Sustainable materials: with both eyes open

Presenter: Julian Allwood

Published: January 2013

Age: 14-19 and upwards

Views: 2272 views

Tags: materials carbon industry

Type: Lectures

Source/institution: Royal Society

One third of the world’s carbon emissions are emitted by industry. Most industrial emissions relate to producing materials, and steel and cement are by far the most important contributors. The industries that make materials are energy-intensive, so have always been motivated to be efficient, and have now reached a fantastic level of performance. However the world’s demand for materials is growing, and likely to double by 2050. By default, industrial emissions will also double unless we do something differently.