The key role of cement industry in fostering sustainability

Managing urban growth has become one of the most important challenges of the 21st century, because the world's rapid urban concentration can aggravate environmental problems that lead to unsustainable patterns of energy and other resource consumption. The cement industry, that contributes about 5% to global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, may become a key player in achieving a green world economy because of its close links with construction and housing, domains in continuaI growth due to the urbanization of many areas. The world cement industry is promoting production and product eco-innovation in order to reduce its environmental footprint and to implement policies and practices for a sustainable built environment. Currently, in cement and concrete manufacturing there is an urgent need to identify pathways towards wider sustainability by reducing harmful emissions, particularly CO2, to promote energy and eco-efficiency, and to improve environmental product performance. The aim of this paper is an overview of the-state-of-the-art on eco-technologies adopted by the cement industry for a responsible approach towards sustainability