Cement and concrete industry calls for stronger policy support as it advances net zero action

Antalya, Türkiye, 12 November 2026 – The cement and concrete industry is taking significant steps to reduce its emissions while continuing to deliver the housing, infrastructure and resilient communities the world needs. From carbon capture projects and alternative fuels to lower-carbon cement and breakthrough innovations, a new report released today at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye highlights the industry’s progress towards achieving net zero cement and concrete, while underscoring the urgent need for enabling policies to help bring transformative technologies to commercial scale to accelerate the industry’s net zero progress.

Launching the report, Dominik von Achten, GCCA President and CEO of Heidelberg Materials, said: “Cement and concrete are essential to modern life, and as the global population grows and urbanises, our materials will remain vital to human development and to building communities that are sustainable and resilient to our changing climate.

“Our sector has set out and committed to a credible pathway to produce net zero concrete, and our members are making progress on every lever. In addition to climate mitigation, consideration must also be given to climate adaptation and resilience, and as the world’s climate changes our material will be ever more crucial in helping society build resilience.”

As leaders gather at COP31 to accelerate climate action, the report highlights action across every lever of the GCCA’s 2050 Net Zero Roadmap, including the use of alternative fuels and renewable electricity, the development of supplementary cementitious materials, low-carbon concrete and, circular economy solutions, and advancing the adoption of innovative technologies including carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). It also showcases dozens of real-world projects being delivered by GCCA member companies around the world.

However, while the industry is making strong progress, key policy priorities are called for to accelerate cement and concrete decarbonisation through enabling greater use of supplementary materials, establishing effective carbon pricing, supporting CCUS at scale, unlocking co-processing of waste in cement kilns, and using low-carbon procurement to create market demand.

Thomas Guillot, Chief Executive of the GCCA, said: “Five years on from the launch of the GCCA 2050 Net Zero Roadmap, our industry’s commitment remains firm. Across our membership, companies are investing, innovating and acting across every available lever to deliver net zero cement and concrete.

“But our industry cannot do it alone. We need governments and policymakers to match that commitment and help us accelerate our net zero transition. With the right policies and partnerships, we can turn ambition into implementation and deliver net zero cement and concrete for a sustainable and resilient world.”

The technologies needed to reduce emissions already exist and are being implemented today, but greater collaboration across the value chain and stronger government support are required to deliver change at the necessary scale and speed.

The launch at COP31 reinforces the sector’s commitment to transparent reporting and accountability, while demonstrating how cement and concrete can be part of the solution to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

The GCCA Action and Progress Report is available to download here.