Humans’ dependency on concrete has a long history, but concrete carbon emissions from its production it in the 21st has negative impacts on the Earth.
It’s an ancient technology. Roman engineers routinely ground up burnt limestone and volcanic ash around the 2nd or 3rd century BCE to make caementum. Caementum is a powder that would start to harden as soon as it was mixed with water. Fast forward 2,000 years and humanity’s thirst for concrete has exploded, particularly over the last century.
Modern concrete is a 19th-century innovation known as Portland cement. It’s made in energy-intensive kilns that generate more than half a ton of carbon dioxide for every ton of product.
In 2021, concrete carbon emissions accounted for 8 per cent of all global greenhouse gas emissions. While there’s no silver bullet for reducing the environmental impact of creating concrete, research and development is underway to find new approaches that could make a significant difference.
Sources: BBC News, Ars Technica
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