Cement production is responsible for most of Lafarge's CO2 emissions. Lafarge is aware of the challenge which climate change presents and of its responsibilities, and is aiming to reduce its CO2 emissions around the world. The Group has set itself ambitious and specific objectives - the first of which has been met ahead of schedule.
Commitments and objectives for less CO2 emissions |
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In 2001, Lafarge made several commitments in relation to global CO2 emissions:
These commitments go beyond the reduction targets set by the Kyoto Protocol, which call for industrialised countries to reduce their emissions by 5.2% compared to 1990 levels.
The Group is proud to have achieved its first objective, 2 years ahead of schedule: its absolute CO2 emissions in industrialized countries have fallen by 12.5% over the period 1990-2008. What's more, the use of absolute units of measurement is still unique in the cement industry and demonstrates how ambitious the Group is in this field.
The UK has made a valuable contribution to achieving this reduction. UK cement operations reduced absolute gross emissions by over 30 per cent for the same period.
The second objective, to reduce its net emissions per ton of cement produced worldwide over the same period by 20%, is already well underway with the Group recording an 18.4% reduction at the end of 2008. |
Resored shale lake at Cauldon Works CO2 and cementCement manufacturing is the source of 5% of global CO2 emissions. The cement industry is a natural producer of CO2:
The cement manufacturing process Absolute/specific CO2 emissionsAbsolute CO2 emissions are the total volume of CO2 emitted, while specific emissions are relative and proportionate to a given amount of production. A specific quantity of CO2 is emitted for every 1 ton of cement, for example. |
How can CO2 emissions be reduced? |
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Lafarge has implemented several methods to help achieve these ambitious objectives in all countries in which the Group operates:
Industrial ecology plays a decisive role in this approach. It is inspired by the natural cycle of creation/destruction/recycling and means waste from one industry can be used as another industry's resource. Lafarge therefore recovers waste such as fuels or substitute raw materials in complete safety:
Some of these practices are Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) certified by the United Nations. In the UK, Lafarge is making moves in this direction by looking at the possibility of using wind to generate electricity. A scoping study to install three wind turbines at the company's Dunbar plant in Scotland has been launched and wind monitoring is currently ongoing at the site |
Clean Development Mechanisms (C.D.M)The Kyoto Protocol does not set limitations on CO2 emissions for developing countries but it does encourage the adoption of alternative mechanisms.
Companies which finance CO2 emission reduction projects in developing countries are compensated with carbon credits.
C.D.Ms. are designed to promote the development of better technologies in emerging economies while enabling industrialized countries to earn carbon credits. |
