Breaking Grounds on Sustainability: The Cement Industry’s Role in Decarbonization
The vision of Earth Watch Club is to organize events that create awareness about environmental issues, aiming to foster a sense of responsibility among the youth to consider these issues and work together for a sustainable and greener future. For this purpose, the Earth Watch Club organized a seminar titled “Breaking Grounds on Sustainability: The Cement Industry’s Role in Decarbonization” in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Sciences on 24th May 2024 in S-009. Fifty-five students participated and attended this seminar.
The purpose of organizing this seminar was to educate students and make them aware of the cement industry’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions and the challenges this industry faces in the era of sustainability. The guest speaker for the session was Dr. Arif Bashir, Director (Technical and Operations) at DG Khan Cement Co. Ltd (DGKCC). The event began with Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik, Distinguished Professor at the School of Life Sciences and Director ORIC, FCCU, delivering the introductory remarks. Afterwards, Dr. Arif Bashir, the keynote speaker and guest for the event, was invited to deliver his talk.
Dr. Arif Bashir provided an overview of DG Khan Cement Co. Ltd, including its structure, vision, mission, and the processes happening within the industry. The company is one of the largest cement manufacturers in Pakistan. Since the main focus of the discussion was on the cement industry’s role in decarbonization, Dr. Arif primarily talked about the growing demand for urban development and the significance of the cement industry in this regard. He emphasized the pivotal role this industry plays in the global construction sector, providing essential materials that form the backbone of urban development, and discussed the environmental issues associated with the cement industry. Dr. Arif also highlighted D.G. Khan Cement’s initiatives and efforts in protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions, with a focus on Pakistan’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). He discussed technological advancements within DG Khan Cement, ensuring sustainable production and packaging of materials, responsible sourcing of raw materials, and the challenges and obstacles the cement industry faces in transitioning towards decarbonization while meeting the growing demand for infrastructure and urban development. His presentation showcased D.G. Khan Cement’s pioneering efforts towards sustainable cement production, providing insights on how the industry can contribute to national and international decarbonization goals. The presentation was very informative. Dr Arif Bashir also talked about establishing a link between academia and industry for the exchange of knowledge and the role the youth can play in revolutionizing the industrial sector with an imperative to align with sustainable development goals.
After Dr. Arif Bashir’s presentation, a question-and-answer session was held, allowing faculty and students to engage and ask questions of the guest speaker. It was a very engaging and productive session. To conclude the seminar, Dr. Derk Bakker (Head of Department of Environmental Sciences) delivered the closing remarks. He also presented a shield of appreciation to Dr. Arif Bashir in recognition of his valuable contribution. At the end of the session, a group photo was taken to commemorate the event. Overall, it was a good event.
