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🗞️ Driving the news: Microsoft is spearheading the development of a carbon market for low-carbon cement to overcome supply challenges in sustainable construction
• The company will buy "environmental attribute certificates" from startups like Sublime Systems, allowing it to claim reduced emissions without directly using the low-carbon cement
🔭 The context: Cement, responsible for 6% of global emissions, is a critical material in construction. While low-carbon alternatives exist, they are not widely accessible
• Microsoft's move creates a market that helps clean cement startups scale production, bridging the gap between demand and availability
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Scaling the use of low-carbon cement is essential to reducing emissions in one of the most carbon-intensive industries, helping to meet global climate goals
⏭️ What's next: Microsoft’s initiative may inspire broader adoption of "book and claim" markets in other carbon-intensive industries, though it raises concerns about potential double-counting of environmental claims
💬 One quote: “This problem of cement emissions is so intractable... We need to make cement more visible,” — Leah Ellis, CEO of Sublime Systems
📈 One stat: Cement is responsible for 6% of global carbon emissions
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