The European Parliament has endorsed a revised EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR) that shifts action to the implementation phase instead of introducing mandatory requirements right away. The agreed law takes some timid steps forward, but without the comprehensive measures that are needed it is a far cry from the jump-start on decarbonisation that progressive voices have been calling for.
Europe is in urgent need of performance-based cement and concrete standards. The ongoing CPR acquis process on cement offers a unique opportunity to tackle this challenge head on and drive decarbonisation in one of the most carbon-intensive industries. We look at the key lessons from countries outside of Europe that have already made this transition.
No other industry in the EU consumes more resources, energy and produces more waste by weight – and is a formidable polluter - than the construction industry. Ahead of the European Parliament's public hearing on 'Making the Internal Market for Construction Products fit for the 21st century', ECOS recommends six steps to amend the CPR.
Cement is omnipresent in modern life, serving as the key binder in concrete and mortar products. We find cement everywhere: in our roads, bridges, major buildings. However, while cheap to produce, it comes at a high cost for the environment.
ECOS and 7 other organisations urge MEPs from the ENVI Committee to support a speedier implementation for CBAM for cement as per MEP Chahim proposal, taking into account its very low trade intensity, simple supply chain, and low risk of carbon leakage.
Construction products are essential components of the built environment that surrounds us, but they also have a huge environmental impact throughout their entire lifecycle. On 30 March, the European Commission will publish a proposal for the revision of the central piece regulating construction products: the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), which is expected to introduce a number of sustainability elements to align with the requirements of the European Green Deal. In the time of decarbonisation, the CPR is the lynchpin between energy-intensive industries and the built environment, two of the biggest contributors to EU emissions.
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