Canada launches Cement & Concrete Breakthrough initiative
By Adam Freill
Concrete ConstructionAnnouncement at COP28 aims to solidify Canada's position as a global champion for the adoption of low-carbon cement and concrete.
PHOTO: Adobe Stock/Pamela Au
Canada is committed to working with countries, businesses and international partner organizations to accelerate investments in the technologies, tools and policies that the cement and concrete industry needs to realize net-zero solutions by 2050, stated François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry, and Omar Ahmed Suwaina Al Suwaidi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the pair launched the Cement & Concrete Breakthrough initiative at COP28 in Dubai.
Co-led by Canada and the UAE, the initiative will enable countries to share best practices on a range of policies and other measures to decarbonize the cement and concrete sector. It will engage a variety of partners at the global level, providing an opportunity for Canada to drive the adoption of low-carbon cement products and solutions that build on the global recognition of Canada’s Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete by 2050.
“Innovation and investments in clean technology are crucial to building a competitive green economy. As a global leader in research and innovation, Canada is a key player in the net-zero carbon economy and is committed to laying the foundation of a competitive green cement and concrete industry that will create green jobs and build a clean future for all Canadians and the world,” stated Champagne. “With the breakthrough initiative, we will help pave the way to achieve net-zero carbon cement and concrete by 2050.”
Together with endorsing countries, international partners and the global cement and concrete industry, the federal government says the initiative will lead a shift that will make clean cement the preferred choice in global markets.
“Canada is committed to working with partners to accelerate the decarbonization of key sectors, including cement,” said Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “The Breakthrough Agenda is an ambitious action plan for international collaboration to make clean technologies and sustainable solutions more affordable and accessible. It provides an opportunity to support and strengthen Canadian industry in its efforts to achieve net zero by 2050.”
“We support and welcome the launch of the cement breakthrough initiative,” added Thomas Guillot, chief executive of the Global Cement and Concrete Association. “Cement and concrete are essential for so much of our modern world and will also be needed for meeting the challenges ahead. They will play a key role in providing resilient and sustainable infrastructure and safely housing communities around our planet. Our member companies, which operate all around the world, are fully committed to a net zero future—and it will take the combined efforts of industry and government to deliver on this commitment. This is the decade to deliver.”
