16 May 2022, Sydney – To celebrate MECLA’s one year birthday, high ranking government officials and industry CEOs came together to discuss their zero carbon commitments and pledges to drive down carbon emissions. The level of transformation and decarbonisation required for a climate safe future requires collaboration across the supply chain, and this is exactly what MECLA facilitates.

At MECLA we like to call ourselves a “Do-Tank”. We take pride in action, not just discussion. This event exemplified this concept, showcasing the various on ground projects and activities taken by MECLA partners to reduce embodied carbon.

The event featured speeches from Deputy Secretary of NSW Office of Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability, Rachel Parry, and Executive Director for Technical Services of Transport for NSW, Pamela Henderson. Both discussed the government’s commitment to achieve net-zero by 2050 and its role to play as a regulator and significant procurer of materials. NSW Government announced their continued support for MECLA into phase 2. MECLA is currently seeking funding from various jurisdictions including federal government and member organisations.

MECLA Chair Hudson Worsley hosted two panel discussions featuring CEOs and COOs from over a dozen MECLA Founding Member organisations and participants. The first panel focused on demand for low carbon materials and included head contractors, builders and procurers . The second panel featured engineers and material suppliers whose discussion revolved around the delivery of low carbon materials.

Video is available for second panel discussion below on the supply side. This panel featured material producers and engineers. Hear from George Agriogiannis, CEO of Holcim, and Ben Heraghty, M&A Transformation, Ventures & Sustainability at Boral, on how cement companies set ambitious science-based targets. Michael Kemp, CEO of Wagners Earth Friendly Concrete, speaks about Wagner’s low emissions geopolymer concrete and the market opportunities.

John Nowlan, Bluescope Chief Executive Australia, and Steve Porter, Head of Sustainability, Innovation and Trade at Infrabuild, address the steel producers’ ambitions, key challenges and opportunities for the industry. Rachael Armistead, GM, Strategy & Business Improvement at Hyne and XLAM, outlines the benefits of engineered timber, and Veena Sahajwalla, talks about the role of universities in this complex ecosystem of research and output.

This article originally appeared on the MECLA website.
To read the original article and access supporting materials, please visit mecla.org.au