Cement Energy & Environment

21 • Agriculture & Livestock: Despite being the largest methane emitter, livestock industries receive subsidies and face less ESG scrutiny than cement or oil. • Healthcare: The COVID-19 pandemic alone increased medical plastic waste by over 26,000 tons/day at peak, much of which remains unmanaged. WHY FOSSIL FUEL &CEMENT PHASE-OUT IS UNREALISTIC 1. Infrastructure Dependence: Cement is irreplaceable for housing, roads, and dams. India alone consumes 400+ Mt cement annually. 2. Energy Security: Oil & gas still provide over 55% of India’s primary energy supply. 3. Emerging Economies: Unlike developed nations, India cannot afford intermittent renewables and must ensure energy stability. REFERENCES 1. International Energy Agency (IEA). (2023). World Energy Outlook 2023. https://www.iea. org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023 2. IPCC. (2022). Sixth Assessment Report (AR6): Climate Change 2022. Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/9781009157896 3. Malmodin, J., & Lundén, D. (2018). The energy and carbon footprint of the global ICT and E&M sectors 2010–2015. Sustainability, 10(9), 3027. DOI: 10.3390/su10093027 4. Science. (2022). The environmental footprint of space launches. Science Advances, 8(33), eabm9672. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9672 5. Forti, V., Balde, C.P., Kuehr, R., & Bel, G. (2020). The Global E-waste Monitor 2020. United Nations University. https://ewastemonitor.info/ 6. World Bank. (2022). What a Waste 2.0: Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management. DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1329-0 7. Nature Sustainability. (2022). Hidden water use in global data centers. Nat Sustain 5, 380–386. DOI: 10.1038/s41893-022-00849-y DISCLAIMER This article reflects the author’s independent research and perspectives. It is intended to foster awareness and debate, not to create conflict or bias. Neither the author nor affiliated organizations are responsible for misinterpretations or misuse of the content.