Curbing greenhouse gas emissions on a sectoral basis: the Cement Sustainability Initiative

Abstract

This chapter reviews the debate regarding the potential role of sectoral approaches in international climate policy using the case of the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), an industry-led sectoral approach to illustrate the practical application of this idea and some of the challenges that needs to be addressed for sectoral approaches to be seen as credible part of the overall international climate policy. The CSI is an important initiative for two reasons: its potential to influence greenhouse gas emissions from one of the most significant sectors and its potential as a model for other sectors to take action to reduce their emissions. Within the current CSI activities, the main competitiveness effects come about because member companies are better prepared for future legislation compared with companies that have not yet started to manage their greenhouse gas emissions. One important effect of current CSI activities is that member companies have, through their participation to date, developed management competence to respond to climate change.