Global CO2 uptake by cement materials accounts 1930-2023

Songbin Wu; Zi Shao; Robbie M Andrew; Longfei Bing; Jiaoyue Wang; Le Niu; Zhu Liu; Fengming Xi

doi:10.1038/s41597-024-04234-8

Global CO₂ uptake by cement materials accounts 1930-2023

Sci Data. 2024 Dec 19;11(1):1409. doi: 10.1038/s41597-024-04234-8.

Authors

Songbin Wu^#^{1

2}, Zi Shao^#^{3

4}, Robbie M Andrew⁵, Longfei Bing^{1

6

7}, Jiaoyue Wang^{1

6

7}, Le Niu^{1

2}, Zhu Liu⁸, Fengming Xi^{9

10

11

12}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
³ Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
⁴ Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
⁵ CICERO Center for International Climate Research, Oslo, 0349, Norway.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China.
⁷ Key Laboratory of Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Neutrality, Liaoning Province, Shenyang, 110016, China.
⁸ Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China. [email protected].
⁹ Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China. [email protected].
¹⁰ Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China. [email protected].
¹¹ Key Laboratory of Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Neutrality, Liaoning Province, Shenyang, 110016, China. [email protected].
¹² University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100049, China. [email protected].

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

The majority of the carbon footprint of the cement industry originates from the decomposition of alkaline carbonates during clinker production. Recent studies have demonstrated that calcium oxides and other alkaline oxides in cement materials can sequester CO₂ through the carbonation process and partially offset the carbon emissions generated during cement production. This study employs a comprehensive analytical model to estimate the CO₂ uptake via hydrated cement carbonation, including concrete, mortar, construction waste, and cement kiln dust (CKD), covering major cement production and consumption regions worldwide from 1930 to 2023. In 2023, the global annual cement CO₂ uptake reached 0.93 Gt/yr (95% CI: 0.80-1.13Gt/yr). From 1930 to 2023, the global cumulative cement CO₂ absorption reached 23.89 Gt (95% CI: 20.47-28.74 Gt), equivalent to 52.32% of the CO₂ process emissions from cement production during the same period. Our system for estimating cement emissions and uptake is updated annually, providing consistent and accurate data for the cement industry and carbon cycle studies. This data supports improved adaptation to future challenges.