LafargeHolcim pledges 20% carbon reduction globally by 2030

Highlights

By 2030, LafargeHolcim plans to:

• Accelerate the use of low-carbon and carbon-neutral products 
• Scale up the use of calcined clay and develop novel cements with new binders
• Double waste-derived fuels in production to reach 37%
• Reach 475 kg net CO2 per ton of cementitious material (net CO2/t.cem)
• Operate its first net zero CO2 cement production facility

LafargeHolcim – as the first global building materials company – has joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) with a pledge to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 20% by 2030 and fulfill some other intermediate targets.

The Switzerland-based multinational company will lower carbon emission to 475 kilogrammes against the manufacturing of each tonne of cement, read a company press statement on Monday.

Europe would be the first region to reach the net zero ambition or turn a carbon-neutral region for LagargeHolcim. The company has launched its CHF160 million investment roadmap last year for that.

"The pledge is global and the company is in the process of reviewing other parts of the world to reach the global target. LafargeHolcim will update the market in due course," said Asif Bhuiyan, chief corporate officer at LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, answering The Business Standard's questions about the Bangladesh plan.

This commitment builds on LafargeHolcim's leadership in green construction with cutting-edge solutions such as ECOPact, its green concrete, and Susteno, its leading circular cement, reads the LafargeHolcim statement.

Going one step further, LafargeHolcim is partnering with SBTi to develop a roadmap to align climate targets to a 1.5°C future in the cement sector, pushing the boundaries of green construction.

Jan Jenisch, the group CEO of LafargeHolcim said, "I believe in building a world that works for people and the planet. So, we are reinventing how the world builds today to make it greener with low-carbon and circular solutions."

"I am very excited to be working with SBTi, taking a rigorous science-based approach to shape our net zero roadmap and accelerating our efforts to substantially lower our CO2 footprint. I will not stop pushing the boundaries to lead the way in green construction," he added. 

Magali Anderson, chief sustainability officer said, "As the world's largest cement producer, we have a key role to play in addressing today's climate crisis. On our way to becoming a net zero company, we are not only part of the solution, we are committed to supporting our customers in their CO2-reduction ambitions."

No company can tackle today's climate challenge alone, so we are partnering for impact, Magali Anderson added.

Alberto Carrillo, director, SBTi said "We at SBTi are delighted that LafargeHolcim has joined the group of over 290 industry leaders committed to a 1.5°C future. As the largest player in one of the most carbon-intensive industries, LafargeHolcim's leadership demonstrates that a net zero economy is within reach."

On its net zero journey, LafargeHolcim will accelerate circular construction by increasing the use of recycled materials in its products and processes while recovering materials at the end of their lifecycles.

In 2019 alone, LafargeHolcim recycled 48 million tonnes of waste making it a world leader in waste solutions, contributing to cleaner cities while preserving earth's finite resources.

The company will use the coming decade to develop and deploy advanced technologies, preparing the next step of its net zero journey.

This includes piloting over twenty Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) projects across Europe and North America.