CBAM and Cement: A Complete Guide for African Cement Exporters

How the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism applies to cement and clinker exports from Africa, including process emissions, embedded emissions calculations, and compliance strategies.

Published April 2026·Last updated April 2026·carbonborderadjustment.co.za

CBAM-Covered Cement Products

The CBAM Regulation covers cement and clinker under CN codes 2523 and 2521. The key covered products are:

▸Portland cement clinker: EU default 0.87 tCO₂/t
▸Portland cement: EU default 0.87 tCO₂/t
▸Aluminous cement: EU default 0.87 tCO₂/t

Why Cement Has a Structural CBAM Challenge

Unlike steel or aluminium, where the majority of emissions come from energy use (and can be reduced through grid decarbonisation), cement has a structural emissions problem: approximately 60% of cement's CO₂ comes from the calcination of limestone (CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂). This is a chemical process emission that cannot be eliminated by switching to renewable energy.

African Cement Producers and EU Export Volumes

| Country | Key Producer | Export Markets | CBAM Exposure | |---|---|---|---| | Egypt | Suez Cement, Lafarge Egypt | EU (via Mediterranean) | High | | Morocco | LafargeHolcim Maroc, Ciments du Maroc | EU (via Spain/France) | High | | Algeria | Lafarge Algérie | EU | Medium | | South Africa | PPC, AfriSam | Limited EU exports | Low |

Strategies for Reducing Cement CBAM Costs

▸Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs): Replacing clinker with fly ash, slag, or calcined clay reduces the clinker-to-cement ratio and therefore the calcination emissions per tonne of cement
▸Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): Emerging technology that captures calcination CO₂ at the kiln — not yet commercially deployed in Africa
▸Fuel switching: Replacing coal/oil with biomass or hydrogen in the kiln reduces energy-related emissions (but not calcination emissions)
▸Verification: Documenting actual SCM ratios and fuel mix to demonstrate emissions below the EU default

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is cement difficult to decarbonise for CBAM purposes?

Approximately 60% of cement's CO₂ comes from the calcination of limestone — a chemical process that releases CO₂ regardless of the energy source. This structural emissions challenge means cement cannot achieve near-zero embedded emissions through renewable energy alone.

What is the EU default emission factor for cement?

The EU default embedded emission factor for Portland cement and clinker is 0.87 tCO₂ per tonne. This is lower than steel and aluminium, but the calcination process means actual emissions are difficult to reduce significantly below this default.

Which African countries export the most cement to the EU?

Egypt and Morocco are the primary African cement exporters to the EU, given their geographic proximity to European markets via the Mediterranean. Both countries have significant cement production capacity and face meaningful CBAM exposure.

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