Saudi Arabia is tackling the high carbon footprint of its cement sector to meet 2060 net-zero goals. Because 60 percent of cement emissions are chemical byproducts of clinker production, the Kingdom is exploring carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and the use of local volcanic pozzolans to replace traditional clinker. Efforts led by KAUST and the Future Cement Initiative focus on integrating AI for kiln optimization and adopting carbonation curing for precast concrete. However, scaling these solutions requires updated technical standards and new financial incentives to make low-carbon alternatives commercially viable.
