ClimeCo Leads the Way with the First-Ever Low-Carbon Cement Protocol: A Boost for Voluntary Carbon Credits
Protocol Establishes a Route to More Environmentally Sustainable Construction Materials
In a groundbreaking development, ClimeCo, a leading global sustainability company, has taken the lead in developing Climate Action Reserve's (CAR) new U.S. Low-Carbon Cement Protocol. This innovative protocol creates a pathway to generate voluntary carbon credits from the production of novel and underutilized alternative cementitious materials (ACMs) and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs).
The voluntary carbon market is set to be positively impacted by this move, as these credits will incentivize the production and scaled use of more environmentally friendly materials, reducing emissions and facilitating substantial positive change.
Over the course of 18 months, ClimeCo worked closely with key stakeholders, including Eco Material Technologies and the Portland Cement Association, to create, seek input, and refine this vital effort.
Leading Sustainable Innovation
ClimeCo is a prominent global sustainability company, committed to leveraging its industrial and methodology expertise to lead the development of innovative solutions. This includes the recent pioneering of CAR's U.S. Low-Carbon Cement Protocol, which addresses the pressing emissions crisis within the cement industry. As the second-most-used material by mass globally, cement's production contributes to approximately 8% of the world's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Much of this can be attributed to the creation of an intermediary product called clinker. This protocol offers a tested and valid pathway for companies to generate voluntary carbon credits and direct these essential funds to the production of additional cementitious materials.
A Growing Challenge in the Cement Industry
The cement industry is confronted with a significant challenge. As the key ingredient in concrete, traditional cement production relies heavily on clinker, contributing significantly to carbon emissions. This protocol addresses the problem by allowing companies to earn carbon credits for producing more environmentally friendly cementitious materials. It's a timely response, considering that traditional supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are declining in supply, making them difficult to source for many cement and concrete manufacturers. To scale low-carbon cement production, additional financing is required.
A Validated and Impactful Protocol
The ClimeCo-led protocol emphasizes strict adherence to rules related to additionality, permanence, ownership, and quantification in generating and awarding carbon offsets. To earn credits, manufacturers must produce materials recognized as beyond business-as-usual and surpassing regulatory requirements. Eligible components include natural pozzolans (like volcanic ash), calcined clay, rice husk ash, and harvested and beneficiated coal ash, which also contributes to cleaning landfills.
Transforming Industries with Credible Carbon Credits
ClimeCo believes that the new protocol's credible, validated, and science-based voluntary carbon credits can significantly accelerate the pace and adoption of environmental reforms across industries. It demonstrates the power of credible voluntary carbon credits in driving the adoption of environmental reforms. ClimeCo President and CEO, Bill Flederbach, emphasized the urgency of this initiative. In the news release published yesterday, he said, “This new protocol demonstrates the power of credible, validated, and science-based voluntary carbon credits in accelerating the pace and adoption of environmental reforms."
Impact on the Voluntary Carbon Market
The introduction of CAR's U.S. Low-Carbon Cement Protocol is poised to have a profound impact on the voluntary carbon market. As the first-of-its-kind pathway for generating carbon credits from the production of environmentally friendly cementitious materials, it encourages the use of innovative and less carbon-intensive materials. By directing funds towards reducing emissions and creating low-carbon alternatives, this protocol is set to bolster the voluntary carbon market, aligning with global sustainability goals. ClimeCo's initiative reinforces the role of credible, science-based carbon credits in promoting environmental reforms across diverse industries.