CCSA recognises that cement making involves the extraction of limestone from the earth through mining. This process impacts on the environment through clearing of land and impacting on the natural water bodies in the vicinity.

CCSA commits to concurrent rehabilitation of the member quarries. CCSA commits to implementation of authorization requirements i.e. approved Environmental Management Programme and authorization’s requirements.

CCSA recognizes that members must as far as it is reasonably practicable rehabilitate the environment affected by the prospecting or mining operations to its natural or predetermined state or to a land use which conforms to the generally accepted principle of sustainable development.

All members of the CCSA recognize that climate change poses a real global threat to sustainable development that requires a global response. An effective global solution requires action from all countries that must be aligned with agreed global and national objectives. As a result all CCSA members aim to pro-actively adopt and/or develop mitigation and adaptation strategies to manage greenhouse gas emissions while incorporating national development goals.

CCSA members will achieve this objective by:

• Reporting and monitoring of CO2 emissions from the local cement manufacturing sector using globally accepted reporting protocols;
• Establishing business and operational plans to manage CO2 emitted;
• Establishing sector specific benchmarks for operational efficiency;
• Ongoing review of strategies, best practices and continuous improvement.

The Cement industry as an energy-intensive sector recognises both the national energy constraints as well as the relationship between its own energy consumption and carbon footprint.

The members of the CCSA commit to long-term sustainability and the prosperity of all stakeholders by:

• Continuously improving the understanding of the relationship between energy consumption operational efficiency and carbon footprint;
• Implementing management systems that will enable CCSA members to benchmark, measure and optimise energy performance;
• The use of alternative energy sources as key to thermal and electrical energy supply strategies;
• This environmental policy demonstrates our member’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

ENERGY PLEDGE

Energy Efficiency Accord was a voluntary initiative which was developed between South African business and the Government in recognition of the need to improve thermal and electrical energy efficiency. The Department of Energy and the industry signatories collectively agree to collaborate to establish a mutually beneficial framework for voluntary energy efficiency initiatives that will move the country towards its goals of attracting investment in mitigation and adaptation projects and efficient energy use.

The Energy Efficiency Accord committed businesses to “cooperate to pursue the national energy efficiency targets on a voluntary basis, recognising that energy usage is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa. They also agree to collaborate on initiatives that could result in CDM projects. The target, set in terms of the Energy Efficiency Strategy of the Republic of South Africa, of a national final energy demand reduction of 12% by 2015, expressed as a percentage reduction against the projected national energy use in 2015, with a final energy demand reduction target for the industry and mining sector as a whole of 15% by 2015.”

The CCSA became a voluntary signatory to the Accord in 2005. Two of our members, AfriSam and PPC, are also signatories in their own right and have therefore committed to the above target. The CCSA addresses energy efficiency issues through projects managed by the Environmental Committee.

In support of Government policy and strategy to increase international competitiveness and GHG emission reduction, the main objective of the EELN is to continuously drive energy efficiency improvements in the South African business sector.

The CCSA commits to transparent reporting of key environmental indicators and providing a sound knowledge management platform to members and relevant stakeholders with regards to environmental best practice.

The members are all committed to:

• Continuously improve and promote environmental best practice;
• Pollution prevention;
• Continuously reviewing environmental impacts in order to minimise environmental degradation;
• Comply with environmental legislation and other requirements to which the CCSA subscribes;
• Implement effective waste and energy management principles;
• Utilisation of all resources in an optimal and responsible manner.

This environmental policy demonstrates our members commitment to environmental stewardship.

CEMENT AND CONCRETE SA (CCSA) ANNOUNCES “VISION: NET ZERO CARBON” BY 2050 FOR ITS PARTNER MEMBERS

The CCSA has noted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) position that parties should act to protect the climate system “on the basis of equality and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” based on Principle 7 of the Rio Declaration at the first Rio Earth Summit in 1992.

“In response, to comply with CCSA climate change commitments in line with the national NDC and Paris agreement, CCSA member companies aspire to net zero emission by 2050 with milestones informed by decarbonisation along a 1.5-degree trajectory. The key initial milestone will be set at 2030,” says Dr Dhiraj Rama, CCSA Industry Executive.

“The net zero target boundary is based on the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory target as per RSA GHG Technical Reporting Guidelines for the cement sector in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reporting framework,” Dr Rama stated.

Dr Rama will provide adequate support, direction and leadership to members and will also monitor progress at sector level. He says key matters to note include:

• The net zero target monitoring covers both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions of the company.
• With supported technology interventions, as well as improved overall nationally-developed Scope 3 emission monitoring programs implemented by stakeholders, the GHG inventory would be expanded accordingly.
• The trajectory is based on the understanding that the cement sector is a hard-to-abate sector and would be supported by:
  • Technical, technological and fiscal support as per the CCSA overall national NDC commitment to UNFCCC proviso.
  • Appropriate policy implementation and support to secure both green energy and alternate fuels and resources.
  • Optimising operation of current production plants as practically feasible until the end of the plant’s life cycle.
  • All future plants will ensure emission-efficient technologies.
  • Access to carbon offsets.
• The climate response action will be underpinned by “just transition”.
• The overall consolidated CCSA sector performance of the GHG emission profile will be transparent by reporting performance on a regular basis. CCSA will ensure sectoral support to its members to comply with regulatory requirements. Key requirements include compliance to:
  • Draft methodological guidelines for quantification of greenhouse gas emissions. The Draft Methodological Guidelines can be downloaded by members of the public at the website link: https://www.environment.gov.za/legislation/gazetted_notices. (Government Notice 135 dated 19 February 2021.)
  • Technical Guidelines for the Validation and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions as per “Technical guidelines for monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions by industry: A companion to the South African National GHG Emission Reporting Regulations Version No: TG-2016.1 June 2016.” (Government Notice 1496 dated 12 November 2021.)

For further information: contact Dr Dhiraj Rama on email [email protected].

CCSA recognises that South Africa is a water scarce country and therefore commits that members will implement an effective program for the responsible use of water, and the protection of our water resources, in accordance with the following key principles:

• Water consumption is identified and monitored;
• Water consumption is minimised as much as is practicable, aligned to business needs;
• Long-term targets are established for reductions in water consumption;
• Where feasible we give preference to the reuse and recycling of water and harvesting of storm water over the use of treated potable water;
• We recognise the importance of long-term security and planning of water resources.