Cement is responsible for 4% of total EU CO₂ emissions, yet remains one of the hardest-to-abate sectors. This report lays out clear options and urgent choices for policymakers:

• Resource efficiency (better design, prefabrication, re-use) as the strongest lever for emissions reduction but currently blocked by building codes and practices.
• Clinker substitution with alternative materials, with potential to cut emissions by up to 60% yet hampered by outdated recipe-based EU standards.
• Fuel switching and permanent carbon capture as complementary measures – both requiring urgent investment and policy clarity.

None of these pathways alone is sufficient. The report concludes that all must be pursued simultaneously and without delay, or Europe risks missing its 2050 net-zero goals and weakening its industrial competitiveness. With the Clean Industrial Deal and revisions of the Public Procurement Directives on the EU agenda, decisions taken now will determine whether low-carbon cement has a viable market in Europe.

To discuss these findings and their political implications, we are hosting a live Q&A with Marco Sirotti, Embodied Carbon Advisor and author of the report on Wednesday 8th of October at 11am.

This is an opportunity to hear directly from the report’s author on:

• Why cement is a “blind spot” in EU climate policy.
• What must change in EU standards and procurement rules.
• How to create real lead markets for low-carbon construction materials.
• The obstacles to the adoption of cost-effective solutions. 

Stay tuned for our new report Net-Zero Pathways for European Cement launching on the same day!