Germany: HeidelbergCement’s specific CO₂ net emissions per tonne of cementitious material fell by 1.4% year-on-year to 599kg CO2/t in 2018 from 608kg CO₂/t in 2017. Despite this its absolute gross CO₂ emissions increased by 3% to 76.7Mt from 74.2Mt as clinker, cement, aggregate and concrete sales volumes all grew in 2018. The group has published the data in its Sustainability Report for the 2018 financial year.

“Cutting our CO₂ emissions and handling natural resources considerately are priorities for all our business lines,” says Bernd Scheifele, chairman of the managing board of HeidelbergCement. "We focus primarily on the development of sustainable products and the implementation of concrete measures at plant level in order to achieve our sustainability goals.” The company has set itself the target of a 30% reduction in its specific net CO₂ emissions per tonne of cement by 2030, compared with 1990. HeidelbergCement says it intends to realise its vision of CO₂-neutral concrete by 2050 at the latest.

Other figures of note in the report include an alternative fuels substitution rate of 21.7% in 2018 compared in 20.8% in 2017. NO_x, SO_x and particulate matter emissions all fell. However, total water withdrawal rose by 8% to 65.4Mm³ from 60.4Mm³ although water consumption fell.