Is the parent of Aggregate Industries about to wake to the realisation that its emissions from cement production are helping to destroy our planet? Or is one of the world’s largest polluters simply greenwashing again – making it look as though it cares, when every single day it adds to the problem?
For context, let’s add the next sentence from the quote that Holcim picked out:
While no one is suggesting planting trees to that extent, the report’s authors said it gave an idea of the scale of planting required, and how limited offsetting should be if food price rises are to be avoided.
Nafkote Dabi, climate policy lead at Oxfam and co-author of the report, explained:
It is difficult to tell how much land would be required, as governments have not been transparent about how they plan to meet their net-zero commitments. But many countries and companies are talking about afforestation and reforestation, and the first question is: where is this land going to come from?
Which seems like a valid point. Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of Oxfam GB, called for companies and governments to cut their emissions drastically rather than relying on offsets:
Too many companies and governments are hiding behind the smokescreen of ‘net zero’ to continue dirty business-as-usual activities.
…there was an overall reduction of 7.5% in LafargeHolcim’s total CO2 emissions from an adjusted 157.8 million tons (148m + 9.8m) in 2019. Bravo, you might think.
However, given that LafargeHolcim sold 8.4% less cement in 2020 – 190.4 million tons vs. 207.9 million in 2019 – progress looks rather less impressive, implying total CO2 emissions actually rose per unit of material sold. Given the attention LafargeHolcim claims it is devoting to the problem, and the urgency of our climate crisis, that’s concerning.
What’s also concerning is the company's claims on carbon efficiency. LafargeHolcim's main Sustainability Key Performance Indicator is net CO2 emitted per ton of cementitious material. In 2020, this was reported as 555kg net CO2 per ton – down 1.1% on the previous year. The reduction mirrors 2019, down 1.4%, and 2018, down 1%. If 2020’s rate of reduction were to be maintained, the company’s revised 2030 target of 475kg net CO2 per ton would not be met.
Who knows where our climate will be by 2030, 2040, let alone 2050 – at the rate of change we have been seeing. As for carbon offsets:
The UK is already undergoing disruptive climate change with increased rainfall, sunshine and temperatures, according to scientists. The year 2020 was the third warmest, fifth wettest and eight sunniest on record, scientists said in the latest UK State of the Climate report. No other year is in the top 10 on all three criteria.
Mike Kendon, senior climate scientist at the Met Office National Climate Information Centre, and lead author of the study, said: “We see a continuing emerging pattern of more high temperature and more rainfall extremes. The baseline of our climate is changing and what we regard as normal is changing.”
Dr Jess Neumann, a hydrologist at the University of Reading, said: “Flooding from intense summer rainfall is going happen more frequently. No city, town or village is immune to flooding and we all need to take hard action right now if we are to prevent impacts from getting worse in the future.”
Meanwhile, in other news:
