India’s formidable cement footprint stands in its way to net-zero
India faces a significant challenge in balancing its 2047 development goals with its 2070 net-zero emissions target due to the high carbon footprint of the construction sector. Experts are exploring traditional, low-carbon alternatives to modern Portland cement to mitigate the environmental impact of industrialization.
Why it matters
Decarbonizing the construction industry is critical for global climate goals, as cement production is a major, hard-to-abate source of greenhouse gas emissions.
By 2047, India plans to become an economically developed country. By 2070, it aims to become a net-zero emissions economy . Achieving both of these targets requires the Indian government to deal with one of the most important sources of emissions: construction. This sector consumes steel and cement, among other materials, and its footprint contributes 35% to 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions around the world.
Most of these emissions are because of the energy that the steel and cement sectors need to reach extremely high temperatures required for industrial processes. But even between the two, the cement sector also emits carbon when calcinating limestone — a chemical reaction that makes cement one of the few hard-to-abate sectors, and which contributes 7 to 11% of emissions, almost double that of the aviation sector.
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