星空传媒

According to a report in the Guardian newspaper, cement production is responsible for more than 5% of global CO2 emissions. Cement is a key constituent of concrete. The high thermal mass of concrete is often used in the construction of low energy buildings to limit internal temperature fluctuations.

The global cement industry met earlier this month in Brussels to discuss the impact the industry is having on the climate.

Speaking in the Guardian, Dimitri Papalexopoulous, managing director of Titan Cement, Athens, said: 鈥淣o matter what you do cement production will always produce carbon dioxide. You can鈥檛 change the chemistry so we can鈥檛 achieve spectacular cuts in emissions.鈥�

Last year cement production in China released 540,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere: the country produces almost half of the world鈥檚 concrete.

The UK cement industry says it has taken measures to reduce its carbon footprint through initiatives such as replacing fossil fuels by burning waste and by-products from other industries in the cement kilns.

Mike Gilbert, chief executive of the British Cement Association, says: 鈥淭he UK cement industry is not an obstacle to a low carbon economy, but an essential component. Since 1990, UK cement manufacturers have reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by 29%, saving over 3.9 million tonnes of CO2. Cement manufacture accounts for just 1.76% of the total UK CO2 emissions.鈥�