Foundation industries, which are vital for the UK’s manufacturing and construction sectors, are worth around £52 billion to the economy and account for nearly 15% of annual carbon emissions.
This briefing identifies key decarbonization pathways and some of the obstacles to them, such as the high cost of low-carbon technologies, a lack of standardized data collection on embodied carbon emissions, and a lack of familiarity with new materials.
It also highlights the role that non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector can play in industrial decarbonization by bringing companies together to accelerate demand, facilitating dialogue and information sharing.