Concrete's environmental impact stems from high emissions, water use, biodiversity loss, and urban heat islands, but renewable energy, alternative clinkers, and carbon capture offer sustainable solutions.
Concrete, essential for modern urbanisation, poses severe environmental risks, including greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, biodiversity loss, and environmental injustice.
Cement production, the most polluting phase, releases significant CO2 through calcination and kiln heating, contributing 7% of global emissions.
Concrete manufacturing also consumes vast water resources, exacerbating stress in water-scarce regions, and reduces biodiversity as urban spaces expand. Furthermore, it worsens air pollution and urban heat island effect, disproportionately affecting marginalised communities.
Solutions include transitioning to renewable energy for kiln heating, using alternative clinker blends to cut emissions by 60%, and implementing carbon capture technologies.
Sustainable practices could mitigate concrete's environmental impact without compromising its utility.
