Concrete

How Your Footprints Can Help Climate Change

Published

6 years ago

March 5, 2021

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For many people, the journey to and from work are the bookends of the daily grind. But how we choose to travel to the office, or even to pop to the shops, is also one of the biggest day-to-day climate decisions we face. In countries like the UK and the US, the transport sector is now responsible for emitting more greenhouse gases than any other; same is the case in our cities, like Delhi and Mumbai, including electricity production and agriculture. Globally, transport accounts for around a quarter of CO2 emissions.

Talking about cement, it is the source of about 8% of the world?? carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to think tank Chatham House. Since the 1950s, with Asia and China accounting for the bulk of growth from the 1990s onwards. Production has increased more than thirty fold since 1950 and almost fourfold since 1990. China used more cement between 2011 and 2013 than the US did in the entire 20th Century. Imagine the quantum of CO2 emitted by the production of cement alone.

According IEA report (The International Energy Agency) Coal-fired electricity generation accounts for 30% of global CO2 emissions. The majority of that generation is found today in Asia, where average plants are only 12 years old, decades younger than their average economic lifetime of around 40 years. Increased use of renewables in 2018 had an even greater impact on CO2 emissions, avoiding 215 Mt of emissions, the vast majority of which is due to the transition to renewables in the power sector.

The savings from renewables was led by China and Europe, together contributing two-thirds to the global total. Increased generation from nuclear power plants also reduced emissions, averting nearly 60 Mt of CO2 emissions. Overall, without the transition to low-carbon sources of energy in 2018, emissions growth would have been 50% higher. Nevertheless, overall cement emissions have been flat or declining in recent years as demand in China levelled off.

The cement sector has very well responded to the call of environment by making improvements in the energy-efficiency of new plants and burning waste materials instead of fossil fuels has seen the average CO2 emissions per tonne of output fall by 18% over the last few decades. In spite that being the situation the industry is reaching the limits of what it can do with current measures. If the sector has any hope of meeting its commitments to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, it will need to look at overhauling the cement-making process itself, not only reducing the use of fossil fuels. The biggest polluter in cement making process is clinker manufacturing that emits the largest amount of CO2

Another unexplored area is ??nnovative technologies?? which is essentially shorthand for reducing emissions using carbon capture and storage (CCS). This has not yet been used in the cement industry on commercial scale barring few trials, but the roadmap assumes integration of CCS in the cement sector will reach commercialscale deployment by 2030. Uncertainty over the potential to rapidly scale-up CCS and its large cost are major barriers to its use in reducing concrete emissions.

Indian Cement Review has continued to inform the stakeholders in the industry all through this challenging pandemic by putting across webinars, through its website and even held its bi-annual Cement Expo which was held this year with a virtual conference and awards. All through the year we have brought issues to the fore that need the attention of the industry and this annual issue highlights another alarming issue of ??limate Change?? Bill Gates, the genius billionnaire too has released a book,

??ow to avoid a climate disaster??

Chief executive Benjamin Sporton says the fact the organisation now exists ??s a demonstration of the commitment of the industry to sustainability, including taking action on climate change??

And much of the world?? transport networks still remain focused around the car.

Road vehicles ??cars, trucks, buses and motorbikes ??account for nearly three quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions that come from transport.

So, the way you get around each day can make a big difference to your own carbon footprint.

Follow me on twitter @PratapPadode

Concrete

India’s Cement Sector Cuts Energy Use, but Worker Safety Worsens

iFOREST finds efficiency gains alongside water and safety concerns

Published

17 hours ago

November 2, 2026

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India’s cement sector has improved its energy and carbon efficiency, but rising groundwater use in water-stressed regions and deteriorating worker safety remain significant concerns, according to a report by the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST). The findings also highlighted weak policy implementation and gaps in sustainability reporting.

India, the world’s second-largest cement producer, uses about 2.54 gigajoules of energy per tonne (GJ/t), below the global average of 2.88 GJ/t. However, renewable sources accounted for only 5.1 per cent of the sector’s energy mix, indicating continued dependence on conventional sources.

The report assessed 18 cement companies against 107 Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting indicators for FY24 and FY25. The companies covered 87 per cent of India’s cement production. Carbon emissions intensity declined from 0.58 to 0.57 tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne, but total emissions increased 4 per cent to 224.3 mn t, equivalent to about 6 to 7 per cent of India’s overall emissions.

Overall water withdrawal declined 9.5 per cent during the study period, while withdrawals in water-stressed areas, mainly in Rajasthan, increased by more than 20 per cent. Groundwater’s share of withdrawals in these areas rose from 27 per cent to 38 per cent, raising concerns about the sector’s impact on vulnerable water resources.

The sector employs about 228,000 people, including 63 per cent contractual workers, 3.1 per cent women and 0.07 per cent persons with disabilities. Women in key managerial roles earned 26.8 per cent less than men, while median pay for women workers fell 11.1 per cent in FY25 as men’s pay increased. Worker injuries rose 36.5 per cent to 359, and fatalities increased from 17 to 22, with workers accounting for more than 90 per cent of deaths.

iFOREST recommended cement-specific reporting guidance, standardised metrics, mandatory production disclosure and third-party verification. It also called for environmental, social and governance policies to be integrated into business strategies and implemented more effectively on the ground.

Concrete

Ambuja Cements Expects Volume Growth to Outpace Industry in H2

Ambuja Cements sees stronger trade and institutional demand in H2 FY27.

Published

17 hours ago

November 2, 2026

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Ambuja Cements expects its sales volumes to grow faster than the cement industry during the second half of fiscal year 2027, as it seeks a recovery in institutional demand after a weak first half. The Gautam Adani-owned company is aiming to rebuild volumes while protecting profitability.

The company reported a 90 per cent year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit attributable to owners of the parent to Rs. 1.93 bn for the quarter ended 30 September, from Rs. 17.74 bn a year earlier. The previous year’s profit included a reversal of income-tax provisions worth Rs. 16.97 bn. Revenue from operations rose marginally to Rs. 91.66 bn from Rs. 91.3 bn.

Trade volumes increased 8.6 per cent year-on-year in the September quarter, but weaker institutional sales left overall volumes broadly unchanged. Ambuja Cements expects both trade and institutional sales to turn positive in the third and fourth quarters. Trade sales are made through dealers and distributors, while institutional or business-to-business sales involve bulk supplies to infrastructure developers, government projects and real estate companies.

The company had earlier reduced institutional sales that did not generate adequate returns. It now plans to rebuild the business selectively, while continuing to prioritise trade sales and higher-value products. Trade accounted for 74 per cent of sales in the quarter, up six percentage points from a year earlier, while premium products increased to 37 per cent of trade sales from 35 per cent. Blended cement’s share rose to 82 per cent from 77 per cent.

Ambuja Cements commissioned 4.6 mn t of capacity during the quarter. Another 3.2 mn t at Bathinda in Punjab and Jodhpur has stabilised, with the facilities expected to ramp up in the second half. A further 2.4 mn t facility at Varkala in Bihar is scheduled for commissioning during the period. Higher fuel and logistics costs remain a challenge, while the company has realised a cement price increase of about Rs. 10 per bag in October and is targeting operating costs of Rs. 4,250 per t for the full year.

Concrete

JK Lakshmi Cement Begins Rs 110 Billion Assam Plant Project

The 2.5 MTPA integrated cement plant is expected to be completed by FY2029.

Published

3 days ago

October 31, 2026

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JK Lakshmi Cement has recently laid the foundation stone for Project Kamakshi, its first integrated cement manufacturing facility in Assam, marking its entry into Northeast India. The groundbreaking ceremony was held at Umrangso village in Dima Hasao district in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The project involves an investment of Rs 110 billion, including the mining lease, and will have an annual cement production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes, supported by a 1 million tonne clinkerisation unit. Scheduled for completion by FY2029, the facility is expected to generate employment for over 2,000 people while catering primarily to the growing Northeast market.

The integrated plant will feature dedicated railway sidings to facilitate efficient transportation of raw materials and finished cement, strengthening supply chain reliability and regional distribution.

Vinita Singhania, Chairperson and Managing Director, JK Lakshmi Cement, said, “”Project Kamakshi is the start of a long-term relationship with Assam and the wider North East. This is a region that is building fast, and it deserves quality cement made close to home. With this plant, we want to bring scale, jobs, and dependable supply to the region. At JK Lakshmi Cement, we believe that building a stronger India goes beyond infrastructure. It is also about growing together with the communities we serve.””

The investment aligns with the company’s strategy to expand into high-growth markets beyond its established presence in Northern, Western and Eastern India. The project is also expected to support regional economic development and infrastructure growth.

JK Lakshmi Cement aims to pursue its expansion plans while working towards its long-term target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2047.