WCA announces virtual annual conference
‘Accelerating the Cement & Concrete Industry’s Path to Net Zero’ taking place on 20–21 October
THE fourth annual conference of the World Cement Association (WCA) will take place from 20–21 October 2021, bringing together global leaders and experts from the cement and wider hard-to-abate sector, to showcase and discuss the work and progress the industry has made towards decarbonization, and what is needed in the years ahead.
This year’s theme, ‘Accelerating the Cement & Concrete Industry’s Path to Net Zero’, acknowledges the rapidly growing awareness of climate change risk in society, and the need for the cement and concrete industry to accelerate progress to net zero.
The conference will be held virtually and will begin with WCA chief executive officer Ian Riley welcoming guests and introducing the Association, followed by an address from WCA president Song Zhiping.
Lord Adair Turner, chair of the Energy Transition Commission, will deliver a keynote speech, followed by a panel discussion on the key challenges in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industry, chaired by Nik Gowing, founder of Thinking the Unthinkable, as well as a presentation on the WCA’s Toolkit for Net Zero by KHD chief technology officer Matthias Mersmann.
Other speakers include Nikky Grady-Smith from BP, Seth Baruch from Carbonomics, Maria Mendiluce from We Mean Business, and Guloren Turan from the Global CCS Institute.
‘This year’s conference will be an important opportunity to discuss the next steps in progressing the cement and concrete industry's path to net zero,’ said WCA chief executive officer Ian Riley.
‘Climate change is going to be the defining issue for our industry over the next decade, and this challenge is one we can’t tackle alone. That’s why I am looking forward to welcoming some of the most internationally renowned industry experts to this two-day event.’
The event will include panel interviews, presentations, and networking opportunities with industry professionals about the sector’s most pressing issues, with the general programme covering the outlook for the cement and concrete industry as well as looking at some of the most promising and innovative technologies being developed today.
There will also be presentations and Q&As on CCUS and hydrogen, CO2 reduction through innovation, green finance opportunities, and digitalization and the model plant. All content will be available on demand for one month after the event.
