The ceramic industry accounts for approximately 1.5% of global industrial CO₂ emissions, driven by energy-intensive processes such as kilns and spray dryers. Under pressure from the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and increasingly demanding market requirements, sustainability is no longer a voluntary commitment but a prerequisite for access to key markets.
A growing gap exists between sustainability rhetoric and actual industrial transformation. While Sassuolo and Castellón are advancing—at different speeds—towards electrification and hydrogen-based production, Foshan operates under less demanding domestic regulations, while Aveiro has emerged as a leader in applied research and innovation.
Bringing together senior representatives from four major ceramic clusters, this session will examine what each cluster is really doing to advance sustainability: concrete investments, measurable outcomes, real-world obstacles and market strategies that go beyond greenwashing.
The Challenge
Who is truly leading decarbonisation, and who is simply communicating it?
As sustainability becomes a key factor in global competitiveness, the gap between ambition and implementation is becoming increasingly visible across the world's leading ceramic clusters.
Session Objective
To provide an evidence-based discussion among leading representatives of four ceramic clusters on the practical realities of sustainability, exploring investments, measurable results, technological challenges and market strategies beyond rhetoric and greenwashing.
