WCA COMMENT ON CHINA’S PLAN TO EXPAND NATIONAL CARBON TRADING MARKET TO INCLUDE CEMENT

Please find below a comment from the World Cement Association’s CEO, Ian Riley, regarding China’s recent announcement to expand its national carbon trading market to include the cement industry, among other hard-to-abate sectors, by year-end. This statement follows the Minister of Ecology and Environment’s address earlier this week, marking a significant step in China’s environmental plans.

Please find his full comment below:

“The inclusion of cement in the Chinese ETS is a critical and long-awaited step. As we have seen in Europe, a well-implemented carbon ETS can be beneficial by not only curbing emissions but also catalysing industry restructuring that favours the most efficient and lowest-emitting producers. This move signals China’s intent to prioritise sustainability in high-emission sectors, a move welcomed by the World Cement Association. In addition to the ETS, China has also successfully used energy efficiency standards to encourage widespread adoption of the latest low-energy technology. This approach is essential for meaningful climate action.”