Residential buildings being built in Beijing, China, which has driven the global cement market for three decades, and still accounts for nearly half of output. But the boom is now well and truly over. Photo Credit: Reuters
Environment The WorldCement Demand Decline Signals Turning Point for Emissions
Global cement demand has levelled off after decades of growth, marking a structural shift that could significantly reduce emissions from one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industries.
“A plunge in consumption is likely to be our best bet of cleaning up this industry,” said David Fickling, climate and energy commentator.
Cement production peaked at about 4.4 billion tonnes in 2021 and has fallen by nearly 30 per cent since 2020, with prices at decade lows and factories operating at more than twice the capacity needed. Because cement accounts for roughly eight per cent of global carbon emissions and is used in vast quantities, sustained declines, especially as major construction booms mature, could deliver meaningful long-term climate benefits even as developing regions continue to urbanise.
