The cement, construction and materials industries are responsible for contributing a large percentage of the global greenhouse gas emissions which is mostly due to the embodied carbon that naturally exists within key industry products. The WWF was unsatisfied with this fact and set out on a mission to revolutionise these industries for the benefit of future generations.

The WWF in combination with the NSW government, recruited over 400 different organisations (as of May 2021) to form a committed group of professionals that aim to transform their industries and work towards a Net-Zero future in Australia. This group of industry bodies is known as the Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA) and was released to the public in late April. APozA member, Adbri Limited is one of the members working to position Australia in the top five zero-carbon materials suppliers and to reach the Net-Zero goal.

In a recent media release posted by WWF, MECLA representatives say there’s a common understanding amongst the coalition that the construction ecosystem is far from linear and there are many complex parts to it. This is why WWF and the NSW Government made sure to include working groups that cover both the demand-side and supply-side of the industry, all working to align industry within the principles of the Circular Economy.

The formation of this alliance will allow for members to work collaboratively and create demand for products like greener steel, concrete, cement and aluminium, alternative products like mass timber, and reused and reformed waste materials that can be used to reduce carbon emissions in Australia’s construction industry and then, exported to the world.

The details

This coalition seeks to align itself with the Paris Agreement targets and principles of the circular economy. Several Working Groups and volunteers across the industry will address barriers and identify opportunities to:

• Demonstrate demand and activating supplies of low-carbon standards.
• Defining a best practice embodied carbon evaluation framework to achieve transparency.
• Capture industry case studies that showcase excellence and share this knowledge.
• Develop a common language for procurement guidelines
• Help manage climate transition risk through innovative projects.
• Supporting materials such as steel, cement and concrete, and aluminium to reduce their carbon intensity.

This new opportunity ultimately allows Australia to keep its advantage in the competitive global market and puts words into action regarding working towards a better and brighter future for our world and environment. 

To read more on MECLA, click HERE