversity are embedded into the GCCA Sustainability Charter and the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals into our actions. 

The event will discuss further actions for the sector in the light of the recently released WEF Nature Positive Role of Cement and Concrete report as well as the launch by the GCCA of its water positivity index tool.

Speakers:

• Claude Lorea, GCCA Cement, Innovation and ESG Director  
• Michael Ofosuhene-Wise, Climate & Nature Manager – Business for Nature 
• Others TBC