Jul 20 2005
Under the umbrella of the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a number of leading cement companies are collaborating to address issues related to global sustainability. One of these issues is the industry’s emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas (GHG) contributing to man-made global warming.
In 2001, the CSI companies agreed on a methodology for calculating and reporting CO2 emissions: the Cement CO2 Protocol. While accounting for the specific needs of the cement industry, the protocol was closely aligned with the overarching greenhouse gas protocol developed under a joint initiative of the WBCSD and the World Resources Institute (WRI).
This second, revised edition of the Cement CO2 Protocol incorporates changes based on extensive practical application of the protocol by many cement companies worldwide. In addition, the revised protocol has again been aligned with the revised edition of the WRI / WBCSD Protocol, which was published in March 2004. The protocol is intended as a tool for cement companies worldwide.
It provides a harmonized methodology for calculating CO2 emissions, with a view to reporting these emissions for various purposes.
It addresses all direct and the main indirect sources of CO2 emissions related to the cement manufacturing process in absolute as well as specific or unit-based terms. The protocol comprises two main elements: the guidance document, and an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is designed as a practical tool to help cement companies prepare their CO2 inventories. The purpose of the guidance document is to explain the structure and rationale of the spreadsheet, and to provide calculation and reporting instructions.