WHAT often slips through the cracks of environmental discussions is the staggering carbon footprint of the cement industry, responsible for a considerable seven per cent of the world’s total carbon dioxide emissions. This environmental burden places the industry in a unique position, necessitating a collective, international effort to usher in a sustainable era. If the cement industry were considered a nation, it would rank as the third-largest global emitter of carbon dioxide, trailing only the United States and China. The industry’s expansion, notably propelled by China, underscores the imperative for a united international effort to mitigate its environmental consequences.

In Pakistan, a nation always looking for an economic breakthrough, the cement industry can play a pivotal role in its search for growth. With an annual production capacity approaching 73 million metric tons, this sector could become a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic recovery and development. Yet, this journey will not be without its complexities. The cement industry, in fact, faces two simultaneous but seemingly divergent challenges: Pakistan’s per capita cement consumption, at 182 kilogrammes, is lower than its regional counterparts, indicating untapped market potential. On the flip side, the cement industry’s heavy reliance on coal, accounting for 66pc of its energy consumption, exposes it to the fluctuations of global coal prices and diverges from the worldwide trend towards the use of sustainable energy sources. If, however, local demand for cement is encouraged to increase, it is bound to have deleterious impacts on the environment and the climate.

The pressing need to reduce this industry’s carbon footprint and a pivot towards its simultaneous growth and sustainability is, therefore, self-evident. This shift is not just an environmental imperative; it is also necessary to enhance the industry’s resilience and global competitiveness. By reforming the energy usage practices of cement plants, not only will it reduce its environmentally toxic emissions, it will also be able to keep its energy costs lower. This, in turn, will help it expand domestic consumption of cement without endangering the environment and compete with other cement manufacturers in the international market.

Reducing the coal in cement production stands out as a promising strategy to achieve these goals. The incorporation of agricultural residues, such as rice husk, wheat straw, corn stover and rice paddy, holds the potential to replace 20pc to 35pc of coal being used in cement kilns. This transition, particularly with rice husk and paddy, can capitalise on the abundant biomass output of agriculture in both Punjab and Sindh, meeting substantial fuel requirements of the cement industry and reducing its costs per ton of cement produced. Beyond this economic advantage, this shift aligns with the industry’s financial interests by decreasing its vulnerability to global coal price volatility and helps it improve its environmental standards by reducing air pollution through a controlled burning of rice paddy. This practical step towards a more sustainable future for the cement sector will also resonate with global efforts to combat climate change.

Reducing the coal in cement production stands out as a promising strategy.

Delving into the intricacies of cement production, however, makes it evident that our focus must extend beyond the reduction of coal usage by addressing the second most significant contributor to the industry’s emissions — electricity. These emissions, though they are indirect as they emanate from grid stations, account for its considerable environmental impact. A strategic pivot towards electricity-efficient technologies, thus, emerges as a critical solution, ushering in an era of advanced machinery and processes that promise to significantly cut down on these indirect emissions.

Over and above these technological upgrades, the integration of waste heat recovery systems and the widespread adoption of solar panels could also serve as proactive measures to combat the environmental challenge. By capturing and repurposing waste heat and embracing solar energy, the cement industry will not only reduce its dependence on conventional electricity sources but it will also substantially trim its overall environmental footprint. This integrated approach, on the one hand, follows global sustainable practices; on the other hand, it fortifies the cement industry’s resilience by diversifying its energy sources, ensuring an environmentally conscious and economically robust future for it.

Lastly, since the transportation of materials contributes significantly to the industry’s carbon footprint, it can make use of the CO2 Arrestor technology, a ground-breaking solution devised by the National University of Science and Technology. This solution presents a transformative approach by actively sequestering CO2 (carbon dioxide) from vehicle emissions during transportation, thus mitigating the environmental impact associated with the movement of raw materials used by cement-producing plants. The implementation of CO2 Arrestor and other similar technologies not only aligns with the industry’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, this will also help it mark a notable advancement towards circular economy and sustainable practices. By strategically incorporating such technological solutions, the cement industry can not only address its direct emissions, it can also reinforce its resilience against the broader challenges posed by its value chain emissions.

The government, too, can contribute significantly to this shift by offering preferential energy tariffs to plants that adopt alternative fuels. The government can also introduce robust carbon-pricing mechanisms to act as an incentive to accelerate the transition towards environmentally conscious energy usage.

The success of this shift, however, hinges upon collaborative efforts of all the cement industry stakeholders. Industry-government partnerships, informed by technology road-mapping and task forces, can align their strategies and pool resources. Funding support, whether through budgetary allocations, tax relief, or international aid, should be directed specifically towards sustainability initiatives and technology upgrades, ensuring a more inclusive and economically viable transition for both large corporations and smaller players.

The writer is a professor at the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, SCEE-NUST, Islamabad. His area of expertise is climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2023