February 25, 2019  Glendora, CA – A recent paper commissioned by the Sierra Club California and authored by Global Efficiency Intelligence paints an inaccurate and intentionally misleading picture of the California cement industry. The Coalition for Sustainable Cement Manufacturing & Environment (CSCME) along with the California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA) have addressed the paper’s sensational claims that the California cement industry is “failing the climate challenge” and is “substantially dirtier” than cement industries in other nations, including China. CSCME and CNCA present proof that the claims are misleading and incompatible with the facts, including many of those presented within the paper itself.

In their brazen attempt to paint a distorted picture of the industry, the authors of the Sierra Club paper ignore facts and commit a series of flagrant errors, including but not limited to making logically inconsistent arguments, manufacturing apples-to-oranges comparisons, failing to provide a description of their methodology, and suppressing data that provides essential context.

Despite the Sierra Club California paper’s sensational claim that the California cement industry is “failing the climate challenge”, the truth is that the California cement industry has decreased CO2 emissions by 20% since 2000.  During the same timeframe, the Chinese cement industry increased its CO2 emissions by roughly 200%.  The California cement industry has shown it is committed to working towards new and innovative practices to make cement a more sustainable resource.

The response by the California cement industry sets the record straight with factual evidence and creates a forthright and constructive conversation about how CA policymakers can assist the industry to further reduce its carbon footprint. Constructive conversation about how the industry can continue to contribute to California’s climate change objectives cannot be based on sensational claims and intentionally misleading analysis.

To read the entire industry response please follow this link: Response Sierra Club Report