The World Cement Association has predicted that global demand for cement and clinker will decrease more than previously expected by 2050 due to changing market trends and sustainable material advancements.
In its white paper, Long-Term Forecast for Cement and Clinker Demand, the association predicted that global cement use would decrease from 4.2 billion tonnes per year to three billion per year between now and 2050.
The World Cement Association also predicted that demand for clinker, which is the main ingredient in Portland cement and produces large amounts of CO2, will also decrease from 2.8 billion tonnes per year to less than 1.9 billion per year.
According to the association, its predictions were based on regional cement and clinker demand trends, particularly a decrease in use in China, and the adoption of low-carbon practices in the construction industry.
World Cement Association CEO Ian Riley explained that cement demand has been influenced by a decrease in new city developments in some countries as population growth has plateaued.
Riley also said that advancements in clinker alternatives and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) have helped reduce the reliance on carbon-intensive clinker.
The World Cement Association published its white paper to provide an accurate overview of global cement and clinker use and inform built environment professionals about planning for lower-carbon building practices.
Riley hopes the report's findings will encourage the architecture and construction professions to continue lowering their projects' carbon footprints by designing with minimal concrete and adopting more low-carbon building materials, such as mass timber and geopolymers.
Last month, the Global Cement and Concrete Association announced definitions for low-carbon concrete and cement at COP29. Earlier this year, researchers devised a way to recycle waste cement to make low-carbon concrete.
