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About the campaign

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How blended cement works

Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is made of around 95% clinker, which is produced by heating limestone and other raw materials in a kiln. Clinker production accounts for the vast majority of cement’s emissions – both from the fuel burned and from the chemical reaction itself.

Blended cements replace a share of clinker with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). The result is a cement of comparable strength, durability and cost, with a much lower carbon footprint.

As a solution, blended cement should form part of a broader approach that prioritises material efficiency, reuse and responsibly sourced local, bio-based and other low-carbon building materials.

The Blend Better Cement campaign will:

What are blended cement’s benefits?

  • A solution to cement and concrete decarbonisation ready to be deployed today.
  • Can achieve 50% lower emissions per tonne, relative to ordinary Portland cement1.
  • Delivers low-carbon construction at a cost comparable with ordinary cement.
  • Unlocks green industrialisation, meets growing building demand more sustainably, strengthens domestic supply chains using locally available materials.
  • Builds long-lasting infrastructure, particularly suited to coastal application, roads and bridges.

1 50% compared to Ordinary Portland cement (OPC), which consists of ~95% clinker.

We're asking governments to:

Review and update standards

Ensure regulations and building codes reflect current international best practice and state-of-the-art technologies to unlock the use of blended cement and SCMs.

Prioritise low-carbon procurement

Commit to procuring low-carbon cement and concrete in all major government-funded projects.

Build supply

Work with industry to remove barriers to sourcing and using SCMs, promoting both decarbonisation and circularity in the construction sector.

Unlock demand

Send a clear signal to the market by joining other national governments to support the Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate (ICBC)'s Call to Action on Blended Cement.

Countries acknowledging the ICBC's Call to Action on Blended Cement

Blend Better Cement Partners

“The momentum we are seeing today is not only about a material, but about government leadership. Through the ICBC's Call to Action on Blended Cement, countries are sharing experience, strengthening policies and helping create the market conditions needed to scale lower-emissions construction. The addition of five new governments is a strong signal that this momentum is continuing to grow.”
Gulnara Roll Head of the GlobalABC Secretariat, UNEP