Global groups shift duties to further cement, concrete sustainability

Sources: Global Cement and Concrete Association, London; Cement Sustainability Initiative, Geneva; CP staff

A strategic partnership between the recently chartered Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is intended to facilitate sustainable development of the cement and concrete sectors and their value chains, while creating work program synergies benefitting both organizations’ members. Work from the WBCSD-hosted Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) will be transferred to GCCA in 2019. 

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Cement companies inventory low-carbon production methods per Paris Accord

Sources: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Geneva; CP staff

A new report from WBCSD’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) focuses on technology availability and the need to scale up research and development that can help the cement industry mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In light of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Agreement’s entry into force, CSI effected an in-depth review of its original papers from 2009, when the sector issued the first ever low-carbon technology roadmap in partnership with the International Energy Agency (IEA).

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Global group to certify Responsible Concrete Sourcing

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Geneva-based Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), along with partners from the Americas, Europe and Asia, has launched a responsibility sourcing certification system for concrete. The Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC), a CSI counterpart chartered in November 2016, is crafting the system to concrete, cement and aggregate companies obtain insight in the level to which a company operates in an environmentally, socially and economically responsible way. CSC certification covers raw material sourcing or provenance, production plus a range of economic, social and environmental impacts.

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Global cement group spawns concrete twin, responsible sourcing certification

Sources: Cement Sustainability Initiative, Geneva; CP staff

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), along with partners from the Americas, Europe and Asia, has launched a responsible sourcing certification system for concrete.

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Cement elite endorse Climate Convention carbon-reporting codification

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Members of the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) under the Geneva-based World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) concur with formal adoption of the United Nations-crafted Paris Agreement, under which signatory countries pursue long-term greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures. A threshold crossed earlier this fall—where more than 50 percent of signatories took official action toward commitments affirmed at the December 2015 Conference of Parties in Paris—triggered last month’s commencement of GHG management protocols.

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Cement multinationals endorse Climate Convention carbon-reporting codification

Sources: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Geneva; CP staff

WBCSD Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) members concur with formal adoption of the United Nations-crafted Paris Agreement, under which signatory countries pursue long-term greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures. A threshold crossed last month—where more than 50 percent of signatories took official action toward commitments affirmed at the December 2015 Conference of Parties in Paris—triggered a November 5 commencement of GHG management protocols.

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Sustainability watchdog sets concrete production water accounting standards

The Cement Sustainability Initiative has capped a two-year effort to formalize accounting of water consumption and recycling in cement, concrete and aggregate production. The new 34-page Guidance on Good Practices for Water Accounting builds on Protocol for Water Reporting for the Cement Industry (2014) and Water Key Performance Indicators (2015).

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Sustainability watchdog sets concrete production water accounting standards

Sources: World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative, Geneva; CP staff

The Cement Sustainability Initiative has capped a two-year effort to formalize accounting of water consumption and recycling in cement, concrete and aggregate production. The new 34-page Guidance on Good Practices for Water Accounting builds on Protocol for Water Reporting for the Cement Industry (2014) and Water Key Performance Indicators (2015).

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LafargeHolcim executives bring action plan to UN Climate Conference

Sources: LafargeHolcim Ltd., Jona, Switzerland; United Nations; CP staff

The world’s leading cement, aggregate and concrete producer will offer energy and environmental management perspectives at four United Nations Climate Conference sessions, topped by the introduction of a World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD)/Cement Sustainability Initiative project. Also known as (Conference of Parties) COP-21, the event runs through December 11 in Paris and involves 150-plus countries representing nearly 90 percent of carbon emissions across the globe.

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NRMCA-led agreement ushers responsible sourcing certification effort

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; CP staff

NRMCA Chairman Bill Childs (Chaney Enterprises) joined concrete and cement group representatives from around the world to sign an agreement launching an international responsible sourcing certification program for concrete, spearheaded by the World Business Council on Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI).

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