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Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon for Aotearoa New Zealand's Concrete Industry

We are determined to reduce our industry’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero by 2050, including a strong commitment to New Zealand's Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019, and its goal to ensure our country plays its part in reducing GHG emissions under the Paris Agreement.

Our A Net-Zero Carbon Concrete Industry for Aotearoa New Zealand: Roadmap to 2050 sets out a plan for how we will do this and play a major role in building the sustainable world of tomorrow. It describes an achievable pathway to producing net-zero concrete by 2050 that works for our industry in New Zealand.

MAPPING OUT THE ROAD AHEAD
This roadmap covers both ready-mixed concrete and concrete products. It builds on past and current initiatives. It involves the major parties in the concrete value chain:

  • cement manufacturers
  • concrete producers
  • manufacturers of concrete products
  • designers of buildings and infrastructure
  • construction companies and contractors

To be successful in continuing to reduce our emissions, further R&D, investment and commitment from researchers, government and all stakeholders throughout the concrete value chain will be crucial.

This roadmap has been developed with support from sustainability firm thinkstep-anz through engagement with Concrete NZ’s member groups: Cement, Masonry, Precast, Readymix and Learned Society.

TARGETS FOR 2030 AND 2050
This roadmap identifies ways to reduce the direct (Scope 1) and electricity-related (Scope 2) GHG emissions from our industry by 44% from 2020 levels by 2030 (as described in the body of the roadmap).

The 2020 reference year was chosen to align with the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s (GCCA) Cement and Concrete Industry Roadmap for Net Zero Concrete.

Our focus on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions aligns with the GCCA’s global roadmap and other national roadmaps. It also focuses on areas where our industry has direct influence.

Figure 1 illustrates Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in the cement and concrete manufacturing process. If indirect (Scope 3) emissions are included to align with an Environmental Product Declaration approach, this reduction is 29% by 2030 (see Annex B of the roadmap).


Figure 1. Scope 1 and 2 emissions from producing cement and concrete.

HOW WE ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS

The Impact of Portland Cement
Manufacturing Portland cement releases CO2 directly through a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction is a major share of our industry’s total emissions.

WHERE OUR ACTIONS WILL MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE

Until 2030 - we will further reduce the emissions of cement through alternative fuels and increasing the use of mineral additions (e.g., ground limestone) and Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs). SCMs are typically mineral by-products of industrial processes with lower embodied carbon than cement. New Zealand has some history of using SCMs, but there is scope for growth. 2023 will see greater volumes of SCMs entering the market.

Between 2030-2050 - we will focus on significant reductions in GHG emissions in cement manufacture and we are planning to use a technology known as CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage) to capture any remaining emissions. Further CO 2 will be captured naturally by concrete as it ages, through a process called recarbonation - a carbon uptake mechanism.

OUR PATHWAY FOR DECARBONISATION
The chart below shows the actions we expect to achieve net-zero GHG emissions from cement and concrete in New Zealand by 2050.

In addition to clinker factor reduction, replacing some Portland cement with SCMs and carbon capture technologies, we expect improving efficiency in the design of buildings and infrastructure and in producing clinker to make the biggest differences.

We also expect further small savings as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise.


Figure 2. Decarbonisation roadmap of cement and concrete in Aotearoa New Zealand.

RESOURCES