CEMBUREAU Biodiversity Position Paper

Cement is a basic material for all types of construction, providing society with housing, commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. The most important use of cement is in the production of concrete. Concrete is an essential, virtually irreplaceable product used in the built environment. As a building material, concrete contributes positively towards the energy efficiency of building. The thermal mass of concrete enables significant energy savings related to heating and cooling Examples of the benefits of concrete include a reduction in heating energy consumption by 2 – 15%, its ability to reduce peak temperatures which can make air-conditioning unnecessary, and the fact that it optimises the benefits of solar gain, thereby reducing the need for heating fuel.

Like many other industries, the cement sector depends on biodiversity and ecosystems. It is a resource intensive business and thus biodiversity conservation and ecosystems management play an important role in its long term resource and reserve strategy.

The Convention on Biological Diversity defines biological diversity as ‘the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.’ Ecosystems are defined as ‘a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit’. Human well-being relies on biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem services, which are the goods and services provided by nature. These include climate regulation and contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation such as flood control or climate moderation, provisioning services such as food, wood or pollination, and cultural services such as recreation.

Compatibility between mining activities and biodiversity is achievable through correct resource management during the mining phases in the cement sector. For example, a range of studies conducted in several European countries have demonstrated that correctly managed quarries are able to provide habitats to some protected species. In addition, proper planning and rehabilitation can positively contribute to biodiversity conservation. Below are some other examples of the positive contribution of our industry to biodiversity:

• The possibility to enhance ecosystems (post-rehabilitation) in comparison with the site prior to the initiation of extraction activities.
• The development of certain pioneer species as a result of the quarrying activity itself.
• The creation of biological corridors (also referred to as green corridors) and green infrastructure capable of equipping our society and environments for climate change, providing new migratory routs and a further potential to adapt to climate change.
• The enhancement of scientific knowledge obtained thanks to an active collaboration with universities and research centres.
• The raising of awareness about the importance of biodiversity amongst society, through the organisation of quarry open days, for example, supporting environmental education in collaboration with schools.
• The promotion of best practices within industry to transfer knowledge and experience.

The loss of biodiversity has an impact on all areas of society. Therefore, governments, civil society and industry must work together in order to conserve biodiversity and reverse ecosystem degradation. The cement industry has a long history of successfully collaborating with conservation organisations, which has allowed for significant improvements in terms of preserving ecosystems and biodiversity. By involving stakeholders in the process and integrating their expertise, industry is able to ensure that its biodiversity strategy is as effective as possible. In addition, it facilitates the spread of messages in terms of the positive impact which industry can have on biodiversity conservation, whilst at the same time educate and much wider audience on the value of biodiversity.

By protecting nature and biological diversity, industry can maintain its licence to operate and ensure long term access to raw materials. In addition, by engaging with stakeholders, it improves its relationship with the outside world.

It is also essential to continue to develop partnerships, commitments and protocols with public and private entities (universities, schools etc), promoting environmental education, scientific research and environmental awareness and communication. By working together, stakeholders are able share knowledge, know-how and solutions across all sectors.

Industry must develop and, more importantly, implement best practices in order to integrate biodiversity into the whole decision-making process, throughout the entire lifecycle of all quarries. The knowledge developed must also be distributed in order to educate industry and best practices should thus be promoted. Continued internal communication is essential in order to continue to raise awareness amongst the industry.

Recognition that the cement industry can contribute to biodiversity conservation through good land stewardship and proper planning of mining activities is important. Also, consistent policy frameworks and regulations will allow industry to contribute fully towards conserving biodiversity and using ecosystems services in a sustainable way whilst at the same time enabling the vitality of this essential industry. It is also essential that these regulations are applied and enforced consistently. Legislation and other strategies have been developed to minimise the environmental impact associated with the production of cement, particularly as regards the exploitation of quarries. Examples include Environmental Impact Studies, Environmental Recovery and Landscaping Plans and/ or Landscaping Recovery Plans and Landscaping Action Plans for Biodiversity.