The UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) 7^th carbon budget (published today) has been welcomed by the Mineral Products Association (MPA) amid calls for a reduction in the UK’s consumption emissions rather than decarbonisation through deindustrialisation.

In its 7^th carbon budget, the CCC recognises that the use of carbon capture will be vital to decarbonising the UK cement and lime sectors — represented by the MPA — due to unavoidable emissions from the chemical changes in the materials, called process emissions.

Cement and lime are essential for UK construction and manufacturing and, according to the MPA, the use of carbon capture — combined with using waste biomass as fuel — has the potential for UK cement and lime production to go beyond net zero emissions.

Hydrogen could also be an important fuel for decarbonising activities in the mineral products industry, but the MPA says it needs to be both affordable and accessible in sufficient quantities, and welcomes the CCC’s advice to focus hydrogen use on industry.

However, whilst some UK cement and lime plants are part of geographical ‘clusters’, where they can work together with other industrial operators on CCUS and hydrogen initiatives, half the UK’s producers are located outside these clusters, making decarbonisation more challenging.

And for the hundreds of aggregate quarry sites looking at hydrogen-powered Non Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM), such as dump trucks and excavators, the CCC’s carbon budget suggests they will need to find a hydrogen supply solution that does not rely on the gas grid, for example generating on site or delivery by truck.

To be truly world leading, MPA argues the CCC and Government must set targets based on the total emissions from the consumption of goods in the UK, including the emissions embodied in imported goods. Over the last two decades imports of cement have been rising and in 2023 the UK cement market was made up of 32% imports while consumption has remained broadly the same — evidence that the UK is already decarbonising by deindustrialising, posing a threat to rural jobs and economies.

That’s why MPA has repeatedly called on the Government to maintain the competitiveness of domestic cement and lime production and enable the transition to net zero by decarbonisation. Key policy asks include:

• A watertight carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM);
• Urgent clarity on key aspects of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) including free allocation from 2027 onwards;
• Visibility of support for carbon capture beyond the initial Track 1 projects that have been announced including support targeted at dispersed sites in more isolated locations and commitment to support the Peak Cluster (the world’s largest cement and lime carbon capture and storage project that aims to capture over 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually).

MPA is also concerned that the 7^th carbon budget assumptions around resource efficiency in relation to cement are unrealistic. While MPA members continue to explore options to reduce the carbon intensity of cement and concrete through the use of supplementary cementitious materials, the availability of these alternatives can create complexities, and the changes they bring to the cement and concrete characteristics and performance mean they can’t be used in all applications.

Dr Diana Casey, MPA’s Executive Director for Energy and Climate Change, said: “The CCC have set out a challenging 7^th carbon budget which will only be met by taking action now. The Government must urgently implement policies to attract investment to the UK to ensure we have a secure supply of low carbon cement to meet the UK’s ambitions for economic growth and decarbonisation by 2050.”

Ends.

About the Mineral Products Association:
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) is the trade association for the aggregates, asphalt, cement, concrete, dimension stone, lime, mortar and industrial sand industries. MPA is the sectoral voice for mineral products, covering 100% of UK cement and lime production, 90% of GB aggregates production, 95% of asphalt and over 60% of ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete production. In 2021, the industry supplied £22 billion worth of materials and services to the Economy. It is also the largest supplier to the construction industry, which had annual output valued at £178 billion. Industry production represents the largest flow of materials in the UK economy and is also one of the largest manufacturing sectors.

For media enquiries, contact Robert McIlveen at: Robert.McIlveen@mineralproducts.org