5 - How to bind an air pollution heavyweight? Regulating the cement industry in West Africa

The cement industry is one of the world's fastest-growing industries, driven by immense construction needs, particularly in Asia and Africa. However, it is also an industry regularly singled out for its significant environmental externalities, in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emissions and emissions of fine particles and dust. As cement plants are often located close to cities, where cement is consumed, the issue of air pollution is made particularly acute to public regulators. The players in cement production are powerful conglomerates, while in many states of the Global South, the technical capacity to measure pollution and effectively implement public regulations remains limited. This paper reviews available data on state regulation of air pollution by the cement industry, with a particular focus on West Africa. We propose to analyze the scope and effectiveness of these measures in reducing air pollution from this major industry.