Global cement and concrete bodies say their net zero plans depend on rapid support from governments and financiers for new technologies, large-scale carbon capture and demand for low-carbon materials

Global leaders from the cement and concrete industry have warned that their effort to reach net zero emissions is in serious jeopardy without immediate and coordinated support from governments and the financial sector. In a new joint declaration, major industry bodies say the current pace of transition is too slow and that climate targets will not be met without a radical, cooperative push from both the public and private sectors.

The declaration stresses that the industry’s pathway to net zero relies heavily on technologies that are not yet operating at commercial scale. A central pillar of this strategy is large-scale deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) to trap carbon dioxide from production processes before it reaches the atmosphere. However, the statement points out that such CCUS systems require very high levels of investment and enable policy frameworks that are still missing in most regions, leaving deep emissions cuts out of reach.

The industry also highlights the challenge of cost and scalability for alternative materials. Lower-carbon cements already exist, but creating a strong and stable market for them remains difficult. The declaration urges governments to use public procurement to build demand, for example by requiring green cement in public projects such as roads, bridges and government buildings. Industry leaders argue that such measures would give companies the market certainty needed to justify major capital spending to upgrade existing plants and build new, cleaner facilities.

According to the statement, the industry cannot carry out this transition on its own. It calls on governments to introduce enabling policies, including clear regulatory frameworks for CCUS, faster planning approvals for industrial upgrades and financial tools to reduce the risk of large upfront investments. At the same time, it seeks a coordinated response from the financial sector to provide the vast amounts of capital required, which are estimated to run into the hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide.

The warning is framed by the long life of cement production assets. Plants built today are likely to remain in operation in 2050, the year by which many countries and companies have set net zero targets. The declaration notes that investment decisions taken in the near term will lock in emissions levels for decades, making the next few years a critical window for action. Delays now, it cautions, would make the eventual transition more expensive and technically harder.

The declaration concludes that technological solutions alone will not be enough without strong political and economic backing. It states that only a coordinated global effort combining supportive policy, targeted finance and market creation can deliver a net zero cement sector and prevent wider climate goals from being undermined. The message from industry leaders is that the foundations of a sustainable built environment must be laid now.