Evaluation of carbon emission factors in the cement industry: an emerging economy context

The cement industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions, responsible for 5–8% of global emissions. This industry is expanding, particularly in emerging economies, and it is expected that CO₂ emissions will rise by 4% by 2050. To address this critical concern, this paper identifies ten factors that contribute to carbon emissions in the cement production process through an extensive literature review and prioritises these factors using the Bayesian best–worst method. The data was gathered by conducting a methodical online survey with seven cement industry professionals in Bangladesh, with the aim of gaining insights into the emerging economy. The results illustrate that fuel burning and electricity consumption are the two greatest contributors to CO₂ emissions in the cement production process. This research provides guidelines for cement industries in emerging economies on how to reduce CO₂ emissions as well as suggesting areas of future research for sustainable cement production.