Earth Equity News

International Cement Giant Addresses Its CO2 Emissions. By Robert P. Walzer, NYTimes, January 13, 2010. "With cement production accounting for as much as 5% of global emissions of carbon dioxide Cemex, one of the world's largest producers of building materials, is angling to bring down its carbon dioxide emissions and perhaps wind up with some credits it can sell. 'We are preparing ourselves for a carbon-constrained world,' said Luis Farías, the company's senior vice president for energy and climate change, in a telephone interview from Monterrey, Mexico, where Cemex is based... The company, with operations more than in 50 countries, says it is reducing its carbon footprint by shifting to renewable energy and by using biomass as inputs to its kilns. It has also begun exploring new technologies to capture, store and recycle carbon dioxide. Mr. Farías said that in 2009 the company substituted 16% of the fossil fuels it uses to fire its cement plants -- mainly coal and petroleum coke -- or renewable fuels, greatly surpassing its target. It aims for at least an 18% substitution rate in 2010, he said. By doing so, the company benefits by generating carbon reduction credits that can offset some of the commitments of its European operations under the Kyoto protocol, he said."