Switzerland: Members of the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) have welcomed the Paris Agreement entering into force as a key milestone in establishing a stable regulatory framework to enable the business community to scale up the implementation of low-carbon solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The agreement, adopted on 12 December 2015, entered into force, 30 days after the date (5 October 2016) on which at least 55 parties to the convention (UNFCCC) accounting in total for at least an estimated 55% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

“Climate change is a global issue that no one can solve alone. The cement sector has been working collectively since 1999 on measuring and reporting its CO₂ emissions while developing solutions for mitigation and adaptation through the CSI, that Cemex is currently chairing. We welcome the entry into force of the Paris agreement, that sets the long awaited regulatory framework to scale-up the implementation of these solutions and encourages further cooperation between private companies, policy makers and the financial community,” said Fernando Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex and current chairman of CSI.

“We are delighted to see that the Paris agreement sets a framework for reporting CO₂ emissions that looks fully compatible with what the CSI has developed some 10 years ago, including the independent verification,” added Philippe Fonta, managing director of the CSI. The Getting the Numbers Right (GNR) database provides the baseline of CO₂ emissions that can be used to develop low-carbon technology roadmaps, like the one developed by CSI in partnership with the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2009 as well as for future market mechanisms to be developed under the Paris agreement.

The CSI is now working on expanding its tools and guidelines to additional cement companies to build on the leading initiatives taken by the CSI members and scale up implementation of available solutions. The CSI will convene cement companies and stakeholders on 13 and 14 December 2016 in Madrid at its annual forum to update its action plan covering subjects like energy efficiency, use of alternative fuels, reducing the clinker-to-cement ratio, identifying and measuring the avoided emissions throughout the value chain by using sustainable concrete, the development of new cements and concrete and the carbon capture and utilisation or storage opportunities.