Construction Materials - Cement and Concrete
As the second most consumed material in the world after water, and with no scalable substitutes currently available, concrete is a critical construction material for society - with cement being a key input in its production. Concrete production is expected to continue expanding to meet the demand for residential buildings and public infrastructure. Consequently, it is imperative for cement and concrete companies to take action now to ensure it contributes to a nature-positive and net-zero future.
In some jurisdictions, companies in the sector already operate under stringent regulatory frameworks. Corporate leaders have made commitments on nature and climate, facilitated by the establishment of sectoral sustainability initiatives, such as the efforts of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA).
While these efforts are welcome, more needs to be done. The sector continues to contribute to drivers of nature loss such as greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater withdrawal and ecosystem disturbance due to quarrying activities.
The sector actions serve as a guide to transform business practices and value chains and ensure the construction materials sector plays its part in halting and reversing nature loss by 2030 - the mission at the heart of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
The overview and report were led by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Oliver Wyman.
Scroll down to access additional resources, including the sector overview in Chinese, Bahasa Indonesian and Spanish.
Impacts on nature
Cement and concrete companies should direct their efforts towards addressing the most significant impacts on nature in their operations and value chains, namely:
Freshwater use and use of other resources
Land use change and ecosystem disturbance
Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution
Dependencies on nature
The cement and concrete sector is dependent on ecosystem services to function and grow. Companies rely on:
Freshwater
