WCA conference to showcase decarbonisation efforts

The World Cement Association has announced its 4th annual conference to take place on 20-21 October.
Concrete Plants, Equipment & Applications / September 21, 2021
By Liam McLoughlin
 WCA CEO Ian Riley says climate change will be the defining issue for the cement industry over the next decade
WCA CEO Ian Riley says climate change will be the defining issue for the cement industry over the next decade

The event is to be staged virtually and will bring together global leaders and experts from the cement and wider hard to abate sector, to showcase and discuss the work and progress the industry has made towards decarbonisation, and what is needed in the years ahead.

THe WCA says this year’s theme acknowledges the rapidly growing awareness of climate change risk in society, and the need for the cement and concrete industry to accelerate progress to net zero. The conference will kick off with WCA CEO Ian Riley welcoming guests and introducing the association, followed by an address from WCA president Song Zhiping.

Lord Adair Turner, chair of the Energy Transition Commission, will deliver a keynote speech, followed by a panel discussion on the key challenges in decarbonising hard to abate industry, chaired by Nik Gowing, founder of Thinking the Unthinkable, as well as a presentation on WCA’s Toolkit for Net Zero by KHD CTO, Matthias Mersmann. Other speakers include Nikky Grady-Smith, BP, Seth Baruch, Carbonomics, Maria Mendiluce, We Mean Business and Guloren Turan, Global CCS Institute.

“This year’s conference will be an important opportunity to discuss the next steps in progressing the cement and concrete industry's path to net zero," said Ian Riley. “Climate change is going to be the defining issue for our industry over the next decade, and this challenge is one we can’t tackle alone, that’s why I am looking forward to welcoming some of the most internationally renowned industry experts to this two-day event."

The event will include panel interviews, presentations and networking opportunities with industry professionals about the sector’s most pressing issues, with the general programme covering the outlook for the cement and concrete industry as well as looking at some of the most promising and innovative technologies being developed today.

There will also be presentations and Q&As on CCUS and hydrogen, CO2 reduction through innovation, green finance opportunities and digitalisation and the model plant. All content will be available on demand for one month after the event.

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