This report from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's Cement Sustainability Initiative summarizes the work thus far in the nearly 3-year-old effort by the council and the industry's largest companies to make global cement production cleaner and greener.

The manufacturing of cement is responsible for about 5 percent of the world's CO2 emissions. And the three largest producers are China, the top producer, followed by India and the United States. Reducing CO2 emissions in cement production is an important factor in combatting climate change because the industry is expected to double by 2030.

The project by the council and the business group includes development of a CO2 accounting and reporting protocol for the industry, and creation of the global Getting the Numbers Right database of energy and emissions information. The resource enables the analysis and benchmarking of industry performance. It is managed by an independent third party on an open platform.

The council has embarked on a number of efforts that are aimed at engaging leading companies within various industries to bring about significant reductions in environmental impacts more swiftly.

The Cement Sustainability Initiative's report and other resource material can be downloaded here.

More information about the Cement Sustainability Initiative is available here.