Companies Cut Concrete's Heavy Carbon Footprint
Voice of America
It's literally the foundation of modern life.
A slab of concrete underlies nearly every permanent structure on Earth. Concrete blocks are a basic unit of construction worldwide, with 1 trillion being manufactured yearly by 2027. But concrete, the most abundant human-made material in the world, is also one of the largest sources of planet-warming carbon dioxide. Concrete manufacturing is responsible for between 4% and 8% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, ranking third after fossil fuel burning and deforestation. And demand for the ubiquitous building material is expected to grow significantly to accommodate a growing population. By one estimate, building floor space will double by 2060, adding the equivalent of the city of Paris every week.Young women and their coach Dioguinho bring it in for a team huddle at the start of a football training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Agatha strikes a ball during a football training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Relatives watch a football training session for young women run by the Bola de Ouro social program at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024.
FILE - A vendor prepares his umbrella as hot days continue in Manila, Philippines, April 29, 2024. FILE - Motorcyclists stop in the shade of a skytrain line on a hot day in Bangkok, Thailand, May 3, 2024. FILE - A man drinks water as he takes a break from cleaning underground sewage on a hot day in Mumbai, India, May 2, 2024.